Keep Your Pet Safe this Halloween
Today’s Blog is brought to you by Kelsey Valley with Happy Tailz, a dog trainer in Hudson Wisconsin. Happy Tailz serves the Twin Cities and Wisconsin. Kelsey is a Certified Dog Trainer and uses the LIMA method to train dogs: least intrusive, minimally aversive. She’s an experienced and knowledgeable trainer, and I am so excited to share her expertise.
It’s that time of year again! Candy, spooky creatures, pumpkins, haunted houses and the dreaded chocolate toxicity for dogs. This Halloween, there are a few things you as a responsible owner need to look out for when it comes to Halloween and I will go over a few of those with you. One ounce of chocolate per pound of body weight in a dog is potentially a lethal dose. This can be worse the more natural the chocolate is: baking, dark, and dry cocoa beans/powder. The best way to avoid potential ingestion of chocolate is to store candy away in a secure cabinet, up high where a dog cannot reach or not having it in the home at all (but let’s be honest, this is pretty impossible right?). Xylitol, which is an artificial sugar, is in most of these candies and gum as well. This could cause xylitol poisoning and should be looked out for.
Don’t Take Your Pet
Should I bring my pet out Trick Or Treating with me? The best answer is to leave them in a secure place at home. Scary looking costumes or strangers approaching your pet in the dark could trigger a fear response which is unsettling for most dogs and could cause reactions such as growling, lunging, or biting. Even the nicest dogs flip a switch and go into flight or fight mode and react.
Costume Safety
I love a cute dog dressed up for Halloween, but there are important safety precautions that should be considered when going to these contests or dressing up for fun at home. Make sure these costumes are loose enough to provide movement and freedom for your dog where they don’t feel that walking is difficult. You also want to make sure they aren’t too long where it causes them to trip over their own feet and are not able to comfortably move around. Ideally, no costumes over the face or the head. Most dogs associate touch near their mouth or face as a negative and we want to make sure that they are not threatened by objects in this area. Beware of small parts that are included with each costume that could cause unnecessary ingestion. Whether it is toxic or a choking hazard, we want to make sure Halloween is fun and no trips to the animal hospital happen.
Trick or Treaters (and doorbell ringers)
Does your dog love barking when the doorbell rings or is knocked on? Lets create a space where your pet feels secure in the home and doesn’t feel the need to bombard the door each time you open it for those adorable trick or treaters. This could be behind a closed door with music or a tv on to mask the sound or in a kennel if properly kennel trained with a safe bone or toy to chew on to keep distracted. The constant knocking or door bell ringing is unusual and could be a trigger to your dog. We don't want them to have a negative association with the door so keeping them away is the best choice to avoid this. Another great option (if it is nice out) is to sit outside your door and hand out candy to those trick or treaters so there is no noise at all, again this up to you. If your pet is able to escape in any way, make sure to have proper identification on them, microchipped or keep a leash on so you can easily catch them.
Please contact your local emergency animal hospital if you feel your pet has ingested chocolate, xylitol, choking hazards or anything of concern.
Resources
Animal Emergency and Referral Center: (651)-501-3766
ASPCA: (888) 426-4435
About Kelsey and Happy Tailz
Whether you are on vacation, or traveling for business, Happy Tailz will be there to feed, walk, play, and of course snuggle your pets. The bonus for you is absolute peace of mind knowing that your furry friends are receiving plenty of love and attention while you’re out. Happy Tailz creates happy pets by offering unbeatable pet sitting, dog training and wedding pet attendant services.
happytailzmn@gmail.com