Hey guys, in case you didn’t notice by the giant insurgence of skeletons on your dash, it’s OCTOBER now. Which, of course, means we’re on the first day of the beloved month of Halloween. (This is a pro-spoopy blog, but I promise, I’ll never use that word again). And with Halloween comes costumes and with costumes comes the idea of putting our dogs in silly outfits.
Do you want to put your pet in a costume for Halloween? Great. Guess what? It’s time to start now!
Here’s the thing. Most dogs are not a fan of clothes from the get-go. There are outliers who love to be dolled up (although often that’s thought to be because they’re tight, like thundershirts) but most dogs end up being either purposefully or accidentally conditioned to wear their outfits. You know the dogs that looks miserable in their costumes or try to run from them or just tear them to shreds? Those are the pets who got stuffed into it for the first time for the party.
So here’s what you do: you buy a costume now, and you start training your dog that it’s the best thing in the world. Reward them for sniffing it or touching it or laying on it – leave it out for a while so they get used to it. And then start small – maybe put a boot on their foot (assuming they let you handle their feet – if your dog has issues with handling a body part, don’t put something on it). Reward them for tolerating it, and then take it off. Play that game a couple times a day with them in tiny increments. If you’ve got something that goes over their body, lift it up and encourage them to sniff it – then lure their head through the opening with a treat, and then take it off. Once you get it so they’re eagerly sticking their head through the neck for food, you can let it rest on them for a little bit. Same goes for securing it with velcro or snaps. Make sure you take it off of them again BEFORE the association gets negative! You want costume time to be the most exciting party they get to have. Once they’ll wear it, start with a small duration and then build up time they’re wearing it as you get closer to Halloween!
This way, your dog won’t be miserable on Halloween in his costume! If he’ll be at parties, think about other aspects like how to keep him out of food or keep his costume from getting stuck on stuff. If he goes trick-or-treating, make sure you can put his harness or leash on around the costume and that the costume doesn’t interefere with the gear. Get him used to walking around on it before the night!
Have a safe and happy Halloween Month, everyone!
It’s that time again! Bringing this back.
It’s really important to consider if taking your pet somewhere on Halloween is appropriate, because this is a holiday that can be really stressful for them. Costumes on people can be really scary for dogs, and temperature considerations are relevant to all animals but especially small mammals and reptiles. Most of the food floating around on Halloween has the potential to make pets really sick, and if you’re partying or managing small children you may not have enough attention left to keep your pet safe.
What about pets and trick-or-treating? It’s also never a good idea to take dogs trick-or-treating because you don’t know the temperament of the animals living in the houses you approach – and more animals are likely to respond badly to another dog right on their doorstep on an already overwhelming night. If you’re putting out candy at your house, keep your dog or cat confined in one room for the duration (or at least gate off the entryway to your house). The last thing you want is a escaped pet, or your pet or a child getting injured by a bad reaction. If your dog is reactive to doorbells, consider providing a white noise machine or just taking them to the house of someone not taking trick-or-treaters for the night.
And last, always, always supervise your pet the entire time it is wearing a costume to prevent them getting hurt. If they get stuck due to a costume they can’t get out of, there’s a risk they’ll panic and hurt themselves in the process. As soon as your pet appears to no longer want to wear the costume, just take it off of them.
Happy Halloween month, y’all. Let’s involve our pets responsibly.
Let’s talk pet halloween costumes!
Published
BettSplendens Tumblr Evac 