Every moment we spend with our dogs is special, but why not spice it up a bit on Halloween. There many things that you can do with your dog to ensure that they are having a great Howl-O-Ween, but what exactly are they?
So, how can you spend Halloween with your beloved dog?
First things first, so you have to learn about and implement the doggish Halloween safety tips. Next, you can make them some delicious Halloween dog treats. Finally but not least, get them a fun yet safe costume!
The sky is the limit when it comes to what you could do with your dog on Halloween but if you want simple, easy, and fun activities to do, then continue reading this post.
Table of Contents
How to spend Halloween with your dog?
Halloween is almost here, but you might still be not so sure about how you can spend it with your dog. You might be wondering what sorts of Halloween-ish activities you can engage your dog in without sacrificing their safety.
Perhaps you have already even settled on a fun costume for your dog, but you are not sure if it is going to be the best option for them. Well, do not worry because I am going to cover all of that today.
How you spend Halloween with your dog could be divided into four main categories. These three categories are the following:
- Halloween safety tips for your dog
- Making your dog delicious dog treats
- Picking the perfect Halloween costume for your dog
Let us start by talking about the top three safety tips for your dogs.
3 Halloween safety tips for your dog
1) Make sure that your dog is wearing the ID tag
Your dog should always wear an ID tag no matter what in case they get lost. But make sure that they have the ID tag on especially on Halloween in case something scares them, and they end up running away.
This way, anyone who finds them will be able to identify them and contact you or bring them back home.
2) Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets
Chocolates are a big no-no for dogs because they are very toxic to dogs.
If you are not sure if your dog has consumed any chocolate, keep an eye on them and see if they show any symptoms of having chocolate poisoning:
- Diarrhea
- Increased heart rate
- Vomiting
- Rapid breathing
- Seizures.
Halloween candies sometimes have Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener e poisonous to dogs. Small amounts of Xylitol can make your dog’s blood sugar drop suddenly, which can make them have seizures.
If your dog eats Halloween candy and don’t experience a seizure, you should take them to them Vet anyway because Xylitol can also cause liver failure.
To sum it up, if your dog does ingest something foreign then stay alert and notice if the display any of the following signs:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- No appetite
- Rapid weight loss
- Inability to keep food down
- Finding blood or mucus in their stool
- Enable to get comfortable when resting
- Constantly pacing
3) Keep the pumpkin and the corn out of your dog’s reach
Feeding your dog pumpkin and corn in small amounts is considered to be safe; however, if your dog eats a lot of molded or uncooked pumpkin, they might become sick.
Your dog might experience a stomach, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. Take your dog to the vet if you discover that they have eaten molded pumpkin or corn because some kinds of mold produce mycotoxins. This substance can make your dog experience neurologic problems.
Making your dog delicious dog treats
Because human candy is toxic for dogs, let us make our four-legged best friends safe, and yummy Halloween treats ourselves. Today, I will be sharing with two different recipes.
Recipe number one: Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats that are shaped like Mummy Bones
This yummy treat is healthy for your pooch and screams Howl-o-ween! You are going to need the following ingredients.
Ingredients
- One cup of All-Purpose Flour
- One egg
- A cup and a half of (WWF) whole wheat flour
- Three quarters of a cup of water or almond milk
- Half a cup of natural peanut butter. Stay away from Sugar-Free Peanut Butter because it often contains Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs.
- One tablespoon of baking powder
- Two tablespoons of honey
- One teaspoon of cinnamon. Cinnamon is generally safe for dogs when given in moderation.
- One cup of pure pumpkin
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla
- Melted yogurt chips
Directions
- Preheat the over at 325 degrees.
- Start by mixing all of the wet ingredients.
- Next, combine the dry ingredients in another bowl.
- Then, start adding and dry ingredients into the bowl that has the dry ingredients slowly. Mix it all until the dough is kneaded.
- Roll the dough until it is has a thickness of half an inch and use a bone-shaped cutter to make lots of bone-shaped treats.
- Put a cookie sheet on the tray and place the bones on it.
- Put the tray in the oven for twenty minutes
- Take the tray out and flip the cookies, then put the tray back into the oven.
- Leave the tray in the oven for fifteen more minutes.
- Then take the tray out of the oven and allow the cookies to cool
- Then melt the yogurt chips using a double boiler, and dip the bone-shaped cookies into the melted yogurt chips
Recipe number 2: Halloween Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
This is another yummy dog treat that you can bake for your four-legged best friend.
Ingredients
- Two tablespoon wheat germ
- A cup and a half of (WWF) whole wheat flour
- One cup of water
- A cup and one-quarter of unbleached flour
- A quarter of a cup of cornmeal
- A cup and a half of tablespoon dry yeast
- One-third of a cup of peanut butter
- A cup and one-quarter of unbleached flour
- One to two tablespoons of turmeric
- One tablespoon of cinnamon
- One to two tablespoon beet powder
Directions
- Preheat the oven at three hundred degrees.
- Put all of the ingredients ( except for turmeric and beet powder) in the bread maker.
- Add the turmeric and beet powder to the dough to color it and mix it all together.
- Once the dough is ready, start rolling it until it has a thickness of one-quarter.
- Cut the dough using a circular cookie cutter.
- Use the push and print cookie cutter set to add different shapes to your circular cookies.
- Bake the cookies for an hour, then turn off the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool overnight.
For more delicious Halloween pet treats recipes, check out our 17+ DIY Halloween Dog Treats that Your Dog Will Love blog post.
Picking the perfect Halloween costume for your dog
When you select a costume for your four-legged best friend, you should do not be looking for the coolest looking costumes. Instead, you should look for costumes that fit them well, that has no potential choking hazards attached to them, that is not going to obstruct their sight, and the list goes on.
That is why I have decided to give you a mini-guide that is going to help you pick the perfect Halloween costume for your dog instead of just showing you a lot of cute dogs in Halloween costumes.
At the end of the of the guide, I will give you to fun Halloween costumes are fun and safe for your dog, so stay tuned to check those out.
1) Your four-legged best friend’s safety should be your number one priority.
In the fashion world, the mantra “beauty is pain” is quite popular. If you don’t approve of it in the human fashion world, then you should not put your dog through that as well. Even if you don’t mind it, do not compromise your dog’s safety for cute photos and a few compliments
There are there main things that you should keep in mind while picking your dog’s costume. Their costumes should not:
- Restrict their movements
- Restrict your dog’s ability to see, breath, and bark
- Have accessories that are considered to be a choking hazard
2) Your pooch’s costume should not be too big
The costume you pick for your dog should fit them perfectly. If it is too big or too small, they might end up getting hurt. Let us start by talking about why your dog’s costume should not be too big.
If their costume is too big, they might end up tripping on their oversized costume and getting hurt. They might also tear it down.
If the costume comes with a headpiece and the costume is too big for them, then the headpiece could end up obstructing their sight, which could make them have accidents and get injured.
3) Your pooch’s costume should not be too small
Now that we know why your dog’s costume should not be too big, let us talk about why the polar opposite of that is also a big No-No!
If your pooch’s costume is too small on them, this means that it is too tight on their bodies. Not only is that very uncomfortable, but it is also very restrictive.
A costume that is too tight is going to make it difficult for your dog to move, even walking, standing, and sitting properly is going to be very hard.
Tight, restrictive costumes also affect your dog’s breathing, so make sure you get them a costume that is neither too big nor too small.
4) You should take your dog’s temper into consideration
If your dog shows any signs of anger, anxiety, or fear whenever you touch a specific part of their body ( like their legs for example), then do not get them a costume that requires you touch that particular body part when you are dressing them up.
5) You should be mindful of your pooch’s costume design
People often look at the styles of costume designs instead of their practicality when shopping for their dogs. It makes sense to be excited to pick a costume that is spooky, funny, or cute. However, you should be seeking safety and efficiency.
If a costume has a lot of accessories (if even if they are considered to be safe), but your dog is not used to getting dressed up, then stay away from such costumes styles.
If your pooch enjoys getting dressed up, but they are hyperactive, then they could potentially use some parts of their outfits, so do not get a costume that consists of many pieces.
But there is one element that you should always look for first and foremost, and that is the back of the costume. As in, is it going to be easy for your dog to go to the bathroom without needing you to undress them first?
Will they be able to go to the bathroom without soiling their lovely costume?
If you answer “Yes” to both questions, then you can get that costume. If you had just one “No”, then continue looking for a better costume for your four-legged best friend.
6)Train your dog gradually to get used to their costume
Even if your dog loves getting dressed up, never dress them up in their Halloween costumes for the first time before you taking them out Trick or Treating.
7) Always reward your dog when they’re dressed up in their costumes
Make sure that you are frequently applauding your dog when they are wearing their costumes and give them some treats as well. If you are planning on leaving the house with your dog, take some treats with you to continue rewarding them constantly.
If you want to learn in more details about how you can choose the perfect Halloween costume for your pooch, then read my 10 Tips for Choosing A Halloween Costume for Your Dog blog post here.
Two fun and safe costume for your dog include the following:
- The Dinosaur Dog Costume
- The Lion Mane Dog Costume
Costume number 1: The Dinosaur Dog Costume
This costume is so adorable and perfect for dogs who do not have much hair and you redressing them in it when the weather is a bit cold because it is mostly made of fleece.
They will look adorable in it, and it will keep them warm. It is also super easy to get your dog into and out of it.
This costume is specifically great for bog dogs because its size ranges from three XL to seven XL ( 3 XL to 7 XL ). To get the perfect size for your dog, measure their chest, neck, and back correctly. As we’ve mentioned earlier, we do not want their costumes to be too big or too small.
Check out The Dinasour Dog costume here and grab one for your lovely pooch!
Costume number two: The Lion Mane Dog Costume
This costume is also great for big dogs. Also, it is going to transform your pooch into a lion! It is made of polyester that is high in quality, easy to clean, and very durable.
The Lion Mane costume is perfect for dogs who are medium to large in size with a neck size that ranges between (60- 80 cm).
Make your dog be the mightiest lion to ever walk this earth and get them this awesome costume here.
If you want to check out more costume options for your pooch, then read out our Top 30 Large Dog Halloween Costumes to Glamour Up Your Dog blog post.
Other questions related to how to spend Halloween with your dog
What should I do if my dog is anxious about Halloween?
If your dog is not comfortable being out and about during Halloween, then you should not be forcing them out of the house. Seeing people in costumes ( including you), especially if their faces are covered, might make them even more scared. The best thing that you can do is stay away from the thing that is triggering the anxiety.
Your dog’s safety comes first, so instead of going out, you can enjoy Halloween with them indoors by doing some of the things that I have mentioned on this blog post.
Should We Dress Up Our Canines?
It all depends on whether your dog is comfortable to do so or not. If your dog does bot get anxious when you put them in different outfits, then putting a costume on for Halloween should not be an issue. However, make sure that your dog’s costume fits them properly. The fabric should be of good quality and suitable for the current weather.
If you are interested in reading more about this topic, then make sure you read out our Should We Dress Up Our Canines blog post.
What are some problems that are associated with choosing the wrong costume for your dog?
There many problems that could happen if you pick the wrong costume for your dog. For example, if your dog’s costume is too big on them, they may not be able to see properly, which means they could get hurt. If your dog’s costume is too tight, it might restrict their movements, and make them anxious. Some costumes have potential choking hazards, so try to stay away from those costume styles.
Why can’t dogs eat human candy?
Hard candy is considered to be a choking hazard for dogs. Nuts might give your dog a stomach ache, and raisins are very toxic. Chocolate has two substances that are considered to be toxic to dogs; these two substances are theobromine and caffeine because they can not metabolize them as easily as we do. The darker the chocolate is, the more theobromine it has, the more toxic it is for your pooch.
Is it safe for my dog to eat shrimp?
Dogs can consume shrimps as long as they eat it de-shelled, plain, and fully cooked. However, they should only have small amounts of it every here now and then because frequent shrimp consumption is not healthy for dogs.
If you want to read more about the precautions that you should know before you feed your four-legged best friend shrimp, then make sure you read my Can Dogs Eat Shrimp blog post.
Can dogs eat crabs?
Dogs can eat crab meat as long as they are well cooked and served in moderation. Generally speaking, crab meat is consisted to be a safe treat for your four-legged best friend. However, be careful because some dogs are allergic to crab meat because it is high in iodine.
If you are interested in reading about whether dogs can eat crab meat or not in more details, then check out my Can Dogs Eat Crab Meat blog post.
That’s it for today’s post. You should now know how to keep your four-legged best friend safe. You also have a few fun ideas that you can use to have a Happy Howl-o-ween with your furry friend.
My Sources
- 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
- Activities For Dogs On Halloween
- Eek! The Frightening Side of Halloween Chocolate
- Enjoying Halloween With Your Dog
- 8 Halloween Safety Tips For Pets
