Protect the pups: Top tips for looking after your dog on Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner and bonfires, fireworks and more all something our dogs have to deal with, Chris Hanlon of Werewolf Food has provided his top tips for keeping your dog happy and safe. 

He says, “Halloween anxiety in dogs in a very real scenario and although you’ll know when your dog is scared, unhappy or nervous, knowing how to handle it in the moment, or avoid it altogether is key. Every element of the day from the food to the fireworks needs to be considered but planning a little ahead should make for a relaxing evening.” 

• Walk 

Chris says: “Bringing your dog for a longer walk than usual early in the evening or late in the afternoon, before much of the madness ensues, will help to relax them as much as possible and hopefully mean they are a little bit less angsty if the evening turns out be full of loud noises and have lots of visitors. As we know, the fireworks and noises can be unexpected so it’s worthwhile keeping your dog on its lead throughout.” 

• Hide the sweet treats 

Chris explains, “The next obvious risk to dogs on Halloween night is the sweet treats left for trick-or-treaters. These need to be kept out of reach of your furry friend. We all know our dogs will sniff out every human treat they are not supposed to have and get up to all kinds of mischief in the kitchen when we’re not looking so it’s worthwhile being extra careful and leaving treats in high cupboards or locked away in between trick-or-treater visits. Monkey nut shells can be a choking risk while chocolate and other sweet treats can be poisonous to dogs and cause tummy upset so stick to the dog-friendly treats to include your dog in the fun.” 

• Dangerous décor 

As with the sweet treats, Chris reminds us that dangerous decorations can be a risk too. He says, “The number one risk is lit pumpkins. We all know our dogs are curious and as they aren’t used to inviting lit pumpkins, keep them out of paws reach. Overall, my advice would be not to overdo it – the more the house appears to be unfamiliar, especially with scary statues and hangers, the more your dog will get riled up. Bear in mind too that by wearing a mask, your dog no longer recognises you and your family members so perhaps pop it on out of their sight.” 

• Stay with them 

Chris explains, “It might seem like the practical option to keep your dog away from the noise in the quietest part of the house but we can underestimate just how scary fireworks, spooky costumes and consistent unexpected visitors can be to dogs so I suggest keeping them close, giving them their favourite toys to keep them as distracted as possible and comforting them with affection as they need it. A handy trick is to turn on music or the TV to try and drown out external noise as much as possible.” 

• Ask a friend 

Chris advises not leaving things to chance. He says, “If you have a gut feeling that your dog isn’t going to react well, it might be worthwhile asking a friend in a quieter area if you can pop round for the busy times or even asking them to dog sit. You can also consider a boarding kennels in a rural area that you rate so you can have some peace of mind.” 

Husband and wife Christopher and Bridgeen Hanlon, are the duo behind subscription-based dog food company, Werewolf Food. That’s right, you can now have your dog’s food delivered right to your door on a rolling basis as your dog needs it. Werewolf Food, founded in January, has tapped into our growing love for the convenience of subscriptions just like Glossybox, Hello Fresh and Bloom and Wild.