Halloween can be a spooky, silly time of year, but it might not seem like so much fun to your four-legged family members!  Before the big Boo-day is here, consider how your whole family, pets included, can have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Candy

Your favorite chocolate treats probably don’t agree with Spooky’s stomach!  Keep the human Halloween goodies out of reach of your pets, and remind family and visitors not to sneak them a secret treat from the candy bowl, no matter how much they show off their puppy dog eyes.  Instead, have some irresistible dog or cat treats on hand so that everyone gets something special for their taste buds!

Visitors

Constant doorbell-ringing can be frustrating or frightening for Pumpkin, so if you are expecting visitors or trick-or-treaters, make sure Pumpkin is in a secure location where she feels comfortable and can’t accidentally slip out through an open door.  Dogs and cats should be wearing collars with identification – even if they are in costume – so if they find a way outside, they can more easily be identified and returned to you.

Candles

You may want to set a spooky mood, but remember that an open flame and Spooky are not a good combination!  If your pets want to get in the Halloween spirit, find alternatives to candles, like decorative lights, and keep the candles out of reach of your furry family members.

Costumes

Wouldn’t Pumpkin look adorable dressed as a pumpkin?  She might not think so!  While some of our animal companions love wearing clothes and dressing up, others do not and can find wearing clothes very stressful.  Make sure to read your Spooky’s body language to see if he wants to wear the witch’s hat or not, and if your pet will be wearing a costume, make sure it fits well, allows for a range of movement and is unlikely to get stuck as they maneuver their way around your house.  What might your pet want to be?  Check out our helpful flow chart:

If your pup is looking to show his or her seasonal spirit, join us for AWLA’s annual Howl-O-Ween event, taking place on Saturday, October 27, at 2 p.m. at Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap.  Whether you come with a costumed canine or just join us to check out the dogs in their frightening finery, register today.  It’s going to be a howling good time!