Halloween is a night of tricks, treats, and frights. It is also a night that can be very stressful for our pets. And dogs especially can struggle with trick or treating, and the constant doorbell ringing, loud noises and more.
So how can we make Halloween a less stressful time for our dogs? What can we do to keep them calm while trick or treaters take over our streets?
We turned to Dogtopia's Dr. Antje Joslin for the answer. And she had multiple suggestions that might just make Halloween a less stressful experience for your pup.
How to keep your dog calm during a night of Trick or Treating
Dr. Joslin actually had five suggestions for dog owners looking to keep their dogs feeling safe and calm on Halloween night (or whatever night is dedicated to trick or treating in your city or town). So what did she suggest?
"Create a safe space: Set up a quiet room with familiar toys and blankets.Dr. Antje Joslin
Use calming aids: Consider calming treats, pheromone diffusers, or anxiety wraps.
Stay calm yourself: Dogs can pick up on your anxiety, so try to stay relaxed.
Practice desensitization: Get your dog used to the sound of doorbells and trick-or-treaters beforehand.
Consider dog daycare or boarding: For dogs who find Halloween particularly stressful, consider dog daycare or boarding at a safe and reputable facility, like Dogtopia."
Both the safe space idea and the doggy boarding (we know our daycare wouldn't be open late enough to make this work, so it would likely have to be boarding overnight that was utilized for Halloween night) make perfect sense. And we do love the idea of finding ways to keep our pups away from all of the activity and noise.
But we want to know what you think. How do you keep your dog safe and calm on Halloween night? Do you have any tips or tricks that work for your pup?