Mabel the Rescue Dog

3 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)

Halloween seems to be extremely exciting for humans, but unfortunately, us dogs aren’t a huge fan of it. There’s a lot of unfamiliar things and lots of loud sounds, so it can be scary sometimes. Plus, I can’t help but bark when the doorbell rings, and for some reason on Halloween, it just won’t stop ringing!

So, here are some tips to help your dog feel more comfortable this Halloween!

Walk Your Dog Before Trick-or-Treating Starts

Trick-or-Treating is exciting for children, but it confuses dogs. We don’t understand why there are so many humans in costumes walking around and ringing the doorbell over and over again. So, please take your dog for a walk before the chaos begins.

Be Cautious Around Halloween Decorations

Some houses like to go all out for Halloween. They sometimes even have decorations that make loud sounds or jump out you. Most dogs are not a fan of these unfamiliar items, so try to keep us away from them if possible. If you are decorating your own home, make sure you slowly introduce us to objects that might seem scary.

Try to Distract Them from the Constant Doorbell Ringing

Most dogs cannot resist barking when the doorbell rings. I am definitely guilty of this. It stresses us out not knowing who’s on the other side of the door. Unfortunately, Halloween consists of lots of doorbell noises, so the constant ringing is not good for us. We will just keep barking and keep worrying, so you need to prepare us for this. Maybe get your dog a new toy or bone to chew on to provide a distraction for them.

Keep Them in a Room Away from the Front Door

If your dog will not stay away from the front door or if they never stop barking during Trick-or-Treating, it’s probably best just to keep them away from all of it. Keep them in a room that’s far away from the front door so that they aren’t just sitting near the door barking the whole time. Also, make sure you put plenty of toys and bones in that room so that your dog has stuff to keep them entertained.

Slowly Introduce Them to Your Costume

We are not used to seeing our humans in an extravagant costume, so please don’t wait until Halloween to show it to us. Change into the costume in front of us ahead of time so that we can understand that it’s still you. Suddenly seeing our family members look completely different could startle us, so be cautious, especially if you have a mask on.

Make Sure Your Dog’s Costumes are Comfortable

Many humans love to dress up their dogs too, but remember, dogs don’t usually like this! I’m fine with Molly dressing me up for a short period, but I get annoyed if I’m wearing a costume too long. So, when choosing a costume for your dog, make comfort a priority. It doesn’t matter how cute you think the costume is if it’s uncomfortable for your dog.

Halloween is supposed to be an exciting time for humans, but don’t let that make you forget about your dog’s needs. Big celebrations like this one can often be scary or stressful for us, so make sure you check on your dog to make sure they are doing okay with all of the Halloween chaos.

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