As fun as the upcoming holiday is for humans, pet safety is super important so let’s talk about how to keep your dog safe on Halloween.
Keep the candies for the kids
We all leave the candies right near the front door don’t we? After all it’s the most convenient for us, but is it convenient for your dog as well? My dog Jack is extremely resourceful when it comes to reaching food. He figured out a way to jump from the couch to the ledge to the table to get what he wanted. If this sounds like your dog please put the bowl out of his reach, then a bit higher!!
When taking handfuls of candy some pieces are bound to end up on the floor, so when you see something fall please pick it up immediately. In all the excitement you likely won’t notice, so do your best to check for fallen 
treats because chocolate is poisonous and candies and wrappers are choking hazards.
If your dog does eat something she should not have, or you even suspect she has, call the poison hotline, or take her to the emergency hospital if your vet is not available.
Lock him up!
Welcoming trick or treaters means lots of door opening, bell ringing, scary costumes and screaming kids. Keep your dog safe by putting him or her in a separate part of the house, a crate or behind a baby gate.
ID please
Even if your dog is safely locked away, it’s important for him to be microchipped and have a proper fitting collar with an id tag, containing up to date information. You never know – someone may let him out or he may let himself out, and you want to do everything you can to ensure he gets back home safely.
A note I really have to add – your dog should always be microchipped and have an ID tag.
Don’t leave him alone in the backyard
Don’t leave your dog alone in the yard. You never know if a prankster will steal or let her out, or even do her harm. If your dog lives permanently outside, which I hope is not the case, bring him in on Halloween.
Keep decorations out of reach
Halloween lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach. Cords can be used as chew toys, and decorations knocked over or swallowed.
Shine the light outside
Lit candles and pumpkins naturally go together, but that combination is best left outside on paths and walkways. if left within reach your dog can either burn himself or accidentally start a fire. As I mentioned earlier, some dogs are determined enough to reach heights you never thought they could reach, and even if you do find the perfect “out of the way” spot for your burning Jack O Lanterns, who can enjoy what they can’t see?
Playing dress up
As you can see from this picture of my dog Red, she looks less than thrilled with the costume I put together for her. She wears a sweater most of the year so I know it wasn’t the cape that was annoying her as much as that witch hat!! I was not about to leave her unhappy so I took a few pictures then took it right off her.
If your dog is more willing than Red, make sure there is no beading or other pieces that can be chewed off and no part of it restricts his breathing or ability to bark.
If your dog wants no part of it, please don’t force him. There are plenty of Halloween sweaters, collars and bandanas he may be happier wearing. 
Know your numbers
I recommend always having important phone numbers like poison hotline, 24 hour emergency hospital and of course your vet, in an easy to reach place that everyone knows about. If your dog does eat something she shouldn’t have, or you even suspect she has, knowing who to call can be the difference between a happy outcome or a sad ending.
How to keep your dog safe on Halloween – conclusion
It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of costumes, parties, and trick or treaters isn’t it! Let’s not forget these important Halloween safety tips so everyone, our four legged family members included, have a safe and fun night.
What awesome tips do you have to share that will make this coming Halloween as safe as possible for our pets? Please leave them in the comments section below.
I would like to invite you to join Senior Dog Care Club, a new Facebook group for senior dog parents. There you will find lots of helpful tips and advice, a place to ask questions and share experiences. I look forward to welcoming you.
Should Every Old Dog Eat Senior Dog Food
Hey Hindy. Another great post. I know how dangerous chocolate can be for dogs but it never occurred to me to be more vigilant during Halloween, wow thanks for the tip!
Hi Lynne, thank you, glad it was helpful. I figured it would be a good idea to write safety tips for all the holidays – can’t be too careful!!
Dress the dog in a costume? Tihihihihi always find those so funny…You’re right, pranksters could have a field day with that. Like the Halloween themed bandana though… think my daughter and I will go looking for one of those.
Hi May, thanks for the comment. I must admit I can’t stand when people dress their dogs up in dresses etc…, it always makes me feel like they’re treating them like dolls. However, when it comes to sweaters and coats for warmth, and a few minutes in a costume, I’m good with that.
Fantastic advice! I know that I didn’t think about keeping my dog safe on halloween one year until it was too late! This will emphasize the point you made about the door being open a lot. I spent my first halloween with my pup wondering around town with a treat bag trying to catch the little guy. Not fun! You can be sure that I made sure he was well secured the following year.
Are there any halloween treats they can enjoy?
Thanks for the advice! Noted. 🙂
Hi Melody, Thanks very much, and I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thankfully you caught him though!! Since Halloween treats are candy, then I would say no. However, there are lots of homemade treats that are easy enough to make, and you can form them into all kinds of themed shapes.
hi Hindy!
awwww Red looks adorable in her witch costume! But I am with you that she does seem to be a fan! That being said, I do not think I have ever met a dog (or a cat for that matter) that liked being in a costume. We dressed up my friend’s dog and her daughter’s dog last Christmas and they were giving us the “get it off!” look!
Great tips for dogs and Halloween. Some things I would not have thought about such as no lit pumpkin or keeping the corn and pumpkin away. Dogs can knock over things pretty easily and it could certainly become a fire hazard. Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Emily, I appreciate your comment. No she doesn’t look happy – it’s the witch hat she can’t stand, or maybe the paper towels I had to stuff inside it to make it stand up, but either way, the costume loses it’s appeal without it. !! There’s usually a Halloween party locally, so we stop in for a few minutes, show the dogs off, and leave.
Hi Hindy,
Thank you for the extremely helpful and important tips on keeping your dog safe on Halloween. You never can be too careful when it comes to holidays.
Thank you again for sharing!
Cora-
Hi Cora, thanks for your comment, and I’m so glad you found the information helpful. I think in the excitement of planning for the holidays, then the commotion on the day, it’s easy for pet safety to slip our minds. Hope this will help everyone keep their dogs safe this Halloween.
Great tips, Hindy! Many are applicable for cats, too.
It’s a shame that we have to take measures to protect our pets from Halloween pranksters who would deliberately harm them. The fact that such precautions are even necessary reveals a glaringly ugly truth about human nature–and why I prefer animals to begin with. 😉
Thanks for sharing this helpful information! I hope it benefits many.
Hi Angela, I appreciate your comment and yes, definitely, a lot of what I write about definitely applies to cats as well. It really is shocking what some people will do, and the acts of violence they will commit against living beings. It’s sad we have to constantly be concerned, but that is the world we live in. I agree with you, I prefer them as well.
Great tips there Hindy. Being a non-American, I wouldn’t know anything about Halloween but the content itself speaks as coming from a professional. I’m sure this article will save quite a few dogs.
Cheers
Yared
Hi Yared, I appreciate your comment. I think it’s an excuse for kids to eat lots of junk food! Personally I just like the decorations, but I digress. I’m glad your found my article informative, that’s my goal with helping people care for their dogs.