Helping your Dog Stay Calm on Halloween
Halloween is a great time for the family, especially kids! We get to dress up, have fun with our friends, and get lots of candy. However, it can be very stressful and confusing for many dogs. Dogs sometimes react to the repeated doorbells, loud voices, scary decorations, and strangers coming and going dressed “weirdly”. Your dog may react by displaying several stress signals such as barking, panting, trembling, whining, or trying to escape.
If you know your dog is going to have a hard time with Halloween, start strategizing and planning now to help your dog get through the halloween festivities!
Preparation:
If possible start getting your dog ready for the big Trick or Treating event. Before Halloween night, setup some situations that will simulate Halloween night. Prepare bags of high value treats, put your dog on leash, and then you and/or your kids can get their costumes on and do the following activities:
Calmly walk around house. If your dog is cautious about the costumes, toss a couple of treats to the dog as you walk by. Let your dog come sniff the costumes then click or say YES and give them some treats.
Simulate Halloween night. Have dog on leash sitting 3-4 feet from door. Have people and kids who are dressed up approach the door and say “Trick or Treat” loudly. The person working with the dog inside the house can practice obedience commands such as Attention (eye contact), WAIT, or LEAVE IT. Always rewarding the dog with super high value treats.
Raise the Bar. If dog is calm, continue to simulare Halloween night by opening the door and pretending to greet the people and kids wearing costumes. If dog does not rush the door start, start barking, etc. mark calm behavior by clicking or saying YES and giving dog super high value rewards.
Teach dog an alternative behavior. As you simulate Halloween night, teach your dog to go to their “Place” and stay there.
Sign up for an Obedience Refresher class. Your dog may already know impulse control obedience commands, but sometimes during the Halloween activities and Trick or Treating event, the distractions are just too much for your dog to listen to you. But if you practice before hand and refresh your dog’s skills like SIT STAY, LEAVE IT, and WAIT. Your dog will be much more prepared to remain calm and cope with all of the excitement of the night.
If you practice these exercises a couple weeks before Trick or Treating night, you will find your dog is much calmer
Night of Trick or Treating
Even with practicing the exercises above, your dog may still be stressed. Support your dog by doing one or more of the following:
Exercise Dog Prior to Halloween Activities. A tired dog is a good dog. Before Trick or Treating starts, take your dog for a long walk or run and bathroom break. Or you can play fetch or chuck it in the backyard.
Remove Dog From Situation. Place your dog in a quiet room away from all of the excitement. Make sure that dog has familiar items around him like bedding, favorite toys or scrumptious puzzle toys, like filled kongs, and Starmart Green Treat Balls. Provide soft calming music such as Through a Dog’s Ear to cancel out some of the noise around the front door.
Let Dog Drag Leash Around. If you think your dog can handle the excitement of Trick or Treating, have your dog on leash so that you can step on the leash if the dog tries to dash out the door and to help your dog remain calm at the door preventing them from jumping on kids that you are passing out treats to.
Praise dogs profusely. If your dog is remaining calm as the kids approach the door, don’t forget to praise dog profusely or toss a treat away from the door.
Practice Obedience commands. Practice the Name Game to help your dog stay focused on your. You can also practice impulse control commands like SIT STAY, WAIT, or LEAVE IT. These commands help your dog remain calm and engaged with you through out the event.
During and After Trick or Treating, ALWAYS KEEP CANDY AWAY from the dog. Sugary food, especially chocolate, can be harmful to your dog. Don’t let kids give your dog any of their candy.
Paws N Play hopes you and your family have a safe and fun Halloween this year!