Halloween Dog and Cat Fun and Safety

I love Halloween! It is spooky, thrilling and fun. I enjoy it as much now as I did as a kid.. But, real scary things can happen to pets. The 10 tips will help you have fun and be safe.

1. When kids come to call keep Spot and Fluffy in safe confinement. Dogs may be frightened by the goblins at the door and flip into protection mode. The continus doorbell ringing can disturb sensitive dogs and make them act out.

2. Speaking of doors, while you are handing candy to a pirate, your cat may slip out the door. If you don’t see it, you may not notice your cat’s absence for hours which will make her hard to find. Dogs can slip out, too, and get confused and run blocks or miles away.

3. Pet costumes are delightful. That is if the pet likes it. Bugster the Pug loves costumesit because it means attention and maybe treats. Some dogs and most cats don’t want anything to do with their owner’s whackie ideas.

4. Be sure to choose loose costumes that don’t bind the legs or neck and keep track of your pet’s temperature - costumes can get hot! If your pet can walk, sit, and lay down comfortably, you’ve found the right costume.

5. If you are walking your dog in costume, be aware that other dogs may become aggressive to your frankkfurter.

6. Chocolate is VERY, VERY bad for dogs. Especially in large quantities. I know this for a fact because my Mastiff got into a chocolate cheesecake (he ate the entire thing) and the vet bills were very scary!

7. If you have a puppy, be diligent in keeping her away from the excitement. Puppies go through fear periods. It is part of their learning experience. Anything that frightenes them will be a source of anxiety later on. My college boyfriend had a Black Lab named Moby who was terrified of a rock in their front yard. He had fallen off of it when he was 8 weeks old.

8. More and more people are trick-or-treating with their dogs so it is fun to give out little favors for the dogs. I put mine in a hankerchief that can be worn by the dog after the goodies are gone. Just remember to ask about any allergies. A lot of dogs are allergic to chicken. See below for a recipe for dog treats to give away.

9. There are burrs, goat’s head, fox tails, and nasty ticks that can get under the costume and burrow into the fur. If you travel through grasses or bushes, check long haired dogs and cats for any of these party poopers.

10. Please, please keep you cat at home. There really arre terrible people who think it is fun to torture and, possibly, kill cats - especially black ones. Halloween give them an excuse to go to the dark side. True Satanism is rare, but teenagers may dabble in things they saw on the internet.

    Pumpkin Dog Treats

    2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

    2 eggs or egg substitute

    1/2 cup canned pumpkin

    2 tablespoons of peanut butter

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

    Whisk together all ingredients. Add water as needed to make the dough workable. The dough should be dry and stiff.. Roll dough into a 1/2 inch roll and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

    Bake until hard - about 40 minutes.