As you can imagine Halloween can be a daunting ordeal for your family dog. Each Halloween, veterinarians across the USA deal with dogs getting hurt. All of which could certainly be prevented. The following are some important tips to keep your animal safe healthy and happy during this fun holiday for children.

The first great example would be making sure you take your dog outside for any walks or general playing prior to the time kids head out for trick or treating. However if you absolutely must take your dog out while kids are out, its recommended that you keep a tight grip on your leash, it’s very easy for dogs to get overwhelmed by the mask’s and costumes the children are wearing. If you or your family members are wearing a mask, let your dog see the mask first and then put it on after really slowly. This way they can clearly see who you are prior to putting the mask on, this could help your pooch cope better with the situation.

If your dog is not wearing a collar, this time of year is an important time to reconsider.

You may want to put your dog in a room away from the front door if loud noises stir up your dog, if there a very excessive barker, or tend to be aggressive towards people they don’t know. Get your dog their favorite toy, and perhaps turn the television on to animal planet or the discovery channel to distract them with nature programming. This could very likely put a smile on your pups face.

Many dogs can get out of the house when the front door is opened, then they see costumed people and become very frightened. If your dog becomes to frightened it could possibly run out the front door and get lost. You could however, put a baby/dog gate in front of your door if your dog isn’t too big.

When planning your Halloween decorations think proactive so your dog can enjoy Halloween with you.

It’s extremely important that your dog can’t reach candles inside the house this could set fires and also harm your dog. Outside make sure they cannot touch your jack-o-lanterns the same problem could occur with the dog hurting its nose or face being burned by the candle. Decorations that have any small parts could potentially be swallowed so keep them out of the dogs.

Despite the delicious treats you might enjoy on this festive night, under no circumstances should you be feeding your dog any candy. Get rid of any candy wrappers before your dog can find them and swallow them. Wrappers can cause your pet to choke or become sick. Take your Halloween trash outside as soon as possible.

It’s very possible to have fun with your dog on this holiday. Maybe get your dog a safe plush toy and always keeping an eye on them. It can also be very fun to dress your dog up in a costume. Have a happy Halloween!