Keep Your Pets Safe on Halloween
Halloween is a fun holiday for humans, but there are some things you should do to make sure it doesn’t get scary for pets. Here are some tips that will help keep pets safe.
- Protect your pets on Halloween by keeping them indoors. A pet that’s out at night with trick-or-treaters might get spooked by noises and costumes, which could cause him to run away.
- Cats should be kept indoors at all times, and if you have a solid black or solid white cat, you should be especially careful about keeping it indoors on Halloween. Some people are superstitious about cats and may try to scare or harm them.
- Keep pets confined and away from the door while you’re greeting trick-or-treaters to prevent them from darting outdoors.
- Your dog may feel that his territory is being invaded by the constant onslaught of visitors. Keep your dog in a secluded area of the house to help him stay calm and prevent him from growling or possibly biting your visiting ghouls and goblins.
- Keep Halloween candy out of your pet’s reach because it can make your pet sick. In fact, chocolate and raisins can be fatal to dogs. Cellophane candy wrappers can also be a choking hazard. Instead, celebrate Halloween with goodies made especially for pets, like dog biscuits or cat treats.
- Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.
- Walk your dog before trick-or-treaters start their visits. Keep a firm grip on the leash; many dogs are frightened by people in costumes.
- Make sure all your pets have up-to-date ID Tags on them
Even though you are careful to keep Halloween treats away from your dogs, accidents do happen, Check this list of symptoms if you think your dog may have gotten into the chocolate:
If you notice these symptoms of chocolate poisoning, go to your vet or an emergency vet right away because your pet’s life may be in danger:
- Excessive drooling
- Excessive urination
- Pupil dilation
- Rapid heartbeat
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Hyperactivity
- Muscle tremors and seizures
- Coma
If Your Dog Eats Chocolate…
Call your veterinarian or a 24-hour emergency hotline such as:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) 1-888-426-4435 or 1-888-4-ANI-HELP
National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPPC) 1-900-680-0000 or 1-800-548-2423
In addition, who doesn’t love dressing up their four-legged friend for the holiday? Please read these Halloween costume safety tips to prevent a frightfully dangerous night.
Animal Costume Tips
All Colorado dogs are Bronco Fans so if you need a costume, check out some great options here or these Fun dog costumes below. Who doesn’t love dressing up their four-legged friend for the holiday? Here are some Halloween costume safety tips to prevent a frightfully dangerous night:
- Don’t restrict your pet’s ability to walk and sit down comfortably. If your dog or cat looks miserable, they probably are.
- Don’t make your pet wear a mask that covers their eyes, ears or nose.
- Don’t put your pet in a costume that makes it difficult to breathe. This is especially important for flat-nosed dogs such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers and Pekinese.
- Always supervise your dog while in costume so they don’t chew or eat any costume parts.
These tips were provided by the Denver Dumb Friends League
‘Top Dog” Eileen Proctor, Denver’s newest pet lifestyle expert offered some statistics and do’s and don’ts of dressing pets in Halloween costumes.
- According to the National Retail Federation, 15% of Americans plan to deck out their dogs this Halloween
- Americans will spend nearly $300 million on costumes for pets this year
To make sure dogs are safe and comfortable in their costumes:
- Avoid masks that cover the face and ears
- Mobility/freedom of motion is essential
- Costumed pets should be supervised at all times
- Help pets ease into the act of dressing up in the few days leading up to Halloween
- If your pet looks miserable, they probably are. Opt for a festive bandana instead.
If you want everyone in town to see your fabulous pooch decked out in his Superman costume be sure to come down to Mainstreet for the event of the Halloween season… “Trick or Treat off Mainstreet”.
For more information on the Dumb Friends League, visit ddfl.org or call (303) 751-5772
If you have lost or found a pet in Parker or anywhere in Colorado please visit the Colorado Lost & Found Pets page on Facebook.
Dog Halloween Costumes
Elvis Pet Cape
How cool will you be with your Dog Mom Elvis Costume to match your favorite pooch.
Elvis Woman’s Secret Wishes Sexy Jumpsuit Costume
The King Dog Shirt
Dog Dad Elvis Aloha Costume
Nothin’ But A Hound Dog Pet Costume Size Small Medium & Large
This Elvis costume for dogs features the trademark black-haired wig, gold shiny glasses, highly recognizable white, wide, collared cape with printed gold stars and multi-colored eagle, and concludes with a red scarf!
This is a new rock star Elvis Dog Costume
Elvis’ rhinestone coat dog costume is pure gold! Check out the bell-bottom pants that fit over your dog’s legs. Be sure they aren’t too long so your dog won’t trip and hurt themselves.
Want to match your best friend this Halloween? Check out these mens, ladies, and kids Elvis costumes too.
DC Comics Wonder Woman Dog Costume
Dressing up for Halloween is fun! According to us, at least. Pets rarely enjoy being dressed up, but some will tolerate it if they know that it makes us happy, or if they really like attention and will do anything to get it, including looking ridiculous. That shows us how far pets will go to be loved. As owners, our responsibility is to at least make sure that their costumes is comfortable and safe for our dogs.
This Hairy Potter dog costume is the cutest thing ever. You’ll have to be quick to get that pic with the glasses on!
Dog costume guidelines
Costumes should be easy to put on, and to take off. If you have to fight your dog or squeeze him into it then just don’t do it.
Make sure your dog can see! Halloween is a very stressful holiday for pets, as they are not used to seeing monsters and such walking around in their neighborhood. When a dog cannot see well, he cannot assess a situation well, which makes the situation even more stressful for him. A stressed dog can be a dangerous dog.
Beetlejuice Dog Costume
Costumes should not have parts that can be destroyed or eaten for obvious reasons.
Watch your dog while it’s wearing it’s costume after all that’s why you bought it in the first place to see how adorable they look. Take LOTS of pictures to share later.
Pirates of the Caribbean Dog & Cat Costumes
Click to Order this cute Pirates costume for your cat or dog from Amazon US, UK or Canada
Check out this Star Wars Ewok costume. Too adorable!
This Cowboy Costume for your Cat will be a big hit on Instagram.
Cowboy Rider Dog Costume
These costumes always look so cute when their movements make the cowboy look like they are riding a bucking bronco. Click here to order Amazon US, UK or Canada
Lion Mane Costume
This adorable Lion Mane stays in everyone’s heart now after seeing the commercial where the baby didn’t like the dog until it looked like a stuffed animal.
Your dog will be the hit of the Halloween party in one of these cute Animal Planet Bat Dog Costumes.
Bat Dog Costumes click to order US, UK & Canada
If you have a dog that isn’t crazy about wearing costumes but he needs to dress up a bit, this bowtie is just perfect.
Are you addicted to Amazon? Then you might really “need” the UPS Man Dog costume.
Dogs in costumes are just SO darn cute! How can we resist? Particularly if you are an empty nester. Your need for cuteness during the holidays doubles.
I think it’s fun to pick your dog’s Halloween costume based on a theme or to match your own.
We have a Harry Potter obsession in our house so that’s always fun.
Is your dog a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Ravenclaw? These cute scarves will let everyone know. Maybe your dog just wants to represent all of Hogwarts! Then this bandana is perfect.
There are tons of Adult Harry Potter costumes as well as for the kids & grandkids you love too.
Are you a biker? I think your dog would look pretty cool in this outfit then. A leather jacket with shades to match. This jacket could also be used all winter so your pup can look studly all season.
I have always thought peacocks were such magical creatures! I happened upon this Halloween dog costume and really thought it was special. You will have to have a dog that doesn’t mind having something on its head and covering its ears. My guy wouldn’t go for that at all so you know your pooch best.
Star Wars Halloween Dog Costumes
Star Wars is another nerdy obsession in our house. I think a lot of dogs already look just like Ewoks so that’s an easy match up.
Dinosaur Dog Costumes
This first dinosaur costume for your dog is just a headpiece that turns your bulldog into a triceratops. Animal Planet – Triceratops Dog Costume
Animal Planet Stegosaurus Dog Costume
The reviews on Amazon.com for all these costumes were all great except that the sizes aren’t very descriptive. One of the reviewers provided this size chart.
DOG COSTUME SIZE CHART
LARGE fits up to: 20″ length, 24-28″ chest, 16-20″ neck. Breed Examples: Small Boxer, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Weimaraner, Whippet
MEDIUM fits up to: 16″ length, 20-24″ chest, 14-16″ neck. Breed Examples: Beagle, Dachshund, Jack Russel Terrier, Lhasa-Apso, Miniature Scottie, Pug, Schnauzer
SMALL fits up to: 12″ length, 16-20″ chest, 12-14″ neck. Breed Examples: Dachshund-Miniature, Norfolk Terrier, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Toy Poodle
X-SMALL fits up to: 8″ length, 12-16″ chest, 10-12″ neck. Breed Examples: Bichon Frise, Brussels Griffon, Maltese, Miniature Pincher, Papillion
How about a Pupasaurus Rex Dog Costume
Your dog would have to be one that was comfortable with things on their head but this is pretty adorable/fierce looking!
Plush Dinosaur Costume with Hood
After the day is over, consider trading costumes with one of your dog-loving friends so you both have something new for next year’s pictures. Check Free in Parker on Facebook for deals like this.
