Viewpoint: Keep dogs safe this firework season

By Darren Wiltshire, Owner of DW Dog Training and Pet Care 

Do you love Halloween?

Halloween can be a fun time for many, lots of bright coloured costumes, lots of children laughing and enjoying themselves …not to mention the adults.

Will your dog or new puppy feel the same way?

Will they recognise the child at your door that they see every day when they are behind that scary mask?

While Halloween can be a fun time, your dog or young puppy may view this time completely differently.

There could also be fireworks going off, again while we as humans recognise the sound of a rocket lifting off and whizzing into the air, our dogs, and especially young puppies may have never heard this sound before and could be extremely frightened.

With Halloween and indeed Bonfire night fast approaching please keep your puppies and dogs safe by following some simple rules :

Walk your dog before it gets dark, remember you may go out when it’s light at this time of year but give yourself enough time to get back while it’s still light.

At this time of year, you may not want your dog to greet people at your door as you may normally do, as I mentioned the child that they normally see will not be recognisable to them when they are in a costume and wearing that scary mask!

Be sure to reward your dog’s good behaviour such as being calm, sitting, and laying down, DO NOT tell them off for being boisterous as this could make them and the situation worse.

Make sure that your dog has a safe place to go and hide if they want to; if they want to retreat to their crate, which normally lives near a window, move it to a different location so they aren’t closer to the noises that are scaring them outside.

Really importantly, make sure that sweets and chocolate meant for the trick-or-treaters are kept out of the reach of your dog. Chocolate and sweets can be extremely poisonous to them.

Finally, be very aware that costumes for your dog may also cause them stress, the costumes may restrict their movement and bits hanging off of the costume could also cause a choking hazard.

What are your tips to keep dogs calm on Halloween? Let us know by emailing editorial@thecaninetimes.co.uk

The views and opinions expressed in this viewpoint are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Canine Times.