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Halloween Decorations

Halloween decorations are the first thing to come out as we get closer to the big day. I know I have been working on my yard for the last couple of days once we got into October! However, decorations can present a multitude of dangers not only to our pets but to wildlife in general!

There can be wires that can be chewed and you have to watch for small decorations that can be swallowed as they present a choking hazard! I love to use a ton of artificial spiderwebs out in the yard as well, but be careful since these can entangle not only your pet but local wildlife! Last year I had to rescue a squirrel from mine…

Halloween Candy and A Safe Halloween With Pets

Candy and chocolate is a must at Halloween! And chocolate is a no-go where pet safety is concerned. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats due to the theobromine content as well as caffeine content. And the darker the chocolate the higher the theobromine content…According to the AKC one ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight is a concerning dose. If your dog consumes chocolate watch for vomiting and diarrhea, restlessness, and an increased heart rate. Since eating chocolate can also cause seizures and in some cases death you should consult your veterinarian.

Sugar free candy is another one to watch our for! This includes certain types of candy, mints and chewing gum. This is because sugar free candy contains xylitol which is also toxic to dogs and cats. Xylitol can cause listless and weakness in dogs as well as cause vomiting or collapse.

So really, the best thing to do is keep all Halloween candy out of reach to your pets (not only the contents but the wrapper can cause issues if ingested!). If your cat or dog manages to get into something they shouldn’t be sure to keep a close eye on them in case of adverse reactions. And of course consult with your vet.

A Safe Halloween With Pets and Costumes

Even as a fully grown adult with a daughter of my own, there is nothing I love more than planning my Halloween costume! And the dogs too! The cats? Ummmmm, yeah right haha. If I thought I could get away with it I would!

But did you know that there are things you need to take into consideration when picking out a costume for your pet? Pets can be prone to overheating in a cumbersome costume. So be sure to keep a close eye on your pet to make sure they aren’t showing signs of heat exhaustion in their costume. You can read more on heat exhaustion in dogs HERE.

Be sure to watch for anything that they can rip off or ingest as well.

And some costumes can be difficult to walk in and you definitely don’t want to put them in something that could restrict them from going to the bathroom! As I mentioned above I may just throw a sheet over my dogs this year…or another idea I have seen is just making a Ty heart and attaching it to their collar so they look like giant beanie babies! Sweet and simple!

Halloween Pet Safety On The Big Night

Although my dogs love Halloween because they love attention from anyone and everyone, your pet may not be the same. While you socialize your dog and get them used to many sights and sounds at a young age, costumes aren’t your typical everyday appearance and could be alarming. There are also lots of extra sounds and excitement and doorbells being rung.

If your pet isn’t a fan of the ghosts and goblins, you can consider crating them away from the action in a quiet spot. Or if a crate isn’t your dog’s thing then sectioning off a quiet room for them. White noise can also help mask the extra sounds that come with Halloween. CBD could also be a good option to help your pet stay calm. You can read more on CBD for dogs HERE!

We would love to see your Halloween costumes with your pets!! Post them in the comments below!

The post How To Have A Safe Halloween With Pets first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

I LOVE to dress up my dogs. And myself haha. They don’t necessarily like it so much…My poor little Pug Nemo was always a target! And now Grace and Benson…Dress up my cats? No thanks, I like the skin on my arms thank you very much! Although I could probably get away with putting something on Whiskers…

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

Dressing Up Your Dog

If you are thinking of dressing up your dog, take a couple things into consideration ahead of time. With Nemo, he could care less if I threw him into a costume. I think he loved the fuss people made when he was all dolled up! He was also a really REALLY laid back little guy!

Grace and Benson tolerate it but they always look at me with big sad eyes like “What are you doing to me Mom???”. But before you dress up your dog think about how they are going to handle it. It can be stressful for some dogs. Some costumes may also limit movement and restrict them from going to the bathroom. And heavy costumes can be HOT.

So be sure to take these factors into consideration before making the decision to dress up your dog and what kind of costume you are looking at.

DIY

There are endless possibilities if you want to make your own costume or are on a budget! One year with Nemo I made him into a giant flower just using a little felt and glue! And he looked simply adorable! A big bonus is being able to customize the costume to your dog and their size! I got Grace a banana costume that SAID it would fit…then ended up being too small…

Hit up your local craft or dollar store, take a look around and see what inspires you! I already have costumes lined up for my bears for this year. But I think matching costumes are definitely going to have to happen next year! I’m thinking along the lines of Raggedy Ann and Andy. A little bit of plaid material, and old pair of jeans and some red or dark orange yarn and BOOM!

Purchasing a Costume

I get that many people simply don’t have the time to make an outfit…But there are some amazing costumes that you can easily find available online! As I mentioned above, just be sure to double and TRIPLE check your sizes and perhaps err on the side of going larger versus smaller. Although with dogs at a XXL or XXXL we are running out of larger sizes…

Last year Grace was a ladybug and Benson was the sweetest bumblebee! Since they were both still growing rapidly last year at this time, the costumes ended up being a little small. But it was only one that went over their backs and strapped around to hold them on so we were ok!

Chewy

Chewy has a huge variety of costumes available for your dog! And what I love about their costumes is that they also have a wide variety of sizes available! Check out the costumes available at Chewy HERE! But of course we had to go through and pull out a few of our favorites!!

Happy Cow – Chewy

Check out this cow costume!!! It is SO cute! Definitely one to consider if your dog will tolerate having something on their head (which sadly mine do not…). I think it’s the udders on the bottom of the costume that really do it for me! You can pick up this costume HERE!

Red Lobster

Anyone looking to channel their inner Sebastian??? I adore this costume! Although this cat looks suspiciously happy…Get it HERE!

Showgirl

I can totally see Grace rocking this costume!!! She loves to be fussed over, and who wouldn’t want to pay some special attention to a dog wearing this costume!! Get it HERE!

Serape

Ok, now this is fun! Bright and colorful and provides full movement for your pup! And that little sombrero??? How can you go wrong??? Get it HERE!

I could seriously look at costumes for my dog for hours! And while these are a couple of my favorites from Chewy, if you don’t see something you like be sure to check out the full selection at Chewy HERE!

Bandanas

If your dog doesn’t necessarily do well in a costume, why not consider a fun Halloween bandana instead? I have a few for my dogs, and we wear them proudly during the month of October, not just on Halloween! I love that this one is reversible so can be worn both ways for different looks! Get it at Chewy HERE!

Tell us, do you dress up your dogs? Or even maybe your cats??? What are the best costumes you have used or seen? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!!! Happy Halloween everyone, let’s get spooky!!!

The post The Best Halloween Costume Ideas For Pets! first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.