Dog Halloween Information

Its the time of year a lot of us love. Cooler weather, changing leaves and of course, that fabulous day of candy - HALLOWEEN! Remember, it can be fun for us, but our pets may not enjoy it quite as much. Here are some tips to keeping them safe and happy.

Candy - YUM!

Dogs love candy as much as most of us, unfortunately it just isn't good for them and can even be toxic and deadly. Try to keep your candy out of your pups reach or locked up somehow. If you just have to give your furry friend a treat, try one of these delicious treats. Or even buy some frosty paws at your local grocery store. You can even make a homemade treat for your friend. If your pet does get something they shouldn't call your vet for advice.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Here is a recipe for homemade doggie biscuits --
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
6 Tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup applesauce (with one batch, you can puree a regular raw apple)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sunflower or sesame seeds, optional
1 egg for basting
Mix all dry ingredients. Add peanut butter, milk, eggs and applesauce.
Mix well until dough is firm. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. While
waiting, set oven at 350 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface to a
1/4" thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutter. Baste with egg and
then sprinkle with seeds (if desired). Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on
wire racks. Makes approximately 4 dozen biscuits, depending on the size
you cut them.
Use a pumpkin cutter to make this festive!

Scary goblins!

Your pup may love people and kids but they probably aren't used to costumes. They can be awfully frightening even for the most socialized dog. Keep this in mind and consider putting your dog up where they won't get spooked. Maybe offer them a fun treat and let them have a nap for the night. If you do keep your dog out, make sure they are protected so they can't run out the door!

Doorbell Woes

So your dog barks like crazy EVERY time the doorbell rings? Here are two options - first, sit outside and wait for your trick or treats or have two people available. One to pass out candy and the other to work on nice quiet sitting with the pup. The easy way to do this is to have some yummy treats ( I like homemade liver or chicken ) and go to a room where the doorbell can be heard, but nobody can be seen. When the doorbell rings, start feeding the dog. As the evening goes on, try to feed the dog less and less but make sure you are feeding when the dog is quiet. If the dog DOES bark, show them the treat. When they stop, feed them. If this proves to be too difficult for your dog ( you aren't getting any quiet out of them ) then I would work on this on a different night from halloween when you can spread out the rings more. Read this article on dog barking.