Is Your Mod Dog Ready For A Fantastic Halloween?

Does Your Mod Dog Do Tricks For Treats?

Is your family like ours? Everyone is scrambling about looking for that perfect Halloween costume, buying tons of candy for the neighborhood trick-or-treaters, and then buying more to be sure we'll have enough on Halloween night. We're putting up decorations of creepy spiders, smiley pumpkins and witches flying into light posts. We're also planning a safe and fun-filled Halloween night for our Mod Dog, and the steady stream of neighbor dogs who show up at our door with their 'pack' of trick-or-treaters. Mod Dog Boutique wants to help you plan a safe and fun-filled night, too! That's why we've compiled this safety-tips list with your Mod Dog in mind: 

Costumes - who can resist a cute dog dressed as a minion, super hero, a witch or any other number of fun or scary costumes? But does your dog think it's quite as cute? Possibly, if he's used to being dressed up and often wears dog clothes. Even those dogs, however, may be slightly more stressed with Halloween activity and seeing people dressed in wild costumes. So, be thoughtful of your dog if you choose to dress him in a costume and consider the following:

• Comfort - make sure your dog's costume is comfortable and that it does not have tight elastic or restricting seams that may be uncomfortable and irritable to your dog.
• Swallowing Hazard - even dogs that don't ordinarily chew household items or eat your laundry may chew and could possibly swallow or choke on parts of a costume that's uncomfortable. Keep a close eye on your dog and ensure there are no small pieces that could easily be swallowed. Avoid paint or other chemicals on or near your dog. Avoid putting foreign substances directly on your dog, or anywhere he can lick, ingest, or get in his eyes.
• Tripping Hazard - if the costume has long or irregular pieces, be sure your dog can safely and freely move about without tripping or falling. Also, avoid masks that might impair his sight.

Trick-or-Treat - speaking of door-bells, oh my! That's the quickest way to wake Wilson from a dead-sleep, or to get him barking on a calm afternoon. Add the activity and excitement of little ghosts and goblins behind the door, and he'll be barking until Christmas! If your dog is sensitive to visitors and the ringing door-bell, consider options to keep him calm on Halloween night. That could include soft back-ground music, keeping him in a room away from the door-bell and tiny trick-or-treaters, and getting plenty of exercise early in the day so he's more relaxed and less reactive. For those who plan to take your dog trick-or-treating with you, add something reflective on his costume, collar or leash. Also keep a close eye on sudden moves or close encounters with children or other dogs.  Planning now may avoid added stress on your dog Halloween night.

Candy - most of us know not to give chocolate to dogs, or any candy for that matter. And for those of us with counter-surfers, extra precautions are needed to be sure there is no self-service with the bountiful candy that is around this time of year. Always be sure candy is up and out of reach from your surfer dog. Wilson! We all know candy is not the only food your pet should avoid, so Mod Dog Boutique consulted the Humane Society and found this list of common foods that can be poisonous to your pet. Check it out! It's a quick read that is worth the time and always a good reminder!

Treats For Tricks - when your dog does tricks this Halloween, be sure to have plenty of healthy treats that he can eat! It also helps to have a supply of small, individually wrapped dog treats on hand Halloween night so the trick-or-treating pups are not left out! If you're really ambitious, you could also make your own home-made dog treats! This is one of our favorite recipes. It's perfect for Halloween and throughout the holiday season.

From all of us at Mod Dog Boutique, have fun this Halloween, be safe and include your Mod Dog. If you plan now, it's sure to be a great day for the whole family - those with 2 legs and 4! Trick-or-Treat!