Dear Val,
Well my dog’s second least favorite holiday right next to the 4th of July is right around the corner. Halloween. This is just as miserable for me as it is for my dog. With every knock on the door my dog just goes berserk. What suggestions do you have for my little monster on this holiday.
Thank you,
More Tricks Less Treats
Dear trick-or-treat Dog Mom,
A dog’s second best sense is their hearing. The thought of hearing the doorbell ring a dozen times in one night with the constant malingering sounds of ghosts and goblins walking the streets can create quite a sense of audible alarm for your little goblin.
A dog’s best sense is their sense of smell, and their least acuity is their vision.
Little people with lots of energy with many shapes and colors and attachments can visually appear very foreign and scary for a dog that might have a fear-based temperament. Managing your dog’s anxiety should be the number one concern as well as making sure that all children that participate in trick-or-treating and festive activities at your home will be free from liability and dog injuries.
Here are a few suggestions. You could be one of those people on the block that turn the lights out and hunker down in the back room for the evening. Avoid the trick or treat action all together and enjoy some holiday alone time in a portion of the house in which the sound of happy chatter of excited children can be drowned out with white noise such as some good loud music, some fans, and a good loud movie. This is going to be your best plan for reducing your dog’s anxiety.
If you don’t want to be a party pooper and Halloween is one of your favorites, you can contain your dog in another room or a crate or playpen or the bathroom and provide as much white noise as it would take to drown out all sounds that can be heard outside that general area. Make sure that your dog doesn’t feel like they’re being punished by providing toys and an attractive chew item such as a compressed rawhide, a stuffed Kong, a bully stick, or whatever their favorite “stop in your tracks” item or items you can provide for the duration of the evening.
In the event that this is one of your favorite holidays and you couldn’t bear to miss all those costumes, and you want your dog to experience some behavior modification, OK then. You can have a trusted person that can provide for some de-sensitizing and counter-conditioning. Have your trusty person sit with the dog at a distance from the door on a leash or in a crate, and every time trick-or-treaters approach, the dog gets chicken (or something super high value and meaty). This approach will allow your dog to possibly be out in the presence of all the festivities. If your dog is too anxious for this to be a training opportunity, resort back to plan A or B.
You can also try a Thunder Shirt or check into some CBD.
Wishing you a safe and festive Howlaween.
If you have a question about training or behavior, please email me at: HappyLabLady77@yahoo.com
Make it a Pawsitive Day!
Val S. Elliott, CPDT Behavior Coach
Wags of Wisdom:
The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.
The Daily Dog:
Mackenzee is the daily dog. Although Mackenzee is actually a super dog, she is a very loved companion dog. When Mackenzee is not dressing up for Howlaween photos, she is a scent tracking dog, a dock jumping dog, an agility dog, and an all around amazing athlete, and socialite. Here’s a cheers to awesome daily dogs and the people that allow them to experience their doggie lives to their fullest potential.
If you would like to send a cute photo with a description or short story about your favorite furry friend, please send it to HappyLabLady77@yahoo.com.
