Are you the owner of a nervous pup? If so, you’re probably worried about more than just ghouls and ghosts this Halloween!
If your dog loses her cool when the doorbell goes off, or if children dressed in all manner of bizarre outfits will send her into a tailspin, don’t fear - we have your back! We’ll show you how to keep your scaredy-pup safe and calm this Halloween.
- Exercise Your Dog Early
Burning off excess energy will go a long way to keeping your dog calm and relaxed when trick-or-treaters begin to arrive. Grab those walking shoes and wear your dog down!
However, just make sure you exercise your dog earlier in the day and avoid times in the afternoon when kids will be getting out of school dressed in costumes. You’ll also want to avoid night-time walks, as most nervous dogs are doubly frightened when the sun goes down.
- Don’t Turn Into a Ghoul!
If your dog barks like crazy at the door, then you may quickly find yourself feeling frazzled as you try to hand out candy while silencing a hysterical dog.
While it’s tempting to yell at your dog to be quiet, this isn’t likely to have much of an effect. Your dog will likely interpret your yelling as an attempt to join in, with the two of you sending each other into a spiral. Don’t magically expect your dog to suddenly understand the word “quiet” either unless it’s a command you’ve already been working on!
Instead, stay calm and move your dog into a quiet room if they won’t stop barking. Turn on some music to drown out the doorbell, and provide them with a treat-based puzzle dog toy or an irresistible dog chew to keep them occupied and happy.
- Calm Your Pup With CBD Oil
While dog CBD oil is still a relatively new product, tons of owners swear by its effects. Many dogs show a remarkable change in demeanor after enjoying a few tasty dog CBD treats, soothing frazzled four-legged nerves and helping anxious dogs calm down.
Try giving your pooch some CBD an hour or so before trick-or-treaters are set to arrive, and give her a quiet spot to escape if she needs to (like a cozy kennel with a crate cover or a room separate from all the action).
That covers it for our Halloween mayhem prevention tips!
About The Author: Meg Marrs is the founder and head of marketing for K9 of Mine, a dog care blog aiming to help owners be the very best owners for their canine companions!