Halloween is a fun, thrilling and spooky time of year, particularly for families with young children. But for your dog, it can actually be stressful and overwhelming.
It’s a night brimming with weird and scary sights and sounds that your dog may have never encountered before. Even the sight of trick-or-treaters dressed in unfamiliar costumes can fill your dog’s stress bucket quickly.
It’s important to be proactive with your training for these situations. This way, you can be your dog’s best advocate and prepare them with confidence to reduce the spook and increase their success this Halloween!
Here's how to keep your dog stress-free for Halloween:
Top Tip #1: Manage Door Knocking
Halloween can be unnerving for your dog with the constant door knocking or doorbell ringing. Help them cope by filling Kongs and providing passive calming activities to keep them occupied and distracted from the doo. Or, consider posting a polite sign kindly
requesting no knocking to minimize stress. This proactive approach can keep your dog stress-free for Halloween and prevent your dog from becoming overwhelmed.
Top Tip #2: Train for Novelty
Use this time to train your dog to handle novelty. Utilize you dog’s daily food allowance to desensitize them to new experiences. Train for optimism and gradually introduce novelty into your dog’s life to boost their confidence.
Top Tip #3: Limit Access to the Front Door
Even if your dog is usually fine with visitors, it’s best not to let them have access to the front door during Halloween. Strange costumes and unexpected surprises can spook your dog. Keep your dog in a separate, comfortable space to relieve stress.
Remember that the holiday season extends beyond Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s. Each of these occasions may bring unique challenges for your dog, but you can stay ahead of the game by anticipating potential stressors and taking steps to prepare your dog for them. These tips will not only help you keep your dog stress-free for Halloween, but also for many holidays to come.
So don’t wait until the last minute! Ensure you have everything you need to make this season, and any other, a stress-free experience for your dog.
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