🎃 Halloween Safety for Dogs: Tricks, Treats, and Keeping Calm

Halloween can be great fun for humans — but for many dogs, it’s a night full of strange noises, door knocks, costumes, and spooky surprises that can cause stress or anxiety.

Here are some simple tips to help your dog stay calm and happy this Halloween — plus a few fun, dog-safe games to join in the celebrations!

🕯️ 1. Keep the evening calm

If you know your dog struggles with visitors, plan ahead. Close curtains early, pop the TV or radio on to muffle knocks, and set up a safe space away from the front door where your dog can relax with a chew or stuffed toy.

🍫 2. Avoid spooky snacks

Chocolate and sweets (especially those containing xylitol) are toxic to dogs. Keep all treats well out of reach and make sure little hands don’t accidentally share theirs! Instead, prepare a small pot of your dog’s favourite safe treats to reward calm behaviour throughout the evening.

👻 3. Costumes are optional

If your dog doesn’t enjoy dressing up, don’t force it. Instead, choose a festive collar or bandana — they can still join in without feeling uncomfortable.

🚪 4. Reduce doorbell and knocking stress

The constant sound of visitors can be unsettling for nervous dogs. That’s why I’ve created a free printable “Do Not Knock” poster to display on your front door.It politely lets trick-or-treaters know you have a dog who prefers a peaceful evening.

👉

Do Not Knock Poster.pdf

Download PDF • 3.87MB

🎾 5. Dog-Friendly Halloween Games

Halloween doesn’t have to be all about hiding from the chaos — it’s also a perfect time for some fun enrichment!

Here are a few spooky-but-safe ways to involve your dog:

🍏 Bob for Apples (or Tennis Balls!)

Fill a shallow tub with water and drop in a few apples or floating tennis balls. Encourage your dog to “fish” them out using their nose or paws — just make sure the water isn’t too deep and you supervise at all times.

👃 Trick or Treat Trail

Hide dog treats or toys around a safe area of your home or garden and encourage your dog to use their nose to find them. Start easy, then build up to more challenging hiding spots.

🕸️ Pumpkin Puzzle Time

Scoop out a pumpkin, remove all seeds and stringy bits, and smear a little xylitol-free peanut butter or soft dog-friendly food inside. It’s a seasonal twist on enrichment feeding that smells amazing!

🎃 Spooky Sniff Boxes

Fill cardboard boxes or paper bags with different textured items (crumpled paper, tennis balls, old towels) and hide treats among them. Let your dog rummage and explore — it’s great mental stimulation.

🐾 6. Practice calm behaviours

If you’ve been working on your dog’s settle, bed, or place commands, Halloween is a perfect time to put them into practice. Reward calm behaviour with treats, and keep sessions short and positive.

💡 Remember:

Every dog is different. What feels exciting for one may be overwhelming for another. If your dog struggles with visitors or loud noises, you can always reach out for individual support — I offer one-to-one sessions and calmness classes designed to build confidence in real-life situations.

Wishing you and your dogs a pawsitively peaceful (and playful!) Halloween! 🎃🧡

— Emma-Jayne Canine Behaviour & Training