The purpose of this guide is to help you plan in advance in hopes of easing the unavoidable stress and confusion for your Chihuahua that comes with Halloween, and to make Halloween as safe and pleasant as possible for you and your little Chi.
All holidays can be stressful to pets, but next to the loud and frightening noises made by fireworks on July 4th, Halloween is probably the next in line on the stress meter. If your dog is like mine any knock on the door is greeted with bouncing and barking, so try to imagine just how upsetting it must be for the dog to have their established daily routine suddenly and repeatedly interupted by the door bell ringing or loud knocks on the door, followed by the appearance of costumed strangers shouting in an aggressive manner.
While Halloween is a fun day for humans, your Chihuahua has no way of understanding what is happening. Your Chihuahua sees unfamilar things at THEIR door, the entrance to THEIR territory which until now has been THEIR safe place, and because dogs have superior hearing and smell than that of humans their senses are assaulted by a flood of unfamiliar noises and odors clinging to the unknown things. Your Chihuahua only knows that their human is not reacting to what any dog may perceive as a threat or danger. Most Chihuahuas, despite their small size, are naturally protective dogs and all of this sensory overload may cause them to react in a manner not expected./p>
It's perfectly alright if you decide not to include your Chihuahua in Halloween activities. Many Chis are prone to anxiety and they may find the commotion overwhelming. It's best to crate or house anxious Chis in a quiet room for the evening. For Chis with a history of high anxiety and nervousness ask your vet about using a tranquilizer for the night or perhaps try a calming product for dogs that are sensitive to loud noises or other stresses such as traveling.
Below are tips on how to keep your Chihuahua safe on Halloween.
If your Chihuahua has shown any signs of aggression toward humans then you should crate or restrict your dog to a room with a secure door. Responsible dog owners do not allow a dog with any known aggressive tendancies the opportunity to bite a person. If your Chi has a habit of charging at people, or snapping or nipping when excited or tends to be easily irritated when tired, it would be best to confine the dog during trick-or-treat hours or while you have guests over for a party. If your Chi has a habit of ignoring basic commands such as sit, down or stay confining the dog is the safest choice.
Don't allow children to play games that involve sneaking up on, startling, or otherwise scaring any dog. Not only is this mean, it makes the dog skittish, shy, afraid or distrustful of children, or even worse, the dog may bite out of fear or react in a defensive manner. Even the most good natured of dogs may be distrustful and wary of costumed children, therefore it is a good idea to take extra precautions and not allow costumed children to hug or play with your dog. Being a responsible Chihuahua owner you will have no doubt explained to your children that little dogs like Chihuahuas must be gently handled and played with but other children coming to your home on Halloween may not know that the cute little dog is easier to injure than the larger dog they may have at home. If your Chihuahua has an open fontanel do not allow visiting children to handle your dog at all.
Walk your Chihuahua before trick-or-treaters are out on the streets. If you should encounter anyone in costume, with or without a dog accompanying them, carry your dog until the people have passed by. Make sure your Chi doesn't eat anything found on the sidewalk or ground, or ingest any candy wrappers, especially the foil ones. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, one or two ounces of dark chocolare used for cooking can kill a dog that weighs 10 pounds or less. Watch out for choking hazards such as beads lost from a costume or other dropped objects. Do not let your Chi lick at any spot or stain on the ground or pavement. With winter approaching some people will be changing the antifreeze in their cars so be watchful if your dog shows interest in a spot or stain where a vehicle could have been parked, such as curbside or a driveway.
Don't leave your Chihuahua unattended in a car no matter what the time of year. Halloween falls in cooler weather and the danger of heat stroke is past for most of the country but other dangers such as pet thieves and animal abusers are still a concern.
Don't leave your Chihuahua unattended outside on Halloween. If you need to go inside take your Chi with you. Don't rely on an invisible (or electronic) fence or even a regular fence to keep your dog safe on Halloween. Invisible (or electronic) fences do not halt humans. Regular fences can be climbed; gates can be accidentally left open by trick-or-treaters; locked gates can be pried open by pet thieves; poisoned or bad foods can be tossed over a fence; rocks, sticks or other objects may be thrown at the dog. All too often we hear on the news or read in the papers that pranksters, malicious or just fooling around, have teased, injured, poisoned, stolen or even killed dogs on Halloween. The best place for your dog on Halloween is inside the house under your loving supervision.
It's best not to take your Chihuahua trick-or-treating. Home is the safest place for your dog. That said, if you decide to take your Chi only do so if your Chi has proven to be content and unafraid amid the commotion of costumed people and the noises associated with crowded streets. There are some precautions to take: Restrict your activities to daylight hours. Your Chi should be leashed with up to date ID tags on the collar in case the dog should become lost. Carry your Chi when passing other people with dogs. Don't assume their dog is nonaggressive. If your Chi is in costume it may smell like a dog but it may not look like a dog to another dog. Don't allow people to pet or hug your Chi if your dog seems wary or frightened of them. Be very careful when accompanying children up to the door in case the homeowner has a dog of their own. The homeowner's dog could react aggressively to unfamiliar dogs even if yours does not. It's safest to wait at the bottom of the driveway or sidewalk with your Chi while your children ring the bell. Remember that your Chi may tire out before you are ready to go home, and tired dogs may be less patient or become irritable. Don't allow your Chi to go trick-or-treating with your children unless there is a responsible adult accompanying the children to supervise at all times, preferably an adult who is aware of the signs a stressed or tired Chi exhibits. It's much too difficult for children to handle costume parts, treat bags plus holding on to a leash and at times carrying a dog. Any dog could easily pull the leash from a distracted child's hand and run off. Remember to take the pooperscooper and baggies, just because it's a holiday for you and the kids does not mean it's okay for your dog to poo on other people's property.
Resist the temptation to dress up your Chihuahua unless you are positive your Chi is not bothered by wearing costumes or clothes. Before Halloween arrives try a dress rehearsal and see how your Chi reacts while in the costume. If your dog shows any signs of stress, anxiety or discomfort reconsider dressing the dog up. Take care in selecting a costume for your Chi, make sure the dog can breathe, see, hear, walk, pant and bark normally as well as being able to go potty. Stay away from costumes with masks or hoods because those can obstruct a dog's vision. Avoid tight straps or leggings that could hinder breathing or movement, and excess fabric that could cause tripping. Remove any small dangling parts (i.e. beads, buttons, charms) that could become a choking hazard if chewed or swallowed. Don't select costumes that use rubber bands for fastening because rubber bands wrapped too tightly can cut off circulation, also when the costume is removed an overlooked rubber band can be very dangerous as it will become embedded as the swelling skin grows over it. If the weather is expected to be on the warm side don't choose a costume made of a heavy material, that could make a dog uncomfortably hot. While you are putting reflective tape on your child's costume don't forget to put some on your dog's costume.
Don't allow your Chihuahua access to the front door when you answer it for trick-or-treaters. With people walking the streets there will be much to excite the dog and the dog may dart past you to check out the unfamiliar activity. Use a baby-gate (or other temporary gate) or a crate to restrict your Chi to an area of the house away from the front door, or house your Chi in another room. A baby gate across the front door entry is a good precaution in case your Chi gets overly excited and escapes the area you have it restricted to. Catching an excited Chi is not always an easy thing to do as some tend to dart quickly out of reach. If you have a storm door simply remove the top glass or screen and hand out the treats and avoid opening the front door unless necessary. This will help avoid other accidents too, such as your dog tripping a child and causing an injury.
Unless you are sure of how your Chihuahua will react to costumed people you should consider keeping your dog crated or housed in a seperate room during trick-or-teat hours. There are several ways to help your Chi stay content while you are busy passing out treats or hosting an indoor Halloween party. As you shop for Halloween goodies pick up a new toy for your dog. A raw knucle bone or a Kong stuffed with a tasty mixture will keep your dog happy and the chewing will help reduce the stress factor. Rawhide chews, pig ears or a bully stick are always a favorite (avoid compressed rawhide as it is a choking hazard). To reduce the noise level try leaving the TV or radio on, or perhaps play a CD of soothing sounds. Remember to give your dog bowls of water and food.
Be careful where you place Halloween decorations such as lighted candles or Jack-O-Laterns. It is perfectly natural for dogs to wag their tails and even a small wagging tail can knock these over and burn the dog or start a fire. Be careful if you use electric extention cords for Halloween decorations because curious Chis may chew into them. Keep a pet first aid kit on hand to treat minor injuries and learn how to give your dog CPR and other emergency life saving procedures such as the Heimlich Manuever for dogs.
Be careful what your dog eats on Halloween. Too much candy can make your dog nauseous or cause diarrhea, and dogs sneaking candy may ingest foil wrappers which can be harmful to the digestive tract or even cause illness or death. Chocolate is toxic to dogs when too much is consumed. Make sure all treats the children bring home are put out of the reach of the dog. Explain to your children that giving a begging dog candy or leaving wrappers where the dog can get them is harmful to the dog. Try one of these doggy treat recipes that you can make ahead of time and provide your dog with one instead of treats intended for human comsumption. An additional precaution is to keep Halloween make-up, candles and other small items out of reach of your dog.
The day after Halloween check your yard (front, back and sides)for any harmful items that may have been dropped or thrown down. If tricksters "egged" your yard pick up the eggshells as sharp shell pieces cannot be digested and may cut or become lodged in your Chi's digestive tract. Check your home to be sure harmful treats or items weren't lost beneath the sofa cushions or under the sofa or other furniture.
If you own a black dog or cat take extreme care to protect them from harm in the days before and on Halloween. Black cats and black dogs are often targets for pet thieves at this time. Many shelters refuse to adopt black cats or dogs out to new homes right before Halloween because some people who practice being what they term a satanist may steal, adopt, buy or obtain (such as through a "free to good home" ad) a black cat or dog to use as a sacrifice. If you have puppies or kittens to give away, for their sake delay finding new homes til after Halloween.
