Halloween Hazards

[Karen]

Don't forget, with Halloween approaching, to keep your dogs safe!

Keep all candy where they cannot get it - chocolate can kill them, but so could ingesting those colorful plastic wrappers if they become a blockage.

Have a plan for trick-or-treat time! If your dog is gonna try to scare off the kids in costume, best keep him or her in a separate room! Or, if your dog is gonna try to lick all their faces, or dart out the door, better keep him or her leashed. Our beloved Freckles thought all the kids were there to see her, but not every child appreciates 185 pounds of enthusiasm!

Keep black pets inside - particularly cats - in the days leading up to Halloween, just in case.

And after Halloween is over, before you let the dogs out, go out yourself, and make sure there's no dropped candy where the dogs can find it!

[Cataholic]

Please also, in addition to chocolate, keep your pooches away from sugarless gum! It contains the ingredient xylitol, and is often times fatal.

[Karen]

Thanks for adding that Johanna! I'll have to remember that for future Halloweens!

[Taz_Zoee]

I read this thread but didn't think anything of it because our dogs never go in the front yard unattended. So I didn't check for candy. This morning I was taking Zoee to the groomer and was letting her go potty before we left on the front lawn. I found a Reese's PB cup and a Blow Pop on our lawn. I'm just glad our neighbors dog didn't find them. They let her run around in the front while he works in the garage or on the cars. From now on I will definitely check!

[Freedom]

Had a "duh!" moment this year!

To prevent door darters, many of us have storm doors: and you can remove JUST THE TOP screen / glass to hand out candy, and not have to open the door!

Karen, I'm adding this now, so maybe next year someone of us will include it in next year's pre Halloween warning.

[Taz_Zoee]

I was wishing our door did that. But I don't think it does because it has the screen connected to the glass so when the glass goes down the screen is there in its place. I'll have him look into that more for next year though. That would be sooo much easier.