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| Jen
Skyrock |
Halloween
and Hounds
Halloween is “fright
night” for humans, not dogs. Screaming, running,
spooky children in masks make many dogs uncomfortable, nervous,
and frightened. Halloween costumes are fun and
are meant to disguise our normal appearance. Dogs
do not understand this change in appearance and may become
frightened. Costumes that change the way
a person walks, stands, or their general appearance may
cause a dog to react differently than usual, even with those
they know.
Keep in mind
that children on Halloween night are excited and doing their
best to be scary. This is not a fair or safe situation
to put even the best of dogs in. Even
the normally terrific tolerant family dog can find this
night hard to handle.
Along with costumes
being frightening to a dog, there are some that may become
interesting to them, too. Swords, tails and dangling
things may be fun for an excited dog to chase and toddlers
certainly won’t appreciate that. Every child
and every costume is a new opportunity for different reactions
from the same dog.
I
recommend setting up your dog with his own private Halloween
bash in a safe quiet spot with a yummy treat of his own.
Here are some tips to help make this safe haven most comfortable.
1. Stuff
a food dispensing toy with yummy mush and freeze it until
it is “Halloween” time.
2. Use a fan or radio for white noise. Something
consistent is best.
3. Be sure the blinds are
down or the dog is not watching kids coming and going
by the window. This will only frustrate him and allow
him to practice barking and carrying on at the window.
4. Chocolate is toxic
to dogs. Put candy in a safe spot.
5. Many dogs are stolen, poisoned or injured by
Halloween pranks. Keep your dog safe and sound inside
your home.
Be safe and aware
and have fun!
For more information
on kid and dog safety on Halloween, check out and http://www.familypaws.com
and http://www.doggonesafe.com |
Jen
Shryock is a Certified Dog behavior consultant who in helping families
keep things safe and fun between children and the family dog. She is the
proud Mother of three young children and has a Degree in Special Education.
Skyrock finds working with families and individuals with special needs
very rewarding. She began her career in dog behavior after choosing to
stay at home with her children. After showing and training dogs for years
she decided to combine her passion for working with families, children
and dogs into a career. This was the start of Family Paws. Her experiences
in child development, motherhood and dog training accompany her on every
consultation visit. She developed the original and complete program for
new & expecting parents and Grandparents with a family dog. Dogs &
Storks programs provide ongoing support in a variety of ways. While dog
training is only a part of what she does, she truly enjoys the challenge
and dynamic of helping families solve challenging behavioral issues with
creative, positive and fun solutions. 
www.familypaws.com/communication
is a terrific resource on dog body language and a dog’s subtle
cues. Another site, www.doggonesafe.com, also offers great examples
of subtle cues and what to look for. 