Keeping your pet safe this Howl O' Ween (Part 2) Parades & Trick or treating

Should I take my dog to any of the Halloween parades?

If you are thinking of taking your dog to one of the many parades in NYC, we’d like to implore you to NOT take your pup to the NYC Village Halloween Parade. We NEVER recommend bringing dogs to this parade because although it can be a really fun and exciting experience for us humans, it can be extremely overwhelming and dangerous for our pups. Not only are there tens of thousands of people in attendance in crazy costumes that will most likely make your pup nervous, there’s also a lot of drinking going on, which can cause an unsafe environment for our fur-friends.

Some dog owners love to go to the annual Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade, which can be great fun for certain dogs (think “super chill” or “zen like” pups). But this event might not be the right fit for your own fur-baby if she shows any sign of anxiety or discomfort. Back in the early days of this parade, it was smaller and more contained, but these days the parade has grown so much that they get over 10,000 people and dogs in attendance (which is an amazing sight to be seen!).

So if your dog is more on the nervous or territorial side, we suggest you perhaps look into a smaller Halloween event for your pup. There are a lot of options out there, hosted by neighborhood dog runs, rescue groups and other animal based charities. You can Google such events or even search Facebook Groups! One of our faves is the The Great Dog Hill HOWL-O-WEEN, held on Central Park’s Great Hill. This year the event is sponsoring Paws NY. You can find more info in their FB Group.

Whether you decide to attempt the Tompkins Square Dog Parade or choose a different dog-friendly Halloween event, please make sure you adhere to these safety tips:

• Keep your dog on a leash at all time (unless the event takes place in a dog run). Ideally double up on the leashes: one on a harness and one on the collar

• Make sure your dog’s tags are up to date and securely attached to their collar or harness

• If you have a Bluetooth tracking device put it on your pup’s harness or collar

• NEVER leave your dog tied up and/or unattended, even for a moment

• Don’t let your dog near any Halloween decorations that they might ingest

• Don’t’ let your dog near any human candy or candy wrappers that might be at the event

• Bring a collapsible bowl and water for your dog—she will be overstimulated and excited, which easily leads to dehydration

• Do not let strangers approach your dog, unless your dog is comfortable 

• If your dog shows any signs of anxiousness or aggression at any point, immediately remove them from the situation

Should I take our dog trick-or-treating?

As New Yorkers we know that Halloween works a bit differently for kids (and pets) in the city. Unlike suburban or rural areas where kids go out in their local neighborhoods to trick-or-treat, our city kids usually trick-or-treat on busy commercial avenues and blocks where local businesses are happy to pass out treats and candy. This is a really exciting experience for the kids and can be super fun for our dogs as well! However, just like with the parades, we need to make sure our dogs are comfortable enough to partake in an evening of trick-or-treating. 

Some dogs are naturally nervous around children they don’t know, especially when the children are running around and playing. Since kids can be a bit wild on Halloween because of all the excitement (this really is THEIR holiday, after all) and SUGAR, some dogs are better left at home for the trick-or-treating festivities. The last thing we want is for our pup to get aggressive toward children on the street. Do NOT bring your dog trick-or-treating if they:

• Normally show anxiousness or aggression toward children they aren’t familiar with

• Are territorial towards you or your kids

• Are not trained well on a leash or used to walking long distances

• React badly to people dressed up in costumes or to loud noises

• Are aggressive toward other dogs 

If none of the above pertains to your dog and you think you want to try bringing them out trick-or-treating with you, please follow these safety precautions:

• Make sure there are 2 adults present: one to look out for the kids and the other to look out for/walk your pup

• Make sure your dog is on a leash (ideally, double leashed) at all times

• If you have to tie up your pup to go inside one of the Halloween friendly businesses (and we really, REALLY advise against this), make sure you keep a constant eye on them

• Make sure tags and chips are up to date and that their tags are securely attached to their collar and/or harness

• Attach a Bluetooth tracking device to their collar if possible

• Do NOT let your dog have or get into any candy—make sure the kids know not to ‘share’ any of their candy with the dog. Bring your pup’s own treats with you to give to them throughout the evening

• Bring a collapsible bowl and water for your pup

• Do not let unfamiliar people approach your dog unless your dog is comfortable being approached

• Keep your dog away from areas that are too crowded or might be too noisy

• Keep your dog away from all glowsticks—if they get to one and chew on it, it IS POISONOUS

• There will be lots of fallen candy and wrappers on the street so make sure your pup is not eating any of these!

• If at any time your dog seems uncomfortable or anxious or is showing ANY sign of aggression, take him/her out of that situation immediately.

• Stay as close to home as possible so if your pup isn’t having a good time it’s easy to bring them home.

Should I just keep my dog in for Halloween?

Sometimes this is the best way to go if you are at all unsure of how he will react. In the end, our pups have no idea what Halloween is or what they might be ‘missing out on’ so sometimes it’s better to err on the side of safety.

It can also be a blast to stay in on Halloween and pass out candy if you happen to live in an apartment complex or on a block where there is door-to-door trick-or-treating! Unfortunately this is not always as much fun for our pets. The constant ringing of the doorbell or knocking on the door can really rile up our fur-friends and the last thing we want is for them to escape out the door when children come to collect their candy! So here are some things to do…

• Think about keeping your dog (or cat!) on a leash during trick-or-treating hours. Leashes can often enforce a sense of comfort and ease for our pets. And if they do slip out the door at any time, it’s much easier to catch them by the leash!

• Keep your pet in a back room or crate to avoid any danger. Crates can also be comforting to them and ease their agitation

• Put a piece of tape over your doorbell and a sign on your door asking to “knock lightly”. Not every trick-or-treater will read or adhere to it, but some will and quiet knocking will go a long way to relieving your pet’s stress

• If you don’t want or need to greet EVERY trick-or-treater, place candy in a bowl outside of your door with a note to “just take 1 or 2”.

• There are some over the counter calming sprays that you can buy for your pet to try out. And if you think your pet would need something stronger to keep them calm throughout the night, please consult your vet to see what they suggest.

So, basic moral of the story here is to pay attention to your pet and keep their safety and comfort in the forefront of your mind. Understand that while you may love halloween and all things spooky and weird, your pup has no clue what it’s all about and may just downright hate it. And that’s OKAY.