Halloween safety for dogs

http://dogs.about.com/cs/generalcare/a/halloween.htm

From Krista Mifflin,
Your Guide to Dogs.
Just the "Tricks" please ...

Halloween is almost here. And with it comes hundreds of ghouls, goblins, and superheroes, all holding out tempting bags of goodies full of treats and potential chew toys. Is it any wonder that dogs view Halloween as smorgasbord of possibilities?

While sharing their trick or treating booty with their best furry pal may seem like a natural conclusion to a night of revelry to children, I do advise that parents step in and curtail this part of the process. Both chocolate and raisins have serious effects on dogs, from mild to severe, and potentially fatal.

In addition to the treat hazards, not every dog will enjoy this ghoulish knight ... I mean night.

Costumes designed to alter the appearance of their favorite humans can be frightening to dogs.  And forty little ghouls and boys knocking on your door over the span of an hour in the evening darkness can make even the most the stout-hearted flee for cover, or worse, incite him into a play-time frenzy that can be scary for the trick-or-treaters. A loudly barking, over-excited dog might scare off all the costumed children that would otherwise knock on your door.

Putting your pets outside for the evening can also be asking for trouble. Kids who would otherwise be afraid of the consequences may take advantage of the anonymity of costuming to tease animals, or release them into the streets, causing harm to the dogs or worse, other Halloween revelers. A scared and frightened dog may feel cornered, and react with teeth bared, causing much grief for his owner, himself, and whoever has him cornered.

If your Oscar is the type to let you dress him up, please remember to never leave a dog unsupervised in a costume. Make sure that all elastics are accounted for, and loose fitting. A dog that gnaws on his costume can also end up with bowel obstructions and could possibly choke on any small parts. A costume can cause tangling in trees and bushes, so please be careful and watch your pet closely.

Have a fun and safe Halloween everyone!