Pet Costumes - spoil your pup this Halloween

Pet safety tips for Halloween 

• Anticipate loud noises and the possibility of fireworks, flares, or sparklers (legal or illegal). Keep your pet attached to a leash if you take them out with you. If they are remaining indoors at home, create a safe haven (behind the sofa or bed works well, or you can pile sound-muffling cushions and mattresses into a shelter) with some of their favourite toys and blankets.
• Do not let your pet get hold of any candy. Chocolate is toxic to animals even in the smallest amounts. If you think your pet might have eaten something it shouldn't (symptoms are lack of balance, shaking, and vomiting), get him to a vet as quickly as possible.
• Be especially cautious if you own a black cat. Some people are morons around this time of year. Close her up early in a safe, secure room with plenty of toys, food, and water to occupy her. If the party's at your house, you might want to lock the room, just in case someone lets her out thinking they've found the bathroom.

How to tell if it's time to dress up 

A guide for dogs

• Does your person's costume rustle, tinkle, jingle, squeak, or crunch? For some reason when costumes make a lot of noise, there's a greater chance you'll be involved too.
• If your person's costume looks like yours, there's a good chance it's Dress Up time. Humans have a strange fascination with matching.
• Are two of your people are wearing costumes that look the same? There's that matching thing again.
• Note that this doesn't always apply to humans wearing a dark costume on their front and back legs together with a tucked-in fabric leash - this is usually considered "business" costume. Parties for people in these costumes have the unpronouncable name of "Donotdisturbbusinessconsultation" and don't take kindly to pets.

Pet safety tips for Halloween and the holidays 

• Be aware of choking and strangling possibilities. If your pet rolls around in his costume, he might become tangled in it which could cut off air supply. Keep an eye on him while he's dressed up, and if you have to leave him alone for a period of time, remove the outfit. Small pieces attached to costumes (either the pet's costume, or people costumes) can be choking hazards for pets, so watch what he grabs in his mouth. Rather than take a risk, take treats with you that you can offer him instead of the plastic sword-hilt or chocolate éclair lying on the floor.
• Costumes can also catch and hook on obstacles if your pet is running around. It's best to remove the costume while your pet is in play mode. Make sure your pet doesn't run around in an area where there are electrical cords lying loose on the floor.
• Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year are times of the year when people set up dodgy electrical decorations with live electric cords often draped temporarily over objects, or lying on the floor just begging to be tripped over. If you're taking your pet to a foreign house, keep him leashed and keep an eye on him in case he decides to investigate the flickering Jack O'Lantern.
• Christmas tree decorations are also choking hazards for pets. Make sure they are well secured to the tree and avoid placing decorations on the lower branches within your pet's reach.
• To train younger pets to avoid the Christmas tree, place plastic packets or tin foil around the vicinity of the tree. Many animals don't like the sound of plastic bags, and cats can't stand the feel of foil on their claws.