Halloween is a time for being fun, festive and creative. Who couldn’t love that atmosphere? Well, maybe your dog. If you find that your dog isn’t sharing your enthusiasm for Halloween, these are things that may be bothering him, right from the dog’s mouth:
- Doorbells. The doorbell rings. I do my duty by barking to let them know someone new is around. But they yell at me. We get through it all, and I settle down. The doorbell rings again, I bark, they yell. And it goes on like this all night. I can’t wait for everyone to return to normal, including their normal clothes!
- Scary Costumes. The voices sound like children, but they’re wearing real ugly, evil looking clothes tonight. They yell something about tricks or treats, and they get something. I don’t know what it is, but they seem super excited to get it. This whole change in ritual seems just scary and odd to me.
- Screaming Kids. If the doorbell isn’t enough to deal with, the kids are all screaming and being very noisy tonight. And no one is yelling at them. Why am I the only one getting scolded tonight?
- No Treats for Me. I can smell the chocolate, caramel and other goodies, but they’re all going out the front door! No one has turned around to see I’m drooling back here. People, people please share your candies with me.
- I Become Invisible. Every other day they are hugging me, rewarding me, treating me like I am the center of their world. Today, they keep telling me to go away. No time for me. What is this strange day? I hate the color orange.
- Strange Sounds. Why are they playing that sound of a creaking door, a scary monster and a screeching witch? It makes me want to start howling at the moon, but I better not. Remember the doorbell?
- Pumpkins on Fire. I was just getting used to the pumpkin in the house, but one day it had a scary face that was on fire. It throws these moving shadows all around the room. This is not ambiance, this is scary. Every time I hear “Boo!” I nearly jump out of my fur!
So, what can you do to help your dog join in the fun? Maybe a special plate of treats just for him and any of the neighborhood dogs that stop by. Try these easy Halloween treats.
No Tricks, Just Treats for Dogs (Makes about 14 treats)
2 cups water
3/4 cup canned applesauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup oats
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a bowl, mix water, applesauce, vanilla and egg thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine flour, nuts, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon, stirring well. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well.
Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling each cup completely. Bake for about 1 1/4 hours. Cool completely and store in a sealed container.
If your pet is on a special diet, you may consult with your veterinarian and obtain a canned version of that diet. Often the canned formula can be rolled out, cut into shapes and baked. Most treats bake at 350 degrees F for 12 – 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
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