A small white dog, in a red and black harness, laying down on an off-white mattress topper. The topper has small holes every inch. Trixie is looking at the camera. In the background is a green wall and a window with white shutters drawn down. The mattress topper kinda looks like Backrooms but Trixie is perfectly safe.
tl;dr: Here’s how I keep our dog feeling safe while also meeting our kid’s need for a fun Halloween.
Hey friends,
Welp, it’s almost Halloween. (If you feel like this year is flying by, you’re not alone.) Our 5-year-old has a great thrifted costume and it’s actually a nice temperature today.
Our dog Trixie is not into strangers, loud sounds, or people or lawns wearing unusual things. Our kid does really enjoy Halloween. So, here’s 5 ways we’re meeting both their needs.
1. Find a fun daytime Halloween thing to do with our kid
By finding something fun to do during the day, we free up our evening to be home with Trixie. Trixie had separation anxiety but the last 1.5+ years she has been crushing alone time.
Evening alone time is more challenging for her and she has been crushing that too. But I want to set her up for success. If there are fireworks on Halloween, or if someone ignores our multiple signs saying not to knock on the door — that would be too scary for Trixie by herself.
The daytime spooky thing we’re gonna try this year is Boonion Station. Our kid loves trains so hard to go wrong going to Union Station. h/t the Eastsider for their guide to Halloween + Dia de los Muertos things to do.
2. Put treats in a bucket on our gate with a sign to take and not knock on our door
The Please Don’t Knock sign actually lives on our gate and front door year-round. Thank you kind neighbors!
A little light on the bucket helps people see our treats.
Also note to self to check the porch light is off so trick-or-treaters don’t think we’re giving treats at the door.
3. Watch a spooky kids movie with our kid and dog Halloween evening
Kid’s choice. We’ve discussed Shaun the Sheep: the Beast of Mossy Bottom.
4. Get treats ready in case someone does fireworks
If there are any scary sounds, Trixie automatically gets treats no matter what she does. I’m so proud of how our kid goes to the treat box to get Trixie a treat when she’s scared.
5. Cross the street away from anyone or anything scary on walks during spooky season
This is also an all-year one. People in costumes are scary for Trixie and many dogs. Cool yard decorations are scary too.
I’m Ilya — dad to both a kid and a dog. I started Compassionate Dude Dog Training because I’ve lived the challenges of meeting kid’s and dog’s needs on Halloween and every day. If you’re feeling overwhelmed parenting small human and dog beans, you’re not alone. I’d love to help.
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