With the pandemic going on, maybe you won’t get as many visitors coming to the door, knocking, ringing the bell, and yelling, “Trick-or-treat!” It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
If your pup isn’t a fan of Halloween because of all the scary noises, here are a few steps you can take to reduce their anxiety.
Keep Them In A Secure Place
• Your dog should stay in a secure, comfortable room where they can lie down and relax. The room should be as far from the door as possible to reduce the noise from trick-or-treaters and the sound of the door opening and closing.
• This will also prevent the possibility of your dog bolting outside when they get scared, which happens all too often to pets on Halloween.
• Make sure to check on your pup frequently and take them out for potty breaks.
Put On Music
• You should place a radio or television in your dog's room and turn the volume to a level that will help drown out the noise. Put on something soothing that won't startle your pup and trigger their noise anxiety.
• Relaxing orchestral music is always a good choice, but maybe not the "Monster Mash."
Inform Any Guests
• If you are having a Halloween get-together, make sure your guests know where your dog is and to leave them be.
• People may be excited to see your pup, but this probably isn't the appropriate environment.
• Let your guests know that your dog's room is off limits and to keep the noise level reasonable near that room.
Train The Anxiety Away
• It will take some time, but you can use certain exposure techniques to treat your dog's anxiety.
• Steadily exposing them to the sound of knocking and doorbells and creating positive associations with these sounds over time will help reduce the fear on Halloween.
• This takes a lot of practice and hard work, so don't expect your dog to just be fine overnight.
Exercise Beforehand
• Take your dog for a long walk before the action starts. Tiring your dog out will help them rest easier and maybe even sleep through some of the anxiety-causing noises.
• Exercise also stimulates the production of serotonin, the same chemical that makes you feel good after a workout.
• This will help reduce fearful reactions and eliminate some of that nervous energy.
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