Tag Archive for: halloween

Halloween Pet Safety in Colorado

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Halloween Pet Safety in Colorado

Halloween is a time of costumes, candy, and celebrations. But while we humans might revel in the spooky festivities, it can sometimes be a frightful time for our furry, feathered, or scaled companions. Wet Noses Pet Sitting, Northern Colorado’s trusted partner in pet care, is here with essential tips to ensure your pets stay safe, calm, and comfortable during this festive season.

1. Costumes: To Wear or Not to Wear?

Before dressing up Mittens as a witch or Fido as a pumpkin, consider their comfort. Ensure any costume doesn’t restrict their movement, vision, or ability to breathe. If they seem distressed or show any resistance, it might be best to skip the outfits. After all, their natural coats are already pretty fabulous!

2. Keep the Treats Out of Reach

While chocolates and candies are a delight for us, they can be toxic to pets, especially dogs. Always keep Halloween treats safely tucked away, and ensure your pet has its own safe treats to enjoy.

3. Provide a Safe Space

The constant ringing of the doorbell or children shouting “Trick or Treat!” can be stressful for pets. Consider setting up a quiet, safe space for them to retreat. This is particularly important for exotic animals or those who might not be accustomed to noise, like certain breeds of dogs or rabbits.

4. Decorations & Pets: Caution Ahead!

Keep decorations out of paw’s reach. Candles, jack-o-lanterns, and even artificial cobwebs can pose risks. Ensure that wires and batteries are safely hidden away to prevent curious bites.

5. Keep Pets Indoors

Halloween night sees a lot of foot traffic, unusual costumes, and increased vehicular movement. To keep pets safe, especially cats, keep them indoors. It’s also a good idea to update their ID tags and microchip details, just in case.

6. Chicken Care During Halloween

For our feathered friends in the coop, ensure their housing is secure from any pranksters or predators that might be out on Halloween night. Wet Noses Pet Sitting has expertise in chicken care and can offer personalized suggestions.

7. Trust Wet Noses for Halloween Pet Care

If you’re out celebrating or just want to ensure your pet has the best care during the festivities, Wet Noses Pet Sitting is here for you. From dog walking to cat sitting, overnight stays, chicken care, and more, our bonded, insured, and thoroughly background-checked employees are trained to offer the best care. Plus, our team of managers is always on standby to assist during emergencies or answer any questions.

Conclusion

Halloween is a time of fun and frolic, but let’s make sure our pets feel safe and loved during the celebrations. A little precaution goes a long way in ensuring they too have a happy Halloween. And remember, whether it’s a witching hour walk for your dog or tending to your aquarium while you’re out trick-or-treating, Wet Noses Pet Sitting is always here to help!

5 Halloween Costumes That Include Your Dog 2021 Header

5 Halloween Costumes That Include Your Dog 2021

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5 Halloween Costumes That Include Your Dog 2021 Header5 Halloween Costumes That Include Your Dog 2021

Need a matching Halloween costume that includes your dog? We have you covered. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite Halloween costumes for 2021.

1. Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz Family Costume

Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic. You can make your pup into any of the cast! While Dorthy and Toto, or Dorthy and the Cowardly Lion, are the most popular you can let your imagination run wild.

2. Loofa & Soap

Tulle fabric is cheap and abundant, perfect for a last-minute matching costume. You’ll also need some rope for the handle, fabric to attach the tulle too, and velcro. You can also attach the tulle to a thin dog sweater that pulls over their head. You can even add a rubber ducky for extra cuteness.

3. Fairly Odd Parents

Fairy Odd Parents Dog Costume

While you and your partner go as Cosmo and Wanda (or any of the many fairies in the show) your pup could go as the adorable Poof. Don’t have the stuff for Cosmo? Why not channel your inner Juandissimo Magnifico?

4. Hot Dog Vendor

Hot Dog Vendor Costume

For those of you how have miniature dachshunds, consider this hot dog vendor costume.

5. House Cleaner and Mop

House Cleaner and Mop Costume

Komondor Westminster Dog Show

Photo taken by Flickr user whartonds. Edit (cropped) by Pharaoh Hound., CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons

The only thing that could make this costume more creative is if you own a Komondor. You might not know what the breed is called but I’m sure you’ll recognize them. These dogs are known for their mop-like appearance and are sure to elevate any costume that includes a mop.

If none of these appeal to you, go check out our Pinterest board for more fun ideas. There’s something for everybody! Make sure you enter our 2021 Halloween Costume Contest. You have until 6:00PM MST on 10/31/2021 to get your entries in for this year.

5 Halloween Treats Your Dog Will Love Header

5 Halloween Treats Your Dog Will Love

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5 Halloween Treats Your Dog Will Love Header

5 Halloween Treats Your Dog Will Love

Halloween is fast approaching but you can still stock up on Halloween treats your dog will love. Here are some we’ve found that you should give a try.

1. Homemade Candy Corn Dog Treats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: petcouponsavings.com

2. Homemade Halloween Pumpkin Dog Treats

Halloween DIY dog treats

Credit: petco.com

3. Candy Corn Frozen Dog Treats

These treats are great if you’re in a warmer area where even those fall temperatures still feel hot. A perfect way to keep your dog busy with a treat while helping them cool off.

Candy Corn Frozen Dog Treats

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: beaglesandbargins.com

Not into making treats yourself? Consider purchasing some from one of these vendors.

There are lots of different treats out there made for Halloween each year. Check out your local pet store for seasonal bakery biscuits. Ghosts, Frankenstein’s Monster, candy corn, and witch’s hats are all popular cookie shapes this time of year.

4. Bocce’s Bakery Nutty Mummies Biscuits

Nutty Mummies Biscuits

Nutty Mummies Biscuits on Bocce’s Bakery @ $5.50

5. Howl-O-Ween Cookies from Dog Bakery Online

Howl-O-Ween Bag of Treats 4 Pack

Various Howl-O-Ween Cookies on Dog Bakery Online, starting @ $1.99

Best Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Your Dog 2021 Header

Best Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Your Dog 2021

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Best Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Your Dog 2021 Header

Best Last Minute Halloween Costumes for Your Dog 2021

With everything happening this year it’s totally okay to need a last minute Halloween costume for your dog. We’ve put together a few ideas that you can even make the night before.

1. Wonder Bread

Wonder Bread Halloween Dog Costume

Don’t have Wonder Bread? That’s ok! Your small-medium dog can go as any brand of bread. Bonus points if you have a tan dog to simulate that perfect looking bread loaf.

2. Hershey Kiss

Hershey Kiss Halloween Dog Costume

You’ll need plenty of foil to pull off this last minute Halloween dog costume. Don’t have the Hershey Kisses ribbon? That’s ok! You can use a wide, white ribbon that has metal in it (to keep its shape) and a blue fabric pen to write Kisses on the ribbon.

3. Bowl of Cereal

Bowl of Cereal CostumeBowl of Cereal Halloween Dog Costume

Is your dog wearing a cone 🙁 or do you have an old one? Have any leftover pool noodles from the summer? Then you can make this costume! You can also make a companion spoon out of cardboard and foil. If you plan on reusing the cone you can use double-sided tape to keep the pool noodles attached but if you don’t mind using it exclusively as a Halloween costume, hot glue is your friend.

4. S’more

S'more Halloween Dog Costume

A chocolate lab is perfect for making this s’more costume. You’ll need some string, cardboard, glue, and cotton balls for this costume.

5. Shark

Shark Halloween Dog Costume

Cardboard, fabric, and glue is all you’ll need to make this shark costume from wearwagrepeat.

There you have it! Some quick, last minute Halloween dog costumes. If none of these appeal to you, go check out our Pinterest board for more fun ideas or check out our past years costumes. There’s something for everybody!

5 Halloween Toys Your Dog Will Love Header

5 Halloween Toys Your Dog Will Love

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5 Halloween Toys Your Dog Will Love Header

5 Halloween Toys Your Dog Will Love

You still have time to get Halloween toys that your dog will love! And what’s even better is some of them are already on sale in preparation for Christmas.

1. Frisco Cactus Plush Squeaky Toy, 3 count

https://img.chewy.com/is/image/catalog/270373_MAIN._AC_SL1500_V1624070868_.jpg

Do you LOVE succulents and Halloween? Why not snag these squeaky dog toys shaped like cacti.

Frisco Halloween Cactus Plush Squeaky Dog Toy, 3 count on Chewy @ $7.98

2. FuzzYard Pumpkin Puppuccino w Whip

Dog Toy - Pumpkin Puppuccino w Whip

Who doesn’t love a classic fall staple? This PSL is perfect for your pup and it’s machine washable.

Fuzzyard Pumpkin Puppuccino w Whip on FuzzYard.com @ $8.99

3. FuzzYard Witch’s Brew

Dog Toy - Witch's Brew

Pumpkin spice not your thing? Check out their companion toy, witch’s brew. Now with 100% less pumpkin spice!

FuzzYard Witch’s Brew on FuzzYard.com @ $7.99

4. BARK Snuggle Gum Dog Toy

https://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/GUEST_fce5bdb8-77e3-44a0-a359-5b9ca52ab9f9?wid=2037&hei=2037&fmt=pjpeg

It might have been our least favorite “candy” to get in our trick-or-treat hauls but your dog doesn’t mind it! This BARK Snuggle Gum Dog Toy contains a squeaker inside instead of some flavorless gum.

BARK Snuggle Gum Dog Toy on Target @ $9.99

5. Puppy’s First Halloween

Cute Repurposed Stuffed Plush Bone Food Fall Puppy's First image 1

Have a friend who got a new puppy? Or did you get a new puppy yourself? Commemorate their first Halloween with this Puppy’s First commemorative toy.

Puppy’s First Halloween dog bone toy on Etsy @ $10.00

Now that you’ve made the perfect Halloween toy basket for your dog you’ll want to keep them looking good as new. Let us know in the comments what your dogs favorite toy is and maybe it’ll get added to our 2022 list!

Events You Don’t Want to Miss in Northern Colorado This Halloween 2019

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Halloween is almost here. It is time to enjoy the scary holiday and have a fun time out in the world. These events are fun for you and for your pets!

Our Top 7 Halloween Events That Involve Your Pets:

 

When: October 19th, 12-2pm

Where: Wellington Veterinary Hospital, 7837 6th St, Wellington

We had so much fun last year we are doing it again this year! Dress your pup up and come down for some great beer and good times! Prizes for the top costumes!

 

When: October 25th, 3-4:30pm

Where: Gunter Field UNC Campus

Join us for our annual fun halloween themed festival sponsored by University of Northern Colorado’s FETCHLAB!  There will be several events for you and your dog to participate in! We will have prizes, raffle tickets, and treats! Participate in our fun events, including best trick, costume contest, obstacle course, 25 yard dash, home run commands, frisbee catch, toy retrieve, and more!

This event is open to everyone (with or without a pup) and is FREE to attend and participate!

 

When: October 26th, 9am-12:30pm

Where: Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch, 2351 Busch Dr, Fort Collins

The Phantom 4 Miler is a dog-friendly, Halloween themed 4-mile run/walk open to the whole family.

 

When: October 26th, 12-1pm

Where: Lee Martinez Farm, Fort Collins

Bow Wowvania is a dog-friendly trick-or-treat event at The Farm. Hundreds of dogs and dog owners will take a stroll down Trick-or-Treat Street dressed in costume and eager for treats. All dog owners will receive a doggie bag for treats and travel between storefronts hosted by our sponsors.

 

When: October 26th, 12-2pm

Where: Bath Garden Center and Nursery, 2000 E Prospect Rd, Fort Collins

Costume Contest! Pet costume contest! Pumpkin carving demonstration! Crafts! Fun!

 

When: October 27th, 2-4pm

Where: Oak Street Plaza, 201 S College Ave, Fort Collins

Dress your pug in the spookiest, silliest, cutest costume you can find and come join the fun as we “parade” around Old Town. Humans are encouraged to dress up, too, and we LOVE theme costumes. And if your pug has a sibling who’s not a pug, they are welcome too!

 

When: October 31st, 7am to 6pm

Where: The Dog Pawlour, 2005 S College Ave, Fort Collins

Come and celebrate Halloween with at the Dog Pawlour. Bring your pup in their best costume for a costume contest! Winners get to take home a tasty prize!

If you’re going to be heading out to one of these events make sure you are being safe and that your dog will be comfortable. Not all dogs love visiting people who are dressed up in scary costumes!

We hope that everyone has a happy and healthy Halloween!

 

Halloween Safety Tips for Pets Header

Halloween Safety Tips for Pets

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Halloween Safety Tips for Pets Header

 

You can keep your pet safe this Halloween with our Halloween pet safety tips. It’s the time for ghouls, ghosts, and candy! But not everything is fun for your pets.
 

Make sure your pets have an ID tag

 
Pets can get lost during Halloween. Make sure your pets are wearing an ID tag or have a microchip in case they run off.
 

Create a clam place for your pets to relax

 
The constant ringing of the doorbell can be pretty stressful for both cats and dogs. Most of our pets are highly attuned to and affected by the sound of our doorbell ringing. They can often go bonkers at a single ring. Let alone a series of rings in a short amount of time. Set your pet up in a quiet back room with a radio or TV playing softly to drown out the noise. Noise generators like the ones found on mynoise.net can be soothing. This will help keep them safe and calm during the peak hours of trick or treating.
 
All pets should stay inside during Halloween, but Halloween can be an especially dangerous time for cats. Black cats, in particular, are targets for naughty neighborhood kids. They can be chased, shot at with BB guns, or otherwise messed with by kids looking to get into mischief. In our home, we make sure to lock our cats indoors from late afternoon until the next morning.
 

Be careful where you place lit candles

 
Lit candles add atmosphere but can turn into a hazard. A swinging tail or a startled cat can send a lit candle flying. You don’t want to be calling the fire department on Halloween.
 
Instead, consider battery operated candles. These pose less of a fire hazard and you won’t have to worry about them burning out during the party.
 

Keep chocolate and sweets out of reach

 
Most of us know that chocolate is toxic for dogs. But candy, in general, can cause a lot of gastrointestinal distress to our pets. Dogs don’t exactly seek out candy, they will pretty much eat anything that catches their noses. Cats can also get into candy but are less likely. That’s why it’s best to keep your Halloween candy stash out of your pet’s reach. Don’t forget to check out our post on Halloween Candy Safety for more details.
 
If you pet does get into large amounts of candy, seek veterinary care immediately.
 

Practice decoration and costume safety

 
Decorations can pose threats with wires, ribbons and open flames in pumpkins. Make sure to keep an eye on your pets around any tricky decorations that could harm them. Also, if you’re going to dress up your pet it’s good to be aware of costume dangers. This applies to pet costumes as well! If your pet doesn’t want to dress up, don’t dress them up.
Halloween Pet Safety Tips

Halloween is tons of fun for both children and adults, but it can be pretty confusing and a little scary for our pets. They don’t understand what it is all about. Think about what goes through the heads during Halloween. Why do their family members look so funny? What are all these crazy loud decorations that go “BOO!” and make creepy music when people walk by them? And why do all these strange people keep ringing the doorbell??? It’s no wonder that they need a little help staying safe during this spooky holiday. With these Halloween pet safety tips you and your pet will have a safe, fun time this Halloween.

Halloween Candy Safety For Pets Header

Halloween Candy Safety For Pets

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Halloween Candy Safety For Pets Header

 

What’s one of the first things to come to mind when you think of Halloween? Chances are, you’re thinking “CANDY!!!”.  Sugary treats are a definite favorite during this spook-tacular season. But there are some Halloween dangers that can also play not-so-sweet tricks on your pet’s health. Be sure to keep Fido and Fluffy away from the following items in your kid’s candy bag:

Bite-sized Hard Candy

Pile of chocolate

Pile of chocolate by Daniela Simona Temneanu from NounProject.com

These sweet treats can pose a major choking hazard for your precious pet. Hard candy becomes slick when mixed with saliva, making it easy to be inhaled into the windpipe. Keep these tempting treats away from Fido and Fluffy!

Candy with Wrappers

When pets get their paws on Halloween candy, they gobble them down, wrapper and all. Plastic and foil wrappers, when ingested, can cause an obstruction in the intestines and irritate the lining of the GI tract. Sometimes they can be passed without any issue, but it’s best to keep all wrapped treats away from your candy craving cat or canine.

Chocolate Covered Raisins

These tasty treats may be a favorite amongst pet parents and their kids, but they combine two potentially deadly ingredients for dogs. When ingested, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea and seizures, while raisins can trigger kidney failure. If your dog gets his paws on this delicious yet dangerous treat, take him to your veterinarian immediately!

Candy Corn and Other High Sugar Candies

Sugar may have you and your kids climbing the walls, but it will only bring your pet down, causing painful and severe gas. What’s worse is that the sugar provides an excellent source of food for bad gut bacteria to dine on. This can pull water into the colon, causing an extra-messy case of diarrhea for Fluffy or Fido.

Sugar-free Candy and Gum

Most sugar-free Halloween candy these days contain a sugar-substitute called Xylitol, also may be labeled as Birch Sugar. While safe for people, Xylitol can be deadly if ingested by your canine companion. It causes a severe drop in blood sugar within minutes after ingestion, making dogs lethargic, unable to walk, and may cause seizure activity. If your dog survives the initial symptoms, often the dog will be left with severe liver damage and potentially fatal liver failure, making this the most dangerous type of Halloween “treat” for dogs.

Pet Poison Helpline - 855-764-7661

Pet Poison Helpline Number: (855) 764-7661 *$65 incident fee applies

Calls to the veterinarians at the Pet Poison Helpline increase by 12 percent during the week of Halloween, making it the call center’s busiest time of year. If you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous, call your veterinarian or the Helpline (1-(855)-764-7661) sooner rather than later. It is easier, less expensive, and safer for your pet to be treated earlier. When he’s showing severe symptoms of distress or poisoning from Halloween candy treatment can be costly and more risky.

 

Halloween Candy Safety

Top 3 Halloween Costume Safety Tips For Your Pets Header

Top 3 Halloween Costume Safety Tips For Your Pets

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Top 3 Halloween Costume Safety Tips For Your Pets Header

 

Halloween is fast approaching and we’re all busy planning. There is no doubt costumes are on our minds; whether it’s for yourself, your kids or your fur-babies. And it’s a whole lot of fun dressing up for Halloween. However, there are some Halloween costume safety tips for pets you need to know about.

1. Comfort is key

A lot of times Halloween can be chilly. Use an old jacket or sweater for a pet costume to keep them warm and festive. Something along the lines of a superhero, or firefighter would be good; simple and sweet, but most importantly comfortable for your pet. It needs to be loose fitting, but snug enough

Dog in Pumpkin Halloween Costume

istolethetv from Hong Kong, China, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

that they don’t trip on it.

2. Watch out for choking hazards

Tying on hats or scarves can be super cute too, but make sure you watch them to avoid getting stuck or having the tie wrap around their neck too tightly. Also, avoid costumes where there can chew off small pieces which could cause them to choke or have gestational issues.

3. Keep an eye on them at all times

This is the biggest Halloween costume safety tip for pets. Make sure to watch your pet carefully for signs of discomfort. You know how miserable it is to be stuck in an uncomfortable outfit. If your dog seems to be suffering for the sake of fashion, maybe it’s time to snap a quick pic for the memory book. Then let sleeping dogs lie for the rest of the night.

When you research pet costumes online, you will undoubtedly run into people say that dressing up your pet for Halloween is cruel. They say your pets don’t understand why or what is going on.  Other people love it because it can be in good fun and it’s a great time to make wonderful memories with the family.

Overall, it’s best to use your judgement and make sure to keep an eye on how they react to the costume.  If your pet is accustomed to clothing, then dressing up in a costume could be a breeze for them.  But, if the costume seems to cause them stress or is a bother to them, then maybe it’s best to leave the costume at home.

There are some great ideas for extremely easy and stress-free costumes for your pets, so make sure to check back and see what other ideas we’ve put together for you this Halloween! If you’re still not sure what your pet should dress up as, check out stores like PetSmart for their costume selections.