How to use Halloween decorations and accessories as puppy socialization tools

Although the weather is still warm in sunny San Diego, Halloween is coming quickly.  Pumpkin patches are starting to open, and the giant skeletons are starting to inhabit friends’ front lawns.

Halloween can be a very scary time for dogs.  There are floods of strangers visiting, humans wearing costumes and masks, and decorations that make noises or make unusual movements, all of which are potentially overwhelming to dogs. 

If this is your puppy's first Halloween, it's important to be sure he has only positive experiences as he is forming his opinions of the world around them.

What to do with your dog Halloween night

Keep your Trick-or-Treaters safe and your dog calm and comfortable by providing your dog with a safe, quiet place where he can be confined during Trick-or-Treating hours such as his crate, a bedroom, or an exercise pen. Turn on a radio, television, or white noise machine in the area your dog will be to create white noise and help prevent them from alarm barking. 

If your dog typically barks when someone rings your doorbell or knocks on your door, consider setting up a Trick-or-Treat area near your front door (with your dog safely confined elsewhere). Leave your door open or keep an eye on your Ring camera, and have someone available to sit with the candy nearby so there is no need to alarm your dog with doorbell ringing and knocking. 

Keep your dog entertained

Fill a Kong (or other stuffable toy) with his dinner along with other delicious, long-lasting treats such as peanut butter or honey.  When you take your dog to his quiet area, give him the food-stuffed toy so he will work to get the food out and enjoy his alone time.

How to prepare your dog for Halloween

Around Halloween, your house might be filled with wonderful opportunities to socialize your puppy (these techniques also work on adult dogs but may take more work if your dog is already fearful or has passed puppyhood and not been exposed to these sorts of things yet). 

Remember, you never want to "flood" your dog with potentially scary new experiences. If you were afraid of snakes, you would likely not feel better about them if I poured a bucket filled with snakes on you. Instead, expose your dog to new things in a way that allows them to feel comfortable and happy around the new thing. 

To do this, present the new object or situation in small doses. If your puppy loves mealtime, you might use your Halloween accessories or decorations (crown, glasses, mask, hat, fake nose, vampire teeth, pretend rats, candy dish with moving claw, etc.) at a distance from your puppy while they are eating. This works best for neutral items. Be careful not to do this if your dog thinks the items are scary, or you might make mealtime scary if things work backwards!

You can also hand-feed your dog their dinner while holding these objects, putting them on one at a time, or setting them on the floor next to him, teaching your puppy to associate the new objects with something they love: food!  

For slightly more interesting or potentially scary objects, give treats any time your puppy interacts with the objects by looking at them or approaching. Let your puppy walk away whenever they need to, and praise their great decision to advocate for themselves.

If your dog appears nervous, place the object further away, gradually moving it closer during each session, or allowing your dog to move closer when they are ready. Never force your puppy to interact, and make sure you are not accidentally pressuring them by positioning yourself too close to the scary things or by showing them to your puppy in a place from which they can’t escape. These techniques can be repeated to build your pup's confidence around all sorts of Halloween toys and decorations that might make noise or move in unfamiliar ways.

These techniques can be used to build your pup's confidence in all sorts of situations (think vacuums, sewer grates, umbrellas, the list goes on). Get creative, and help your puppy become confident and well socialized! If you need help, send us an email, and we are happy to help you strategize your puppy’s training at home or help you enroll in a group puppy class.