Halloween can be stressful. The noise and chaos can make your canine friend anxious, confused, and afraid. It’s not just the children in loud costumes coming to your door but also Halloween decorations that make strange sounds or movements.
Halloween is, for many people, the best day of the year. It allows you to wear costumes and eat candy.
No matter if you’re a Halloween-loving dog owner, you need to teach your dog how to respond when the doorbell rings several times per evening calmly.
Your first goal is to make your dog feel as comfortable as possible. That means keeping the dog away from windows and in a quiet space with a chew toy or bone.
It is possible to get your dog more relaxed if she can’t avoid the noise. These are just a few of the other tricks you could try.
1) Classical Music
Many studies have shown that classical music effectively relieves stress in dogs living in shelters and kennels. A Bowman et al. conducted a University of Colorado study that tested different music genres.
AM Lindig and others at the University of Sydney discovered that “…animals seem less stressed or anxious when they are exposed to classical songs than to control conditions. However, they also pointed out that “individuals and species need to adapt to different genres of music…
To find the right music for your dog, you might need to play different music. However, you don’t need to always listen to the same music. According to a University of Colorado study, dogs can become more comfortable with certain music styles and respond better to variety.
Keep some 100 percent organic canned pumpkin handy for loose stool and diarrhea if you know that your dog can get upset when stressed. Pumpkin is high in fiber, which can aid with constipation.
It is possible give your dog 1 to 3 Tbsps of canned pumpkin per dinner and to ensure that your dog doesn’t get upset stomachs, you can gradually increase the amount.
2) Essential Oils
For stress relief, diffusing is a great option. Lavender oil can help calm down your environment, and it can also help reduce anxiety in dogs.
Essential oils are an organic way to treat your ailments. It is necessary only to use high-quality oils. Always dilute the oil with carrier oils. Do not give oil to your dog in its natural state.
Suggested Essential Oils:
- 4-6 drops of lavender
- 6-8 drops of Petitgrain
- 8-10 drops of neroli
Spray lightly on the neck of your dog or rub his collar.
Do not apply essential oils directly onto your dog’s skin. Your dog could lick it and take a dose. However, this recipe has been diluted to make it safe for topical use.
Recipe to Reduce Fear and Anxiety
This blend includes neroli, lavender, and petitgrain in carrier oils that are safe for topical use. Mix thoroughly. It is possible start with a base carrier such as:
- The lavender hydrosol as a spray-mist
- 2 oz of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) gel
- 2 oz of Jojoba oil
3) CBD Oil
Anxiety relief is just one example of one of these medicinal uses. CBD oil comes from the same source as marijuana but does not contain THC. It works to calm anxiety and stress in your dog.
CBD oil is a naturally occurring substance in the hemp plant and we have covered everything you need to know in regard to the benefits of CBD oil in dogs with stress and anxiety issues which you can read here.
Buy a pet-friendly product and follow the directions on the bottle to give it to your dog. You put it directly into the dog’s mouth.
4) Tellington TTouch Method
The basic TTouch circle is made by gently moving the dog’s skin in a circle-and-a-quarter. Think of the clock’s face. The movement will start at six o’clock and end on the ground. The TTouch circle makes the skin move with light contact.
Linda Tellington Jones created the TTouch Method. This method uses a combination of lifts, movements, and touches to ease tension and increase body awareness. These methods can address a variety of issues such as aggression, extreme fear, or excitability.
This device could be beneficial for Halloween due to its ability to relieve tension. That is the TTouch Basic Circle as described by its founder.
To start a TTouch session with your dog, find a place on her body where she is most comfortable being touched. The shoulders are a good spot.
After each TTouch circle is complete, pause, slide your fingers lightly to another place to continue the TTouch.
5) Rescue Remedy
It is available in pet formulas that contain glycerin. It is possible also use the alcohol version, which is safe for your dog.
It is possible give your dog Rescue Remedy when you are experiencing stressful times such as vet visits, thunderstorms, and even Halloween.
It is possible put flower remedies in the water bowl if you have multiple dogs. They won’t harm animals that don’t require them.
These remedies are non-toxic and very safe. Kelly Holland Azzaro, a Certified Bach Flower Practitioner, explains that you can use Bach Flower Remedies to extract the essence from a plant, flower, or mineral.
There are many options for giving Rescue Remedy to your pet dog.
- Use 1-2 drops to rub on the ears and paws.
- Use Rescue Remedy to add some drops to your dog’s water.
- Place drops directly into your dog’s mouth.
- Use a few drops to flavor a treat or food.
You may administer Rescue Remedy every 15 minutes to your dog until she feels calm.
However, the dropper should not be in contact with his mouth. It could lead to contamination of the remedy once it’s returned to the bottle. It is possible to use a separate dropper for each dose to ensure that the bottle remains clean.
6) Pressure Wrap
Pressure wraps apply constant pressure to the dog’s body. This gives a calming effect and is similar in function to swaddling babies.
It is possible select from various brands, such as the Anxiety Wrap and Thunder shirt pressure wraps.
Dogs that are exposed to pressure wraps may feel more secure and safe. Fearful dogs may fall asleep during fireworks and thunderstorms, which could help them on Halloween.
Conclusion
Halloween isn’t for everyone. Even though you may love Halloween, your dog might not. Take this into consideration and show your dog some love and concern during stressful times. They will appreciate it!
Did you find this article useful? Feel free to share your thoughts. We would be happy to hear from you!
Stay tuned for more posts on dog care and much more!
“May Your Home Be Filled With Love And Dog Hair”
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Mark
Founder of Our Dogs World 101
Interesting that the use of classical music helps dogs to relax. I know this works well for babies. There must be something in playing this type of music regularly, even if you don’t enjoy it.
I live in South Africa, so Halloween is only now starting to take on. But luckily most suburbs have limited the times from 4 to 6 if they do do anything, so after that all is peaceful and calm again.
Thank you for your comments Michel.
I think that many of your suggestions can apply not only for Halloween but in general stressful situations. Thankfully my dog never had such problems with constant door bells and outside noise but I get that not all dogs are the same and I am sure people will find some of your suggestion pretty useful. Great read!
Hi Stratos,
Yes Halloween is just one of many stressful events your dog could be exposed to and these suggestions will surely help.
Mark
Unfortunately, Halloween has passed but I will be sure to use it next year, that is if I finally get a dog by this time next year haha. I know a lot of people like to dress their dog so this article definitely came in handy, especially this past weekend. Thank you for an amazing article.
Thanks Daniel and hopefully you get your dog soon!