One of the most important safety rules to follow on Halloween is the buddy system. Always pair up with at least one person and stick with that person at all times, especially when trick or treating. This ensures that no one gets lost or left behind. This helpful system can also be used to make sure your pets have a safe and Happy Halloween. In these photos Sadie is posing with her Halloween buddy. Although Sadie and her buddy will not go out trick or treating together, they will both hang out with me on the front porch to give out the candy.

Halloween can be a scary time for children and pets alike. There are so many strange sights and sounds and smells. There are costumes and candy everywhere and doorbells ringing constantly. All of these factors add up to a stressful holiday for cats and dogs. Your pets may try to hide, run out the front door, bark obsessively, steal candy, etc. This is when the buddy system comes in handy. Assign a friend, family member, or even yourself the job of being the animal buddy. That person must know where the pets are at all times, making sure all animals are safe and accounted for. For example, when the doorbell rings, the animal buddy can grab the dog or cat to make sure no one escapes through the open door or takes some dropped candy. If you don’t want to miss out on all of the Halloween fun, you can take turns being animal buddy throughout the festivities.

A trick or treat buddy is absolutely necessary if you will be taking your dog out with you on Halloween. Someone must hold the dog’s leash at all times to keep your pet safe. You never know when a costume or decoration will scare your dog or maybe some excited children will run by and your dog will want to chase them. There may be candy on the ground that you may not notice in the dark, but your dog probably will. If your dog has a buddy, that person will notice your dog’s interest in the candy and can keep your dog away. If no one is really paying attention to your dog, it takes only a second for your dog to chow down on that candy.

Unfortunately it’s also a concern that your pet could bite or scratch someone on Halloween if not watched carefully. You may have the most friendly pet on the planet that loves all babies, children and adults. But it’s entirely possible that your friendly pet may not feel friendly towards a vampire or a skeleton or a witch. People tend to speak differently in costume and may even smell differently because of heavy makeup, causing confusion and possibly fear in your pet. If your pet has a buddy, he or she can watch your pet’s reaction and remove your pet from the situation if it’s causing too much anxiety.

So if you want your pets to join in on the Halloween fun, I suggest trying out the buddy system and hopefully everyone will have a safe and Happy Halloween!

This post is part of the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie, Love is Being Owned By a Husky, and M.K. Clinton.

  This post is also part of the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like A Dog.

In my opinion, the best tool to keep your little dog safe in the car is a booster seat. I’ve had one in my car for Sadie ever since she was a puppy and it is something we wouldn’t live without. Recently Sadie and I were given the chance to try out a new Deluxe Pet Booster Seat from Devoted Doggy and we love this new seat!

The Deluxe Pet Booster Seat is secured to the seat of your car with two straps, one around the seat back, and one around the headrest. It’s easy to install and easy to move if you want to switch it from the front or back seats. The strap that hangs around the headrest is adjustable so that you can raise or lower the seat to give your dog a better view out of the window. It also collapses for easy storage when the back and headrest straps are not in use.

For safety, there is a strap attached to the booster seat that hooks on your dog’s harness. The strap helps to keep your dog safely inside the seat in case of sudden stops or sharp turns. It also keeps excited pups from jumping out of their seats and possibly distracting the driver. Sadie is able to stand up, move around, and change positions comfortably, while still safely strapped into the booster.

The interior of the bed is soft and cushy for your dog’s comfort. It has a liner of sherpa-style fabric that can be removed and washed after the inevitable muddy car ride. Sadie loves to snuggle down in her booster seat for a nice nap, especially when she wants to avoid the sun. But there is also enough room for her to stretch out. Sometimes she enjoys using the side of the booster seat to rest her chin, and sometimes she rests her head on the headrest strap.

This particular model of booster seat has a convenient pocket in the front of the seat. It has a zipper closure so you won’t lose your belongings. In the above photo, I’ve got Sadie’s leash stored in the pocket so it will be handy when we’re ready to get out of the car.

The Deluxe Pet Booster Seat is available on Amazon for $39.95. It’s made to hold pets up to 20lbs and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

This post is part of the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like A Dog.

  This post is also part of the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie, Love Is Being Owned By a Husky, and M.K. Clinton.

I received this product free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own and I received no monetary compensation for this post. Some links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I will receive compensation for any sales resulting from clicking on those links.

Halloween can be a fun and exciting day for both humans and pets. But Halloween also brings many potential dangers for your pets. So today I’m sharing my top five tips on how to keep your pets safe so everyone can enjoy a Happy Halloween!

Tip #1

Keep your dog on a leash, even inside the house. For your feline family members, I suggest keeping your cat confined to his or her favorite room for the evening. When you’re constantly opening and closing the door, dealing with trick-or-treaters, looking for where you put the candy, going crazy from the doorbell sound, it can get very hectic. It only takes a second for your precious pup or cherished cat to slip out the door in all that chaos. With your cat safely tucked away behind closed doors, you won’t need to worry about him or her. And with your dog on his or her leash, you can easily hold onto them when the door is open, making sure no one escapes or runs too enthusiastically to greet children who may be afraid of dogs.

Tip #2

If you want your dog to tag along on the Trick or Treating route, make sure your dog is secure on the leash, has proper ID tags, and is as visible as possible. With all the kids and parents running around wearing awkward costumes and masks, someone could easily trip over a dog or leash and injure themselves, you, or your dog. Check out my post on Night Walk Safety for tips about keeping your dog visible when out after dark.

Tip #3

Keep all candy out of reach, preferably in a container that paws can’t open. As I talked about in Tuesday’s post, I Want Candy, many types of candy contain foods like peanut butter or coconut that your dog already knows and loves, so he or she may go to great lengths to get at that yummy smelling candy. Make sure you keep an eye on all the candy in your household to ensure that none of it ends up where your pet can get it.

Tip #4

Be careful with your jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins. If you put them on a ledge or stand for display purposes, make sure they are secure. You don’t want a pumpkin to fall on your pet if he or she bumps into the stand. Also if you use real candles in your jack-o-lanterns, make sure your curious cat or dog can’t put a paw or snout inside and get burned.

Tip #5

Speaking of jack-o-lanterns, make sure you keep those sharp knives and little saws and pokers out of reach of your pets. They may be generally safe enough for children to handle, but not pets. When you carve your pumpkin and switch from one tool to another, remember that those tools have very tasty smelling pumpkin guts on them. Your pets may try to lick the pumpkin off the tools, not realizing they have sharp edges. So make sure you pay attention and keep your pets away from those sharp tools.

Hope you and your pets have a fun and safe Halloween!

This post is part of the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like A Dog.

    This post is also part of the Thoughtless Thursday blog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie, Love is Being Owned By a Husky, and M.K. Clinton.