To continue in the theme of Halloween, because, well, it is a week away… we here at Advantek always keep the safety and care of our furry friends in mind at all times. There’s humor and seriousness in most of our posts but at the root of what we’re about is the health and safety of all animals.  We are providing some Pet Halloween Safety Tips for you to consider this year and every October 31st. A lot of fun is to be experienced , but please watch out for some of the obvious warnings and some of the not so obvious ones.

We already covered some safety hazards in the dressing your pet up for Halloween posts; Yes, You Should Dress Up Your Pets and No, You Shouldn’t Dress Up Your Pets.

Pet Halloween Safety Tips #1

Halloween Candy

You pets should not eat or ingest any Halloween candy. Don’t let children feed any of your furry family members candy either. Blocking any and all access to the sweet treats is the best defense. Chocolate or xylitol (common sugar substitute) are the big ones that need to be avoided. Keep the trick or treat candy out of paw reach and avoid having little ones leaving their plastic pumpkins full of sugary sweets on the floor. Ensure all wrappers and left over bites are secured in the trash to avoid curious noses leading them to the candy.

Treats Please

Pet Halloween Safety Tips #2

Pranks

While pranks do happen on a semi-regular basis, Halloween brings out a lot of the jokesters that will toilet paper trees or leave a bag of pet poop on a porch and light it on fire or just find a way to really try and scare people. Our pets are not immune to pranksters.  If your furry family members are out in the open, whether or not they are on a leash or just gated in the yard, on this night they will be more susceptible to being chased or the victim of people running amok through the neighborhood doing what they feel is hilarious. Be aware that this may occur and properly look after your pets to avoid them being stressed, overly frightened or permanently emotionally scarred. This leads us to the next point…

Pet Halloween Safety Tips #3

Containment

Every pet is different, we know this to be true,  and however, the activity level in a given household on Halloween can make our furry family members, overly excited, frightened, confused and or curious. The door will be constantly opening and closing; kids will be screaming for candy and dressed up in unfamiliar clothing. With our pets being very territorial, this will be a stressful and confusing evening for them. It’s best to keep them away from the door and contained within a safe place somewhere is the house away from all this activity, especially if your pet’s instinct is to bite due to fear of strangers.

Pet Halloween Safety Tips #4

IDs

On the chance your furry family members are exposed to the Halloween evening, whether by trick or treating or out in the yard, ensure your pet is properly identified, by collar and tag or microchip. Always play the better safe than sorry card here.  Too many things can happen and let’s be protected. Be aware if your pets are not contained with the door opening frequently and our little guys sneaking out while we are distracted.

Pet Halloween Safety Tips #5

Lit Candles

Candles definitely add to the atmosphere of Halloween and with curious noses sniffing around they can be dangerous too.  Not only would we worry about the candles tipping over and starting a fire, but our furry family members can get burned. That is not the Halloween memories we are after.

Have any safety tips for us?

It’s so disheartening isn’t it?  Your adorable furry family members + Pet Halloween Costumes = pure shame.

Pet Halloween Costumes:

No, We Should Never Dress Up Our Pets

To some human eyes, the spectacle of dogs in clothes is appalling. “Let them be dogs,” is the common refrain. “They’re not substitute children.”

The above quote is from Woofipedia.

Take this thing off my head, or else…

***This will be Part 2 in a Two Part Blog where we discuss the pros and cons of dressing up our pets for Halloween. This post will not be about why we should or the positive implications of doing so. This is solely about why Pet Halloween Costumes and dressing them up is shameful and not a good idea. ***

That urge may take you over this October, your pets are part of your family and you will want them included in the festivities. You’re not alone. According to NRF, Halloween is big business.  We can verify this easily by driving down the street, can’t we? An estimated $8.4 billion will be spent this year (2016) celebrating Halloween. Of that $8.4 billion, $350 million will be spent on Pet Halloween Costumes.  So, the idea of Pet Halloween Costumes will never go away with such profit to be had, but some things need to be considered.

Our Pets Look Embarrassed

Please take it off

We all know that look of guilt our pets possess. When they get into the garbage or eat an entire case of gum. They know they’ve been bad and are ashamed when we get home. The sense of shame translates very well when they are dressed up in ridiculous clothing. Think about how they feel…

From  mercola.com “It’s probably humiliating. Since you don’t know what your dog is feeling and he can’t tell you, it’s quite possible he’s shamed and embarrassed in a costume. Imagine you arrive at work one morning and you’re met at the door by the boss. To your shock and dismay, you’re forced out of your clothes right down to your underwear, and told you’ll be spending the day in your skivvies. You’re mortified, and all day long co-workers pass by your desk, laugh and take pictures of you to email and post on Facebook.”

They Look Ridiculous

From Chickens…

Courtesy of creatorup

To Cats…

I hate you…

You’re dead to me…

To Dogs…

Why do you do this to me?

And Bunnies…

I’m sad

Maybe it was creative enough to get a few laughs, but that isn’t the main reason we’ve adopted our furry family members is it? It was to grow the family, accent it, because…

Our Pets Aren’t Humans

This is a great article emphasizing about why we shouldn’t; some of the finer points include, “Unlike an adult human, or even a child, your dog can’t tell you with words how he feels about being dressed up. But it’s a sure bet if he’s trying like crazy to get those tuxedo trousers off, he doesn’t like them. He may be itchy and overheating. It may feel confining. It may even be terrifying.” And, “It’s unnatural. Your dog has her own wardrobe – it’s called fur. It’s a good bet she’s not interested in fashion, even if you are. If your pet likes being naked, you should respect that. Also, adult dogs who weren’t dressed up as puppies will rarely find the experience enjoyable, so you should respect that as well.”

What are your feelings about Pets and Halloween? Share your thoughts with us.

It’s so tempting isn’t it?  Your adorable furry family members + Pet Halloween Costumes = pure brilliance.

 Warn you, I did not. 

Pet Halloween Costumes:

Yes We Should Dress Up Our Pets

***This will be Part 1 in a Two Part Blog where we discuss the pros and cons of dressing up our pets for Halloween. This post will not be about why we shouldn’t or the negative implications of doing so. This is solely about why Pet Halloween Costumes and dressing them up is fun and a good idea. ***

It’s Hilarious

It’s just feels right during Halloween for a family to include their pets. With all forums of social media being avenues to showcase how wonderful your Pet Halloween Costumes are, most people may only dress up their pets for the photo op, and the picture could live in infamy or even go viral. There are many genius ideas out there with amazing execution. These opportunities will bring us joy and a smile every time we see our pets captured in time or the image pops up in our mind. Here are some reasons why we should dress up our pets for more than just the photo op. 

This Huffington Post article from a few years ago showcases the best of the best. May these drive your creativity with the expectation is that a few chuckles and smiles will escape you.

Treats? Who said treat?

The Cute Factor

Aside from maybe the first few Halloween’s of a child’s life, dressing up in Pet Halloween Costumes undeniably make the cutest photos ever.

From bunnies…

Courtesy of www.tiptoptens.com

To Hedgehogs…

Courtesy of www.vetlocator.com

To Cats…

The Doctor is in

Courtesy of www.redbarninc.com

And of course dogs…

Courtesy of www.theluxuryspot.com

Courtesy of www.kickvick.com

We call all agree that the pets represented in these photos are a “ten” on the cuteness scale. Who could resist these furry family members walking up to the door for a treat?

Check out this Huffington Post article and this Buzzfeed article for even more cuteness. And there’s a TON of cuteness.

Our Pets Like to Be Included

Pets are increasingly becoming more involved within our families. More and more pet parents are including them in most activities, and our pets appreciate it. Dogs especially, welcome an additional sense of responsibility; if taking your children trick or treating, it’s favorable to bring your furry family members along. It gets them out for exercise and they aren’t left home alone, reacting to the doorbell every few minutes for a few hours. This can be incredibly stressful, and every living animal deserves less stress in their lives.

Think of all the themes you can come up with!

Courtesy of today.com

Courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

Think about how a dog must feel when they see humans, especially small ones dressed up as them! What an honor it must be for our furry family members.

One important thing to think about is this quote from Woofipedia, “But proponents say their dogs love it, and some dogs appear to really enjoy dressing up and going out with their owners to Halloween parades and other holiday pageants. Some trainers add that teaching your dogs to wear costumes is a smart idea. A dog who is comfortable in elf shoes, hats, and big fluffy collars will be more accepting of medical wraps and therapeutic devices, such as booties to protect a wounded paw or the dreaded Elizabethan collar.”

Dressing them up for Halloween may have positive long term benefits. 

How do you dress up your pets for Halloween? Share your thoughts with us.

Pumpkin Has Arrived!

If you’re like me, there’s something about autumn that we love.  It could be the leaves changing, the first crisp morning when your breath is visible, the start of football season and of course all things flavored or scented or colored by the name of pumpkin.  There are really great things out there decorative and recipewise, from Pumpkin tortellini and those Jack O’Lanterns carved into your favorite Pokémon. I’m personally a big fan of the pumpkin scented soaps and lotions, but I digress… Much like the aroma of a Macintosh Apple, the nostalgia the aromas bring is warming to the soul.  But what about pumpkin, pets and… overkill?

Pumpkin, Pets and… Is it too much?

Buzzfeed’s 19 Dogs that are already over Pumpkin Spice

It’s real easy to get caught up in the pumpkin craze. Everything seems to have a pumpkin twist to it like Pumpkin flavored Seltzer Water and Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. How much more pumpkin can you get when it’s already pumpkin?

When it comes to pumpkin, pets and other assorted fall favorites we always need to keep our furry family member’s safety in mind. Is pumpkin a good idea for our dogs and other pets? From what I have found the answer is yes, pumpkin is very healthy for dogs and cats. This disclaimer here is that pumpkin that has been living on your stoop or windowsill is no longer fresh and shockingly…

may contain bacteria.  Fresh, or the unsweetened pureed canned pumpkin, proportioned, based upon the size of your pet has many healthy benefits.

Through a dog’s ear website has this to say about consuming pumpkin.

 Digestive Health

Pumpkin is a fabulous source of fiber for our furry friends, as well as for us. Pureed pumpkin (with no added sugar or spice) can help dogs and cats with both constipation and diarrhea. Adding a tablespoon or two (in proportion to their size) to their regular meal is known to help keep them regular. It can also help dogs and cats with indigestion or upset stomachs. I have Labs. Anything is edible to Sanchez and Gina, and I’m sure they would eat it right out of the can if allowed. Most cats are usually a little more finicky.

Urinary Health

According to Veterinarians Laci and Jed Schaible, co-founders of VetLIVE.com, pumpkin seeds are high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants (good for overall healthy skin and fur), and the oils in pumpkin flesh and seeds are believed to support urinary health. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium and iron, and may even reduce the likelihood your pet will develop cancer.

Weight Loss

Dogs seem to naturally love pumpkin. If you are looking to take a few pounds off of your pooch or kitty, try reducing a portion of their food and replace it with the same portion of canned pumpkin. Their tummy will feel just as full, and they might even thank you for the additional flavor.

Those three topics encompass almost all that you need to know about pets consuming pumpkin. It’s healthy when done in proper servings and avoiding sugary and spiced pumpkin.

PetMD has this to add to the health benefits of pumpkins and our pets, “Pumpkin contains nearly three grams of fiber per one cup serving. Fiber promotes a sense of fullness and can potentially enhance weight loss by reducing the physiological urge to consume larger volumes of food.

Additionally, fiber can help with feline constipation. As cats mature into their adult and geriatric years, constipation is a serious problem requiring a multi-faceted solution, with the primary emphasis placed on diet. Increasing fiber levels creates more stool bulk, thereby stimulating the colon wall and promoting contraction of the muscles responsible for moving stool from its origin in the ascending colon through the rectum (the three parts of the colon are the ascending, transverse, and descending colon, which then connects to the rectum). Increased dietary fiber can also help pets suffering from diarrhea. Both cats and dogs are prone to large bowel diarrhea (also known as colitis), often from food changes or dietary indiscretion (eating something that one should not).”

There’s a lot more valuable information over on their website, a fantastic resource not just for pumpkin pet consumption, but for your pet’s overall health.

To recap… If you’re someone who is all about the seasonal favorite, you are not alone. Embrace the flavor and share, because it’s not just you… Even these animals are as crazy about pumpkin as you are.

Mine

What are your favorite autumn treats?