It’s always fun when our pet sits coincide with a holiday, as we love to come up with creative ways to include pets in our celebrations! Whether we’re making Easter egg hunts with dog treats or going for walkies in a city decorated with Christmas lights, celebrating is always more fun when four-legged friends are involved. Read on for our fun ways to celebrate the spooky season with your dog, no matter their breed or age!
Visit a pumpkin patch
Heading to a pick-your-own pumpkin patch always conjures up memories of childhood for me, back when the pumpkins were as big as I was! Nowadays there are so many dog-friendly pumpkin patches to take your dog to, so they can have fun picking their own pumpkin! They’ll love walking amongst the rows of pumpkins and sniffing out the perfect one to take home, and pumpkin is also a tasty and healthy treat for dogs! Just be sure not to give them too much, and only fresh pumpkin without the rind, stem or pulp. Check out this list of dog-friendly pumpkin patches to find a patch near you.
Bake Halloween treats
If your dog isn’t into pumpkin, this one’s sure to get them excited! The Kennel Club have a whole list of Halloween recipes to make spooky dog treats at home, from Ghost Fancies to Halloween Pupcakes, and most of the recipes include ingredients you probably already have at home! Our favourite is the Spooky Bat Bites – it has just 5 ingredients including banana and peanut butter that will definitely get your pooch excited for Halloween.
If baking isn’t your thing, but you still want to treat your doggo, don’t worry – there are tonnes of pre-made Halloween dog treats out there! We love these Pumpkin and Carrot dental sticks for a simple autumnal treat, or if you want something with more wow-factor, this spooky Haunted House is full of limited edition snacks for your dog including spooktacular bones and pumpkin bites. Just make sure you keep on top of portion control to avoid post-Halloween stomach aches!
Dress up!
One of the best parts about being on Instagram at this time of year is the endless picture parade of dogs dressed up for Halloween! We love when we find dog dressing up boxes at our pet sits, and there’s no better time of year to give your doggo a fresh fit. If you’ve seen the viral reels lately of dogs dressed up as Chucky, you’ll want to get them this outfit to make your own scary video! If horror movies aren’t the vibe for your sweet doggo, there’s dinosaur outfits or pumpkin costumes that would double up as a cute coat for autumnal walkies! We also love this pirate outfit for a character idea without the blood and gore. You can always make your own costume too – all it takes is a sheet and scissors and you’ve got your own tailored ghost costume to fit your dog! Take inspiration from accounts like The Daxie Trouble and get creative!
BONUS: Now your dog is all dressed up, why not involve them in your trick or treating this year? You’re sure to get a few more treats with an adorable dressed-up doggo by your side!
Go for autumnal walkies
It’s no secret that we love a National Trust place, and October is the perfect time of year to get out for a long walk at their properties with a dog. We’ve taken hundreds of dogs to National Trust places while pet sitting over the years, and while they need to be kept on lead at some locations, you’ll still enjoy crunching through the fallen leaves, breathing in the fresh autumn air and exploring stunning woodlands and parks with your four-legged friends.
We especially love Sheffield Park (below) at this time of year for the burst of red, orange and golden brown as the trees change for the season, and Glastonbury Tor for a spooky feel while you enjoy the misty 360 panoramic views, plus the pathways across the hills are undulating enough to give your dog a good work out. National Trust properties are always well maintained, with pristinely manicured vistas giving way to gorgeous views over the countryside, making them perfect for an autumnal dog photoshoot too! If your walkies turn muddy through all the dirty puddles and soggy Autumnal leaves, we recommend bathing your four-legged friend with Bugalugs’ Pumpkin Latte scented shampoo! Perfect for Pumpkin Spice lovers, your pup will smell spooky for Halloween!
Halloween toys
Don’t you love any excuse to buy your four-legged friend a new toy? Thankfully pet companies feel the same way and there are SO many cute, spooky toys out there to celebrate the season. Our favourite find this year is this multi pack of Halloween characters, perfect if you have more than one dog as there are plenty of the toys to go around! For something sweet, there’s this soft dog witch that pups will love to nibble on. If you’re looking for a Halloween-themed enrichment game to pass a rainy October afternoon, this hide and seek style toy provides enrichment and brain games for your dog, with a Dracula twist! Simply put the squeaky characters inside along with a few biscuits and watch your dog snuffle them out. Even better when paired with a Halloween outfit to complete the look!
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