Otis, Dog, of Plymouth, MA in his 2020 Halloween Costume. Follow him on Instagram @goldenotis0805
The leaves are at their peak, pumpkins have new homes on every porch in the neighborhood, and, if you’re like me, you have too many bags of candy in your online grocery cart. These seasonal traits mean Halloween is Just Around the Corner. This year we are making it a pet friendly Halloween for those precious fur babies who have been keeping us sane in 2020. This spooky holiday isn’t usually on the list of “Favorites” for our pets. In fact, trick-or-treaters, costumed kids and adults, and scary noises can add up to a stressful day or night for your dog or cat, in addition to your stress worrying about someone getting out of the house with all the door openings. But there are ways to make Halloween safe and exciting for your pet! Grab your bucket of overpriced candy and get ready because Halloween is coming up PAWESOME this year.
Tim Burton film, Frankenweenie.
Fright Night Festivities
The best way to have a pet friendly Halloween is to include your pet in as much of the holiday fun as possible! Get your pet in the spirit of Halloween with a few of our favorite pet-centric games the whole family can enjoy. The public activities of your town may be cancelled this year due to COVID-19 but the holiday itself is not so let’s dive into some fright night fun to give your pet a Halloween they won’t soon forget! Be sure to scroll all the way down for our delicious Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks recipe.
Watch pet approved Halloween movies.
Do you find your dog or cat watching along when you have the TV on? ME TOO! So, play them a movie they can see themselves in to really keep the All Hallows Eve spirit alive this time of year. Here are our pet must-sees for Halloween.
- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
- Frankenweenie (Tim Burton version)
- The Dog Who Saved Halloween
- Scooby Doo: The Movie
- Hocus Pocus (for our feline friends)
Take your pet for a drive!
If your pet loves the car take them for a socially distant car ride to enjoy the sights and sounds of Halloween in your town. From your Main St. to the neighborhood with the spookiest decorations hop in the car and take it all in with your furry friend. Halloween can be a dangerous time for pets who are out and about on their own, particularly our beautiful black cats and dogs (stay tuned for details on this in next week’s blog). Be sure to keep your pets close and have current ID tags on them at all times. Go for a family car ride and don’t forget to bring your Pumpkin Spice Pup Snacks.
Play Halloween Games.
If you are staying in or even having a few friends over this Halloween, why not play some pet friendly games with your dog or cat! It is time to get creative on this one. Think about what your pet enjoys and come up with a game that involves that “thing” or activity you know they love. While you are thinking about a custom game just for your fur baby try out one of our Spook-tastic activities your pet will die for.
- Bob for Bones – Grab a bucket or basket and toss in a delicious bone or two. For cats make it their favorite toy or a few of their treats. Be sure to have a few other items in the bucket for them to “bob around”. You can make it as challenging or as simple as you want based on what your pet will enjoy most. Have fun Bobbing for Bones!
- Costume Show – If your pet enjoys being dressed up, then chances are you have more than one costume. Let your dog or cat be the star of the evening and show off multiple costumes, even if it’s just the two of you. Don’t forget take pictures and tag us on Instagram @jac_pet_care. If your dog is like my Lola Bear, who thinks costumes are out to get them, skip this activity and try one that is more up their alley.
- Tricks For Treats – Let’s get literal! Our pets love to please us so doing tricks is not a chore but something that gives them a real sense of belonging and accomplishment. Time to put those tricks to the test. Give your dog (or cat for those fancy felines) a command to do a “trick”, and when they perform it perfectly (we know they will) give them a treat! Have your bucket of treats or platter of Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks close by all night long and play Tricks for Treats every time trick or treaters come to your house. No trick or treaters? Play as you please.
Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks. Dog, cat, and kid-friendly Halloween treats.
Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks
It’s Fall and the aroma of Pumpkin Spice Latte fills your nose and your heart like the gentle touch of a new flannel. Replace Pumpkin Spice Latte with your fall favorite and you get the picture. Now think about your pet and how much they would love to experience the excitement of seasonal sensations just like that. If there is one thing I know it is that the way to our pet’s hearts is through their stomach with a pet-friendly treat. These Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks are quick and easy. With only 5 ingredients and no cooking involved these treats are a hassle free, make em’ anytime kind of recipe! YAY!
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin puree (use canned for “hassle free”)
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon
5 tbsp. natural peanut butter (I use Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter)
1 cup coconut flour
1/3 tbsp. ginger, freshly grated
Optional: Use quick oats or powdered carob for rolling–if making for your cat we suggest a sprinkle of cat nip.
Lumi and Lola both approve of Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks! Follow these two on Instagram @lumiandlola
Combine pumpkin puree, peanut butter, coconut flour, cinnamon, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Mix by hand, add additional peanut butter as needed to keep the dough from becoming crumbly. Once the contents are fully mixed it is time to roll them into balls. The size of these round snacks should be based on the size of your pet. For kitties and small dogs, we suggest marble size rounds, for large breed pups you can go for golf ball size if you like. Of course, the smaller they are the more this recipe makes. Once they are rolled into balls you can spice them up a bit by rolling them in quick oats or carob powder and…Voila! In 10 minutes or less your Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks are ready for consumption by some incredibly happy four-legged Halloweeners.
Download our FREE Recipe Card for Pumpkin Spice Pet Snacks
Halloween at home with our fur babies is going to be a blast and we can’t wait! From delicious pet friendly snacks to bobbing for bones your pet is sure to fall in love with Halloween this year. Have recipes or games of your own planned? Share with us what you do to make this holiday a special one for the four-legged trick and treaters in your life.
Boston Terrier in Halloween costume.
Got Halloween Plans?
Do you have Halloween plans that don’t include your pet? Do you wish you did but feel guilty or anxious about leaving your beloved fur baby home alone? Maybe you aren’t into Halloween at all but would love to plan a fall adventure if only you had someone to take care of Fido and Fluffy. Just Around the Corner is here to help! We offer customizable scheduling to best fit you and your pets’ needs. With every visit JAC provides love, affection and even adventure for your furry family members We may not be mom or dad to them, but we certainly care for them like our own. Get out there and enjoy this fabulous time of year and leave the pet care to the professionals. Book a Meet and Greet today! Call or text 508-245-1389
Just Around the Corner offers pet care of all kinds, including daily Dog Walking , Dog Hiking, and Pet Sitting in Plymouth, MA. To learn more about how Just Around the Corner can help, check out our Services Page. You can also Contact Us for more information. Be sure to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Instagram!
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