Halloween can be a tough time for dogs, especially puppies less than a year old who have never experienced it before. Imagine being a young puppy and confused by the knocks at the door with the strange people showing up in scary costumes screaming words in a language you don't understand. Luckily, we can use this annual event to our advantage. Here are some tips, tricks, and treats that you can use when the monsters come knocking.

First and foremost, make sure your candy is secure. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and not only can you save a dogs life by making sure the candy is out of reach from a curious puppy, you can save possibly thousands of dollars in veterinary expenses.
Safety First! Be mindful if your dog is likely to bolt out of the front door when children arrive. Several ways to do this is by making sure your dog is in a safe spot such as a crate or with someone in the house on a leash.
If you have a puppy, Halloween is the perfect way to socialize him/her to strangers. Have someone assist you, or just hold the leash yourself as you greet visitors coming to your house. The constant and repeated attempts of children to come and retrieve your candy is great exposure for your puppy. This is a great way to start or continue socializing.

Last but not least, here are some quick tips for you this "Howloween"

Keep power cords from decorative lights out of reach
Keep chocolate and the leftover wrappers out of reach
Be mindful of any candles or jack-o-lanterns and make sure your dog cannot disturb them
If your dog likes costumes, be sure that they don't get too overheated or that the costume is too constricting for them.

Happy Howloween! Stay safe out there.

At Attention Dog Training is an in-home dog training service based in King of Prussia, PA 19406. We serve the following areas: King of Prussia, Norristown, Radnor, Wayne, Strafford, Berwyn, Devon, Audobon, Trooper, Eagleville, Collegeville, Oaks, Royersford, Limerick, Pheonixville and more!

*Photo credit to Lilo's Promise Animal Rescue link here.

Contact At Attention Dog Training to book your one-on-one training today.

Throughout my life, I have worked with many different photographers whether I was getting married and paying a photographer, or was fighting in a war and being 'shot' by a photojournalist. However, the most recent installment was with a local photographer from King of Prussia named David Balick. I came to know him through our shared interest in giving dogs a second chance. His foster Boone, is a tough case. Boone is a great boy, but seems to take his owners for a walk instead of the other way around. He is a stubborn puller who is not bad, he just has a new found love for exploring the world and getting all the 'sniffs' in. I showed up to meet my first client as a professional ready to go to try and offer some of my expertise to help Boone and David. After 30 minutes of reinforcing good leash walking behaviors with Boone we started to see a glimmer of hope in Boone. I passed the leash off to his foster dad and we finally saw a new dog who was walking in tandem nicely and enjoyably. Finally, we had a plan for Boone and the light was at the end of the tunnel. A new day has dawned for Boone and his owner David Balick and hopefully, just maybe, Boone can soon find his forever home as he learns to walk on a leash!

So, if you are looking to support a man who is honest and true who is trying to do some good deeds in the world then look no further. David Balick is a photographer who loves his work and has a passion for helping those in need. I for one, will be using his services again in the future.

Check out his website!