How to Get Cozy for the Spooky Season with Your Pets

Published: 10/15/2020

There’s no better way to make the most of Halloween than to share it with your pet. From your dog or cat’s perspective, the Spooky Season is time for some of their favorite activities — we’re talking fun dress-ups, tasty (pet-friendly) treats, making new friends, and spending lots of quality time with you.

But Halloween is also a great time of year to sit back, relax, and snuggle up at home with your fur-baby. Let’s take a closer look at how you and your pets can enjoy a safe and cozy Spooky Season, and maybe have a bit of fun at the same time. 

Get comfy and cozy

The days are getting shorter and the nights longer, while the weather is getting cooler with each passing day. With fall now well and truly upon us and winter just around the corner, it’s time to focus on helping your pets stay warm. Happily, there are a few simple ways to do this.

Start by making sure you create a comfy home environment for your pets. Turn the heating on, block out any drafts, and give your dog or cat an extra warm blanket to cuddle up with. You might even want to invest in a heated pet bed to keep your furry friend warm on those chilly nights.

If all else fails, you can always try sharing body heat with your pets — any excuse for some snuggle time with your fur-babies, right? 

Create a safe space for your pets

For some anxious or territorial pets, or even those who get a bit upset by changes to their normal routine, Halloween can be a bit of a trying time. With lots of strange and loud noises, the doorbell ringing constantly, and strangers turning up on your front doorstep, the night of October 31 can be a stressful experience for many of our four-legged friends.

If that’s the case for your pet, take steps to help them feel more at ease. For example, you might like to keep your stressed-out kitty or canine in a separate room where they feel safe and secure, perhaps leaving the radio on to disguise any unfamiliar noises. Provide plenty of food and water, and check on them regularly to make sure all is okay.

Keep candy (and other hazards) out of reach

The next step to creating a safe and cozy environment is to make sure that any items that aren’t pet-safe are kept well out of reach. Chocolate is toxic to both dogs and cats, so never let your fur-baby get into any candy. 

Candy wrappers, raisins, alcohol, the sweetener xylitol, and lots of other tasty treats can all pose a risk to pets too, so take some time to make sure all potential hazards are well and truly out of the way. 

Candles are another common danger to be wary of at this time of year. While they’re commonly used in Halloween decorations, they attract curious pets like moths to a, well, flame. This could result in an injury to your pet or your fur-baby knocking the candle over and starting a fire, so only use decorations that are completely pet-safe. 

Tricks and treats!

Just because you shouldn’t give your pet candy, that doesn’t mean they can’t join in all the Halloween fun. Whether you’re dressing your pup in a cute costume to go trick or treating, entering your fur-babies in a Halloween pet parade, or just heading to a neighbor’s party, there’s plenty for your dog to enjoy.

And if you feel like staying home with your pets, the fun doesn’t have to stop. Slip into your pajamas, make a cup of hot cocoa, and play a few games with your furry friend. For example, you might like training your dog to perform a few party tricks, making sure to reward them with a treat or two, or you could spoil your cat with a new toy or climbing frame.

Whatever you do, the most important thing is that you spend a whole lot of quality time bonding with your pet. If you can do that, they’ll have a spooktacular time.

Do some baking

If there’s a chill in the air this Spooky Season, why not stay home and do a little pet-friendly baking? There’s a huge range of homemade dog treat and cat treat recipes available online, so pick one that sounds “pawfect” and get cooking. 

Your fur-babies will love “helping out” in the kitchen — not to mention the reward of a delicious treat for all their hard work. Just make sure to bake a separate batch of cookies for yourself as well so that everyone gets a tasty snack.

Watch a scary movie

What better way to combine some spooky fun with some cozy couch time than to watch a scary movie? You know what to do — heat up the popcorn, prepare a few tasty treats for your fur-babies, turn off the lights, and settle in for a night of chills, thrills, and cuddle time with your pets.

With your pet lying beside you or maybe even right in your lap, you’ll always have someone to cling to whenever you get a fright. And if you’re brave enough, you might even want to settle in for a scary movie marathon. As long as your dog or cat gets lots of cuddles, they’ll love every second.

Snuggle up

Fall is a wonderful time of year for pet parents. On the one hand, the milder weather makes it perfect for lots of outdoor adventures — and there are few things more enjoyable than watching a playful pup frolic in a pile of colorful fall leaves.

On the other hand, it’s also the ideal time of year to stay in and spend quality time with your fur-babies at home. We’re talking stretching out for a nap in front of an open fire, snuggling up on the couch for a night in front of the TV, and generally lazing around with your cat or dog by your side.

So take the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of getting cozy with your pets. With your fur-baby right by your side, there really is no better place to be.