Howl‑o‑Ween Hazards Every Dog Parent Should Know

10.03.2025

Whether your pup is dressing up as a taco, a pumpkin, or a tiny ghost this year, Halloween should be all about treats, not tummy troubles. From festive decor to sugary snacks, fall and Halloween come with hidden hazards for pets. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered (and your dog, too) with safety tips and treats you can actually trust.

🍇 Fall Foods to Watch Out For

Fall means pumpkin spice, baked goods, and comfort food galore. But not everything that smells delicious to us is safe for our furry companions. Keep these fall items away from your dog’s bowl:

Chocolate (especially dark chocolate)
Grapes & raisins (can cause kidney failure)
Xylitol (found in sugar-free candies and gum)
Raw or cooked onions and garlic (toxic to red blood cells)
Pumpkin pie filling (often contains nutmeg or sugar substitutes)
Macadamia nuts (highly toxic)

Instead of giving your dog human table scraps, opt for clean, protein-rich dog food like The Good List or healthy dog treats from Farmland Traditions.

🎃 Costume Safety 101

We love a good Halloween costume photo shoot, but make sure your dog’s costume is:

Non-restrictive (no tight elastics or parts that limit movement)
Free of small, chewable parts
Breathable and lightweight
Comfortable enough for movement and potty breaks

And of course, never leave your dog unsupervised in costume!

🔔 Doorbell Drama & Stranger Danger

On Halloween night, repeated doorbell rings and costumed strangers can overwhelm some pups. Here’s how to help:

Set up a quiet, comfy space away from the action
Play calming music or white noise
Give them comforting treats (like our best-selling Dogs Love jerky!)
Distract them with an enrichment toy packed with our air-dried dog food, The Good List
Consider training with Tiny Loves 2-calorie treats throughout the evening to reinforce calm behavior

🍬 The Safe Kind of Treats

Skip the candy bowl and fill their treat jar with dog-friendly snacks instead! Here are our top picks:

Tiny Loves: Only 2 calories each and perfect for training or distracting during Halloween chaos. Made with bone broth, simple ingredients you can pronounce, and no scary fillers. Varieties include chicken, beef, and turkey & pumpkin (perfect for fall).
Dogs Love: 95% premium protein in chewy strips dogs go wild for. Protein varieties include chicken, beef, pork, duck & carrot, and turkey & sweet potato. Made with only 2-4 simple ingredients and great for high-reward moments.
The Good List: Air-dried dog food that doubles as a meal, treat, mix-in, or topper. Made with 90% real meat, 10% functional superfoods (like sweet potato, kale, and pumpkin) and packed with bone broth. Varieties include chicken, beef, and lamb & venison.
Simple Snacks: Great variety of formats and flavors for anytime, anywhere! Varieties include delicious options such as Chicken & Waffle bites, Beef Lung Jerky sticks, Chicken Meatballs, and more!

All Farmland Traditions dog food and treats are:

Grain-free, soy-free, corn-free
Made with premium, USA-raised ingredients in our Southern California Kitchen
Loved by picky eaters & sensitive stomachs
Gently air-dried for 9–12 hours to create that soft, jerky texture dogs love

🚨 Bonus Fall Hazards to Avoid

Lit candles & jack-o’-lanterns: Curious noses + open flames = not a good mix
Decorations with string or tinsel: Can cause GI blockages if swallowed
Glow sticks: The liquid inside can irritate your dog’s mouth and cause vomiting

😋 Treat Your Dogs Right This Howl-o-Ween

Make Halloween fun (and safe!) by choosing treats made with real ingredients and none of the spooky stuff. Farmland Traditions offers air-dried food and treats that taste amazing, support gut health, and make every good behavior worth rewarding.

📍 Shop The Good List, Dogs Love, Tiny Loves, and Simple Snacks now and treat your pup to a Halloween that’s full of tail wags and none of the tummy aches.