DOG TRAINING TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN!

Posted by jennifer on September 29, 2008 in Training & Behavior Tips.

As a dog trainer in Hollywood, many of my clients always ask me how to get their dogs prepared for Halloween. Not only are there cute pet costume contests that could cause an embarrassing moment but there are also the tricks involved to pull off an A-list costume. For instance, a dog dressed as a nurse pushing a mini wheelchair with another “patient” dog in it. These extreme Halloween maneuvers are a sure bet to get a celebrity client a first place at a Beverly Hills dog costume event. So when you think that the red carpet is all about the people- think again. It wasn’t long ago that I was training dogs for the annual “Doscar” awards in Palm Beach, Florida complete with limos, bodyguards and millions of dollars in donated jewelry that the dogs wore on the big day. And the bodyguards were not for the dogs but sent along with such expensive pieces from Tiffany’s, Channel, Cartier, Chopard, just to name a few. It’s a good thing my dog Lola responds well under distractions to the come when called as she saw a squirrel down the street with a hundred thousand dollar necklace around her neck tied with dental floss. Yes, even the dogs have their day on special occasions- including Halloween.
So how do you get your dog prepared to wear a costume on that special day? Here’s a little advice on how to pull it off without your dog trying to tear it off in sheer anxiety:

Start a couple of weeks out before Halloween with your costume. Practice in short sessions throughout the day; gradually increasing the time the costume is on. First start with a delectable treat… Something extraordinary like small pieces of hot dogs. Place the costume on top your dog, and give him a treat. Take the costume off and repeat a few times. If he won’t stand for it on top of him, place it on the ground and have your dog sit or stand on it, eventually laying down with treats. Place one aspect of the dog in the costume such as a paw through a sleeve. Give him a small piece of the hot dog. Take the paw out and repeat a few times. Next, place two paws through each sleeve or tie the costume just so one part is on him. Give treats and repeat. Go all the way through until you have the costume completely on your dog and can put it on and take it off with ease. Increase the time periods and get your pet used to walking in it, any noise it might make, etc. Repeat this over and over again until you completely desensitize him to the costume and he is now off the treats. Hats, etc. are last and require the same technique. Practice walking around the neighborhood at night with it on as well. Repeating this over two weeks gradually will get them used to something on them and come Halloween night, you and your pooch will be the talk of the neighborhood. If I can get my cat to walk on a leash in the mountains of Colorado, surely Fido can take to a costume. Be sure to ad in lots of praise for a job well done and remember that unless your dog is used to wearing clothes, this is completely unnatural to them so be patient!


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