During this spooky season, there is no doubt you’ll see a slew of photos of adorable costumed dogs on your social media feeds.
Given the fact that so many pooches will be dressed to the nines, there are bound to be Halloween puppy parties aplenty. After all, our pups are part of our family, and we want to make sure they’re having a fun and festive time this Halloween.
Do you feel like throwing a little get-together for your pooch and a few of their closest friends? Consider these fun dog-friendly Halloween games to get the night going!
Most importantly, have fun with it! Halloween can be a really stressful time for your pup, so try to make it as comfortable and enjoyable for them and their friends as you can. If your dog is uncomfortable with wearing a costume, never force it. It’s more important that your pup has fun than it is for them to wear a costume.
Do you have any fun Halloween games to play with pups? Is your dog dressing up for the holiday? Let us know in the comments below!
Halloween Games For Dogs
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Bobbin' For Bones
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Dogs shouldn't bob for whole apples because they can be choking hazards. Instead, offer your pup and their friends a chance to bob for "bones!" They can be any treats, but it's spookier if you call them bones for Halloween.
Fill a few large bowls with water and drop in several treats. Release the hounds to go grab their treats. This is a game that's good for smaller groups. If you play with larger groups of dogs, be sure to have multiple bowls out.
Also, talk to your human friends to make sure their dogs aren't prone to food aggression. Any pups who get too intense with food guarding should sit this one out.
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Werewolf Competition
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Thankfully, none of our dogs are going to turn into human-eating monsters at the sight of a full moon. What our domestic dogs have in common with these supernatural creatures is their ability to howl.
Does your pup go nuts at the sound of a siren? How about if you howl? Do whatever elicits a nice "awoo" from your pup, and get the other dogs to join in to see who has the most werewolf-like howl!
This is a noisy game, but it can be hilarious to watch and join in with a bunch of dogs howling. Award the dog with the spookiest howl a special treat -- though we know you're going to give them all a treat! How about a homemade treat?
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Tear Apart The Zombie
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This is a fun outdoor game that requires a bit of preparation prior to the party. Get several large, stuffed, dog safe toys -- preferably Halloween themed ones of a zombie nature -- and gut them as best as you can. Once you take out the fluffy stuffing, replace it with doggy treats.
Sew the toys back up with just a few stitches so they are easy to tear open with minimal effort. Release all the pups into the backyard and have them hunt down and tear the zombies limb from limb and enjoy their tasty flesh -- erm, treats.
Make sure the toys aren't made of any substance that's toxic to dogs, make sure the stuffed animals don't have parts that the dogs could chew on, and keep an eye on the dogs so they don't swallow the toy itself. If you have a dog who might eat the whole toy, best not to play this game.
This game is better for some doggy personalities than others, and you know your dog's personality better than anyone else. So you know if it's a bad idea. Trust your instincts.
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Paranormal Puppy Parade
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If all of your puppy guests are going to be in costume, why not have a fabulous parade around the block?
Take loads of pictures and have friends on social media vote for their favorite costumed dog. Give the winner a special treat and the rest of the dogs treats as well -- hey, it's Halloween! Every pup deserves more treats than usual!
Just make sure the dogs are in comfortable costumes that don't slow them down or make it hard to see or hear.
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Tricks For Treats
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All of your guests are probably incredibly talented pups. Have them show off a trick, whether it be a simple "sit!" or something you've been working really hard on with them, like rolling over and then army crawling.
Reward them with a treat! Nice and simple!
As always, be sure to give all of the dogs proper space to play, socialize, and interact. Talk to the other puppy parents to make sure there won't be any dominance issues or possessive aggression when it comes to treats.
