Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 29, 2022

19

HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS!

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 29, 2022 


HALLOWEEN 
SAFETY TIPS 
FOR PETS

Editor’s Note: Long-time syndicated humor columnist Tom Purcell has just launched a new, second 
weekly column, called Thurber’s Tail. It features pet advice, humorous pet videos and stories about his 
beloved pup, Thurber the yellow Lab.

I love Halloween and all the fun and the silliness it entails.

However, as a new dog dad — my lovable Labrador, Thurber, is in his 22nd month — I’m learning that 
our beloved pets face no small number of Halloween risks that we must protect them from.

Beware Halloween Treats

Many Halloween treats are dangerous to our furry friends. Most pet lovers know that chocolate is 
toxic to both cats and dogs.

But did you know that candies and gum may have artificial sweeteners that are also toxic to pets?

According to The American Kennel Club, an ingredient called xylitol is in many sugar-free confections, 
but

it is also found in items such as toothpaste and peanut butter — beware of your neighbor’s home-
baked cookies.

Gum and hard candies may also be difficult for pets to digest. Large quantities of either — which is 
the only quantity Thurber eats if he is able to get at a full bowl of treats — can “clump up in the stomach 
and cause a risk of obstruction,” says the AKC.

Raisins, which are sometimes given out as Halloween treats, are great for humans, but did you know 
they can cause renal failure in dogs?

Candy wrappers, too, pose considerable risk to our pets, as they “can become lodged in your pet’s 
throat or intestinal tract, requiring surgery to remove,” says the AKC.

Prepare Your Pet for the Startling Sounds of the Season

Thurber goes berserk every time someone knocks on the door, so you can imagine Halloween night 
is going to be challenging for him.

If you’re planning on handing out candy this year, American Humane recommends training sessions 
to help desensitize your furry friend to door knocking and the commotion of multiple visitors by 
creating positive associations with these sounds.

“Have someone knock on the door and then give your pet a treat,” says American Humane. “With 
enough repetitions, your pet will start to associate treats every time someone is at the door.”

If your pet is especially shy or fearful, however — or, like Thurber, still too much in the puppy phase 
to be trained to chill when the door knocks — it may be best to relocate him or her to a safe quiet 
room.

My plan is to place Thurber in the family room downstairs, where I will turn up the TV volume as 
he watches his favorite show — he loves “Life Below Zero,” in which his fellow canines often run and 
playing in the Alaskan bush.

He also loves The Allman Brothers on the stereo, so that will be my plan B if the TV doesn’t do the 
job.

Make Sure Pet Halloween Costumes Are Safe

AKC says the trend of dressing dogs in costumes has increased over the years, but safety considerations 
are important.

Is the costume comfortable? Does it allow your pet to move freely without constraint? Could a tie or 
band cause your pet to choke or trip?

AKC says that it is fairly easy to locate and purchase costumes online created specifically for pets, 
however, that does not necessarily ensure their safety.

“Beads, snaps, buttons, ribbons, elastic and fabric can all be intestinal hazards,” says AKC. “Never 
purchase costumes for pets that have dangling parts or pieces that can be chewed off.”

AKC further warns that costumes can result in “overheating, impaired vision and even difficulty 
breathing, if it covers the face or is too restrictive around the pet’s neck or chest.”

One last note on pet costumes: Some pet lovers think the act of dressing up our furry family members 
in silly costumes can be embarrassing at best and humiliating at worst.

Thurber certainly refuses to dress up for Halloween and he explains why — did I mention Thurber is 
a talking dog? — in a series of humorous Halloween videos posted at ThurbersTail.com.

Happy Halloween!

Our furry family members should participate in family events as much as any other member of the 
family, but we need to take extra precautions to be sure they stay safe, happy and healthy.

Let’s conclude my first ThurbersTail.com humor and pet-advice column with this canine-inspired 
Halloween joke:

Question: What do you call a large dog that is in touch with his inner-most feelings?

Answer: A self-aware-wolf.

2023 ROSE PARADE& ITS EVENTS ARETICKETS FOR THE 
ON SALE NOW!
OFFICIAL SEATING COMPANYOF THE TOURNAMENT OF ROSES®
PARADE & ITS EVENTS626.795.4171www.sharpseating.comThe ONLY OfficialSeating Company of theTournament of Roses®
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com