Halloween
Chihuahua on Halloween
Do you have a great pic of your Chihuahua in costume?
Send it to us at: Contact@PetChiDog.com, and we'll place it on this page. Be sure to let us know your Chi's name & age, and your name as you want it to appear.
Overview
Halloween is thought to have started long ago with the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. It marked the end of the harvesting season and the beginning of wintertime. Around 2000 years ago, Samhain was celebrated in most areas that are now Ireland, Northern France and the United Kingdom.
In the U.S in the 18th and even early 19th centuries, Halloween was not widely celebrated.
Roxy and Gracie
Photo courtesy of Lynne Sheldon
Lake Bluff, Illinois
However, things changed in the mid 19th century when there was an influx of of Irish and Scottish immigrants who brought along their Halloween celebrations into the New World.
Since that time, Halloween has become more and more popular. Soon, traditions were established including dressing up in costumes, going door-to-door for treats, carving pumpkins and playing games such as apple-bobbing.
Now, Halloween is one of the funnest holidays of the year in which family members of all ages, and their pets, can all join in on the fun.
Including Pets on Halloween
Pet ownership has been evolving over time; now more than ever, dogs are considered to be canine family members. It's normal and acceptable for people to include their Chihuahuas in all holidays and also celebrate their birthdays. In fact,
a Gallup poll survey shows that 68% of Americans give their dogs a present or gift for Christmas.
One of the most popular ways of including your Chihuahua in on your Halloween activities is to dress him or her up in a costume.
Since many Chihuahuas already wear clothing
at least once in a while, due to this breed sometimes having trouble maintaining body temperature and keeping warm, slipping a cute costume on a Chihuahua is not that much of a jump.
Many dogs love the attention that they receive when in costume and are keenly aware that they are being treated special. It can make Halloween an extra fun day for the whole family.
Mole, Age 3, as Bat Girl with owner Helane Zeiger as a Devil
Tips for Fun and Safety for Your Chihuahua on Halloween
Whether your have your Chihuahua in the house during trick-or-treat or are taking him out into the neighborhood, planning ahead for a few elements will help keep the evening both fun and safe.
If you take your Chihuahua Trick or Treating
1. Do not have your Chi on leash and collar.
A harness or costume with connector is best. While we recommend a harness vs a collar
at all times, it is particularly important when walking at night and/or with groups of people. The harness will allow you much better control and with possible times of needing to move your Chi to keep him safe or avoid obstacles, a harness will not injure the neck as a collar can do.
Many dog costumes have an 0-ring leash connection, which is perfect and if your Chihuahua is wearing a costume without one, you can place the harness on him first and slice a small hole for the harness ring to poke through.
2. Keep chocolate far away from your Chihuahua. Not only should you take tremendous care to ensure that your Chihuahua cannot get close to any sort of chocolate, also keep your eyes out if you take your Chihuahua around the neighborhood.
There can be dropped candy that your dog can mouth while walking and/or a child may slip a piece to your dog, not knowing that it can be poisonous.
The amount of chocolate that is toxic to dogs depends on what type it is, how much your Chihuahua ingests and his/her exact weight.
Different chocolate candies have varying amounts of cocoa and therefore, the toxin theobromine.
Anywhere from 45 to 125 mg of theobromine per pound of body weight is considered toxic. At 10 mg of theobromine, there can be gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting
and diarrhea and hyperactivity. At 20 mg, there can be heart issues. At 30 mg, there can be neurologic issues including seizures. With close to 100 mg per pound of body weight, this can be fatal. So, do take care.
Below right (below on mobile) is a chocolate toxicity calculator that you may use to see what amounts can cause what type of damage.
3. Because Chihuahuas can get spooked
and Halloween is prime time for that, do take care to bring along a flashlight and assess each house before going up to it.
If a house has crazy strobe lights, scarecrows popping out or spooky music, this can really startle a dog (and remember that those canine senses are much more keen than yours). So, we do suggest steering clear of those sorts of 'homemade haunted houses'.
A good rule of thumb is that if you think something might scare a young child, it very well may frighten your Chihuahua as well.
Photo right (below on mobile), owner Emily Lane with her Chihuahua Mr. Smee, as a Bee (in the stroller of flowers) and Satchmo, a Boston Terrier, as a Ladybug. This was a Trick-or-Treat event in Prescott, AZ to benefit the Yavapai County Canine Search and Rescue. Mr. Smee won 2nd prize!
See additional photo of Mr. Smee closeup below in slideshow
4. If you are not sure how your Chihuahua will do in big crowds, plan on walking just one small area at a time, choose areas with less foot traffic and/or bring along a carry tote
to keep him up high and next to you, if needed.
If your Chihuahua will be home during Trick or Treating
1. Think about what your Chihuahua will prefer.
Does the ringing doorbell cause him to get riled up? How does he do with people at the front door? If you think that this will upset your Chi, it may be best to either man the door from outside to offer candy before anyone gets too close and/or have another member of the family keep your Chi occupied away from the front of the house.
2. If your Chihuahua wants to be in on the action, do have him on leash so that he cannot dart away in the excitement or have him either up high with you in a front-pack carry bag (similar baby carrier that are close to your body).
3. Your Chihuahua may have a limit.
Even the most good-natured dogs that greet visitors in a friendly fashion can have a tolerance level. If your Chi starts to feel overwhelmed, there is nothing wrong with calling it an early night.
Calculator provided by www.AskAVetQuestion.com.
Candies that a Chihuahua Can Eat
While it is not recommended to give a dog sugary candy on any sort of regular basis as this can cause dangerous sugar highs, hyperactivity
and even lead to canine diabetes, there are a couple of candies that are safe for dogs to eat. In fact, offering a tiny bit of sugar to a dog before heading out in the car is one home remedy to help prevent motion sickness.
So, what can you give to your Chi? Barring any health issues, a small jelly bean or one candy corn is perfectly okay.
Cute Halloween Costumes for Female Chihuahuas
Please note that if you can't see the images below, this may be because your device has a blocker; And if so, you'll have to disable it to see the images.
Cute Costumes for Male Chihuahuas
Halloween Costumes for Both Girl and Boy Chihuahuas
Costume Tips
Putting a costume on your Chihuahua can be a great way to include your dog in the fun of Halloween and most dogs love the extra attention that they receive. However, here are a few important tips:
1. Sizing
- With this toy breed, it's not always easy to find clothing and costumes that fit (this is one reason why we've shown you some outfits that come in extra-small and small); So, do take your time to choose something that will fit snug enough that your dog is not swimming in it, which can cause impaired movement or cause him to trip over the fabric.
2. Short-term wear is tolerated
very well by most dogs and some even really enjoy the extra security that soft clothing offers, however do not allow your Chihuahua to sleep in the costume as most fabrics are not very breathable and long-term wear can cause body oils to accumulate under the material, which can lead to some odd odors.
3. Ultimately, your Chihuahua's comfort and happiness are key.
Even if your Chi looks super cute, take off the outfit if he seems to be troubled by it.
Halloween Slideshow!
Do you have a great pic of your Chihuahua in costume?
Send it to us at: Contact@PetChiDog.com, and we'll place it on this page. Be sure to let us know your Chi's name & age, and your name as you want it to appear