Dog Afraid of Halloween Costumes? What Helps

Dogs recognize people by shape, gait, voice, and smell. A mask hides the face, a hat changes the outline, a cape alters the way a person moves, and a voice may be muffled or distorted. Some of these changes are enough to make a familiar person look like a stranger.

Some dogs are also more sensitive to unfamiliar things in general. A dog who was not exposed to a range of sights as a puppy, or who has had a bad experience with strangers, can be more worried. There is no fault in that, and it is not something to punish.

Early signs include a stiff body, a fixed stare, turning away, lip licking, yawning, and ears held back. As worry grows, you may see backing up, tucking the tail, shaking, hiding, barking while retreating, or growling.

Growling is a warning. It is information, not defiance. If you scold a dog for growling, you may stop the warning without removing the worry, which can make future reactions more sudden. Respond by creating more distance instead.

Increase the distance between the dog and the costumed person. Calmly move the dog away, or ask the person to stop approaching. Do not hold a frightened dog still while someone comes closer, because that removes the dog's option to move away, and a dog who feels trapped is more likely to snap.

Speak calmly and cheerfully, and offer treats if the dog is willing to take them. Do not force the dog to look at the costume or approach it. If the dog is too stressed to eat, there is too much going on, and the best step is to leave the situation.

Ask the costumed person to take off the mask and speak in their normal voice from a distance. When a dog sees that the same person is under the mask, some of the fear fades, but go at the dog's pace.

The idea is to show the dog costume items at a low intensity, with good things. Place a hat, a mask, or a cape on a chair across the room while you feed treats. If the dog stays relaxed, move a little closer on the next session. If the dog is worried, go back a step.

Next, have a familiar person wear the item at a distance while you toss treats. Gradually decrease the distance over many sessions. This is called counter-conditioning and desensitization, and it works because the item predicts food, not because the dog is forced to tolerate it.

Keep sessions short and stop before the dog shows stress. This is slow work, and it is best done well away from Halloween, not on the night.

Skip trick-or-treating with the dog, put the dog in a quiet room with a chew, and use white noise to blur sound. Keep the dog away from the door and use a leash or a gate if you have visitors.

If you dress up yourself, keep the dog's experience gentle. Put on the costume away from the dog, then enter calmly, speak to the dog in your normal voice, and let the dog sniff your hand. Do not surprise the dog in a mask.

If your dog's fear is strong, spreads to other triggers, or shows up as aggression, talk to your veterinarian or a qualified behavior professional. Fear can have medical contributors, and a plan that fits the dog works better than a general rule.

Avoid any program that involves flooding a fearful dog with the thing it fears. Fear usually gets worse if a dog is forced to face it before it is ready.

If you plan to dress up, do it in stages. Show the dog each piece on its own first, with treats. Put on the hat, then a short treat session, then take it off. Add the mask only when the dog is relaxed around the other pieces, and keep your voice normal while you wear it.

Avoid appearing suddenly in costume at the door or around a corner. Walk in slowly from a distance while talking, so the dog has time to recognize your voice and movement. If the dog is unsure, take the mask off straight away and try again another day.

Children in costume are the hardest case, because they are unpredictable and often excited. Ask kids in the household to show the dog the costume gradually, and supervise any contact closely.

• Do give the dog room to move away.
• Do ask the costumed person to remove the mask and speak normally.
• Do reward calm behavior from a distance.
• Do not pull a frightened dog toward a costume.
• Do not punish growling. It is a warning.
• Do not use Halloween night as training for a fearful dog.