If you get trick-or-treaters at your house, you’re bound to see a few four-legged visitors accompanying their little humans. Don’t get caught without some goodies for the pups, too – especially if they’re wearing a costume.
Need some ideas for doggy trick-or-treaters? I’ve got you covered!
Can Dogs Eat Halloween Candy?
Candy is not necessarily poisonous to dogs unless it contains raisins, chocolate, or the artificial sweetener xylitol/birch sugar.
Candies like candy corn are, when it comes down to it, safe for most dogs. Dogs can eat sugar, and unlike cats, they do have the tastebuds to enjoy it. That’s right – cats can’t taste sweetness, but our dogs can!
But while dogs can eat sugary candies, it’s better to just leave them out, rather than letting them indulge in small amounts. Giving your dog even a little bit of candy can communicate to them that candy is okay for them to eat, and they may be more likely to raid the trick-or-treat bag if it’s left within reach. Plus, if you have kids, they might think it’s okay to sneak bites when you’re not looking.
And of course, most of us don’t brush our dog’s teeth often enough, and those of us that do usually can’t do it for a thorough two minutes, so sugary candies are more likely to put their dental health at risk.
If you’re looking for trick-or-treat goodies that are safe and healthy for both dogs and kids, try:
Applesauce pouches, unsweetened like Apple Apple GoGo squeeZ, which contain apples and apple juice concentrate. Do not get apple-strawberry as it contains blackcurrant, though, which might not be safe for dogs. Freeze dried fruit e.g. strawberries or apples – high in natural sugar but a safe treat in moderationIndividual bags of carrot sticks or sliced applesLow fat string cheeseDehydrated fruit like banana chips or Fruit for Thought Dried Apples (Reminder: NO raisins, they’re highly toxic to dogs.)
Dog-Friendly Trick Or Treat “Candy”
If you’d rather give out dog treats that they wouldn’t share with their humans, you have a ton of great options.
The tricky part is finding snacks that are free of common allergens, not particularly high in fat or sugars, and otherwise unlikely to set off a reaction in a sensitive dog, yet still yummy enough for the canine connoisseur.
While we tend to choose individually wrapped treats for kids for fear of tampering, loose dog treats in a bowl or jar will most likely go over fine with most dog parents. However, you may still choose wrapped treats so they have the option of taking the treat home if their dog has already been over-treated for the night.
You can even make doggy goody bags. If you have leftovers at the end of the night, you can bring them to your local dog park, shelter, or vet.
Individually Wrapped Dog Treats
These popular treats come wrapped and ready to hand out.
Popular Dog Treats Most Dogs Can Eat
These are great for making goody bags or handing out from a bowl. They’re healthy and unlikely to cause an upset stomach, yet still pretty tasty to most dogs.
Freeze dried minnows are one of our very favorite things, and they’re slightly scary looking great for Halloween. Dogs snap them right up!Freeze dried beef liver are cheap in bulk and come in a huge tub that lasts a long time, and they’re super smelly so no dog can turn them down.Bocce’s Bakery Frankensnacks are part of their Halloween treat line, and like their other treats that we love, they’re made with just a few ingredients and super allergy and sensitivity-friendly.
Lindsay Pevny lives to help pet parents make the very best choices for their pets by providing actionable, science-based training and care tips and insightful pet product reviews.
She also uses her pet copywriting business to make sure the best pet products and services get found online through catchy copy and fun, informative blog posts. She also provides product description writing services for ecommerce companies.
As a dog mom to Matilda and Cow, she spends most of her days taking long walks and practicing new tricks, and most nights trying to make the best of a very modest portion of her bed.
You’ll also find her baking bread and making homemade pizza, laughing, painting and shopping.
