Southeastern Guide Blog

Halloween Tips for your Furry Companion ~Keep dogs out of the candy bowl. Dispose of candy wrappers before your pets get to them, since the wrappers can cause choking or intestinal obstruction. Make sure the dogs can't get into the trash.

~Walk your dog before trick-or-treaters start their visits. Keep a firm grip on the leash; many dogs are frightened by people in costumes ~Place a dog gate in front of your front door to block access in case someone accidentally lets your pet out of the place where he's confined. Many dogs will run after trick-or-treaters ~Halloween costumes can annoy animals and pose safety and health hazards...so think twice before dressing up the dog. Make sure the dog can breathe, see and hear, and that the costume is flame retardant. Remove any small or dangling accessories that could be chewed and swallowed. Avoid rubber bands, which can cut off the animal's circulation or, if accidentally left on, can burrow and cut into the animal's skin. ~Halloween candy is absolutely forbidden for pets – lollipop sticks can get stuck in a throat and candy wrappers can cause an obstruction. But the animal in your life likes a treat, too, so here is a recipe that is healthy for your pet – and tasty, too.

Hall-O-Paws Dog Ice Cream Recipe

32 oz. plain yogurt 1 mashed banana 2 T peanut butter 2 T honey

It’s true dairy products aren’t good for dogs, but yogurt contains much less lactase than regular milk and the live cultures are great for your dog’s digestive system. This dog ice cream recipe is delicious and good for your pet! 1. Mix all these ingredients in your blender, then dump into ice cube trays, paper cups, or even a kong toy to freeze and serve. 2. If you want to go all out for your mutt you can freeze these homemade hall-o-paws just like you would homemade ice cream. A salt-less automatic ice cream maker makes this as easy as using any other appliance in your home and the frosty paws will be ready to serve in 10 minutes. For the ultimate treat, appropriate for dessert at a Halloween party, follow steps one and two, then take the mostly frozen dog ice cream product of number two and spread it 1” to 1½” thick on wax paper. Freeze for five minutes and then remove dog ice cream from freezer. Next, use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter to cut a pumpkin shaped “hall-o- paws”, remove ice cream around edges, and return pumpkin shapes to the freezer to freeze solid.