Why not make up a goodie bowl for the dogs too? Have some slices of carrots and apple and a few milk bones, both for handing out to visiting dogs and giving to your own. Then when you get up to grab yourself a candy, you not tempted to give the dog "just a little piece".

Remember, of all candy, chocolate is most poisonous to dogs. In general, the darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more poisonous it is. And yes, brownies are considered a form of chocolate too! But a lesser-known evil is lurking in your kid's haul, Xylitol. It is the artificial sweetener found most commonly in gum, but it is showing up more often in candy. In dogs, Xylitol causes sudden drops in blood sugar concentration, causing a hypoglycemic crisis. The dog will often show symptoms within half an hour after ingestion of the sugar-free product, but in some cases symptoms may not show up for 12 hours. Symptoms include lethargy, collapse, seizure activity, and vomiting.

Remember that raisins and grapes are also very lethal to dogs.

Candy wrappers can also appear very appealing, but can cause a lot of damage to their stomach and intestines, ensure that all wrappers are thrown away.

So, your not going to give the dogs any chocolate or other candies, and you have discussed this with the kids, but also remember the very dedicated dog will help himself to the candy bowl while your back is turned. Don't leave the serving bowl anywhere they can be reached. Don't leave a handful of treats on the coffee table while your distracted at the door, young children will leave a half eaten candy somewhere and go for more. A child's haul may be hidden in the bedroom but Fido can be pretty creative at finding a way to reach it. Not just Halloween eve, but in the days to follow as well.

Decorations can also be very dangerous for your pets; It only takes a second while your back is turned for a pet to be seriously burned by a candle. Hanging tinsel is very attractive to our pets too, but can cause serious harm if eaten, hang out of reach. Pumpkin is very yummy to dogs but eaten in large quantities is a very bad thing. Leave jack-o-lanterns where they can't be reached. Don't leave them outside overnight because strays may get into them too. Use fake cobwebs sparingly on trees and bushes. They can pose a risk to pets and small birds can easily become entangled in the webbing. Remove after the holiday.

It's a sad fact of life that dogs and cats are stolen from their yards all year round, but especially around Halloween. Besides latches on the gates to your yard, consider a padlock on your gate to keep strangers out and your pet safe. Particularly the week before Halloween don't allow cats out after dark and don't leave your dog unattended in the backyard. Keep all animals safely in the house Halloween night.

Do not bring pets trick-or-treating. It can be tempting to show off a dogs costume but a dog will easily become frightened by the Halloween costumes and masks. Trick-or-treaters wearing masks may also have poor visibility, making them more likely to step on or trip over a dog. Trick-or-treaters may also drop potentially toxic chocolate candy, which a dog may pick up and eat without an owner noticing. It's best to leave the dogs at home while trick-or-treating. Consider having a doggy costume party and have an hour or so just for fido instead.

Be sure your pets cannot escape through the front door when it is opened for "trick or treaters".

A dog's perception is very different from a human's and a dog can become frightened by people wearing Halloween costumes and masks. A frightened dog, no matter how friendly and docile in normal circumstances, can and will act aggressively if he experiences intense fear or feels threatened by a trick-or-treater or Halloween party guest in costume. To avoid placing your dog and Halloween party guests or trick-or-treaters at risk, keep dogs kenneled during events where costumes and masks are present.

If the dog is in a kennel or in a quieter room, keep a television or radio on for the pet throughout the evening to drown out the sounds.

Many dogs and cats don't like costumes, and some can confine or restrict their movements. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume doesn't impair their movement, hearing, sight or ability to breathe or bark. Also check the costume for any choking hazards or anything that will poke them. A safer alternative is a simple Halloween bandanna. Supervise pets who will be wearing a Halloween costume. Halloween costumes for pets can be bulky and restrictive which can make walking, running, jumping, etc. difficult. Pets can also become entangled in clothing and costumes, resulting in falls and other injuries, so always supervise a costumed cat or dog.

Hoping that these ideas help you have a safe and fun-filled Halloween from the folks at Hummingbird Hollow!