Raise a Green Dog!: It's Halloween...make it a green!

It's almost time for Halloween!

Halloween is a great time to have fun with your dog...so we thought we'd share some of our great green Halloween tips and ideas to make this Halloween the best ever for your dog!

Costumes

I don't usually mind, but some dogs just don't like to dress up for Halloween and that's OK! But if your dog doesn't mind, here are some great green ideas for whipping up a cool costume.

One of our absolute favorite costume ideas is this handmade spider costume that Martha Stewart made for her Sharkey. Make it green by using some old black and orange material from a sweatshirt or sweatpants! For more fun make-your-own pet costume ideas visit MarthaStewart.com.

Be creative and have fun finding reusable materials around your home as substitutes for suggested materials. Like this cute costume dress from an old t-shirt and some lace!

Here are a couple of patterns from McCalls that may help give you some sewing help. And for some other pawsome ideas, check out these:

If your dog is shy about wearing a costume, maybe all you need is a super cool orange bamboo collar, like this one from Eco-Dogs.com!

Treats! Did someone say treats?

Nothing goes with Halloween more than pumpkins and apples! Here's a great healthy, natural Halloween dog treat you can make for your pup (courtesy of eHow):

Applesauce Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

Oven cookie sheet
1½ cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp. (organic) applesauce
2 eggs
3/4 cup pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 tbsp. molasses
¼ cup water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease the cookie sheet.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a large-sized bowl, then mix together. The mixed batter should resemble the consistency of cookie dough.
3. Depending on how big you want the cookies to be, use a teaspoon or tablespoon to drop the dough onto the greased cookie sheet. Drop them approximately 1 inch apart.
4. Bake for 14 minutes or until the cookies are firm.
5. For crunchier cookies, turn the oven off and leave the cookies in the oven to cool for one to two hours.

This recipe makes approximately two dozen cookies, depending on how big you make them.

If you need other ideas, try these Ginger Spiced Treats and Apple Dog Biscuits! Or just something as simple and yummy as a little Organic Sweet Potato from Eco-Dogs.com!

Toys, oh yeah!!

Holidays mean presents and that means a new toy! Toys can be expensive, so why not try making your own from reused items around your home? Here are some great green ideas!

Make a dog tug toy from recycled jeans and an old orange sweatshirt!
Create a Sock Monkey Dog Toy from old black and orange socks!
Got an old fleece blanket? Make a dog toy!
Make a great dog toy with an old sock and water bottle, cool!
Got some old socks and old tennis balls? You've got even more toys!

And if you're short on time, try one of these pawsome Halloween toys from PetsHeadToTail - Pumpkin, Bat, Ghost, Boogey Man!

Have a Dog Howl-o-ween Pawty!!

Halloween is a great time to have a dog party! So how do you plan a great green dog party? Check out my lens on Throwing a Great Dog Party, and utilize some of the tips you've learned from Raise A Green Dog to make it green!

Stay calm!

Halloween can sometimes be a scary time for dogs. With all the activity, visitors, door bells rings, treats, and scary human costumes, you're dog may need some help to get through all the activities.

We like Canine Calm from Earth Heart. Just a little spritz on the belly, and rubbed on the ears and it may be just the key to help your dog cope a little more easily with all the Halloween activities.

Another great idea is to pick up some Ginger Krispies from Simply For Pets. They are specially made with ginger to help dogs cope with tummy upsets from travel and from stressful activities.

Be Safe!

Halloween is a fun time, but it can also be a scary time for dogs! And dangers lurk in many more places. Take care with these safety tips, so your dog can have the safest, happiest Halloween ever!

1. If you're dog doesn't want to dress up, respect the pup! There's nothing more scary than having to wear something that makes you uncomfortable. Try a nice orange collar or bandana instead. And only costume a dog that's agreeable, or has been properly introduced to the idea. If you do dress them up be sure the costume is safe. Sometimes those weird outfits can get caught and cause choking or even worse, so be safe!

2. Those bowls of human candy can be very tempting for us dogs. Keep the bowl safely away, so we aren't tempted to get into the chocolate, candy with xylitol or other bad for us stuff.

3. Lots of guests and visitors can be overwhelming for us dogs. So if your dog isn't used to all the commotion, secure them safely in a quiet room until trick-or-treating time is over. And if your dog does like all the visitors, make sure your dog is leashed up and wearing their tagged collars just in case; and take care to keep us from escaping through an open door. Safety first!

4. Halloween decorations can be tempting if we haven't seen them for a year. Take care with your dog around electrical cords and lights, and other decorations. With all the stress, we just may be tempted to chew 'em up!

Here's to a safe, happy and green Halloween!!!! Have fun!