Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
Trick-or-treaters knocking at the door. Strange noises outside. Pumpkins, skeletons and floating ghosts appearing on your usual walking route. Halloween can be a lot for our dogs to take in, especially if they're already sensitive to noises, novelty or unexpected visitors.
This week, Lauren is joined by Karen to talk about preparing your dog for spooky season, with plenty of real-life examples from Karen's own Naughty But Nice cockapoo, Rupert. Rupert can go from calm to barking, bouncing and completely overwhelmed in seconds when someone comes to the door. So what do you do when your dog is already reacting and asking them to calm down simply isn't going to work?
Lauren and Karen explore practical ways to manage those tricky situations, from using a simple food scatter to help redirect your dog's attention, to creating space and giving them somewhere safe to settle. They also share why prevention can be your best friend, particularly when Halloween means repeated knocks at the door.
And it's not just the doorbell! With darker evenings, unfamiliar decorations and unexpected sights and sounds appearing everywhere, there are plenty of opportunities for our dogs to find the world a little more worrying than usual. You'll hear how simple games like Noise Box, DMT and Magic Cave can help build confidence around novelty and noise, how to introduce unusual objects at home without overwhelming your dog, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is adjust your plans and routines to suit the dog in front of you.
There's also a little preparation advice for Bonfire Night, which is just around the corner, including ways to make your home more comfortable for dogs who struggle with fireworks.
The good news? There's plenty you can do to help your dog feel more prepared for whatever spooky season brings!
Want to keep trick-or-treaters from knocking on your door? Grab our free, dog-friendly Halloween door sign:
Looking for games to help your dog grow in confidence? Our October Games Club challenge is packed with spooky-themed training games designed to build optimism, confidence and resilience. Check out the £1 Games Club trial:
