If you’ve been perusing various Halloween events and finding listing after listing saying, “No dogs,” you’re not alone. Many Halloween events are off limits to dogs. Sometimes it’s for insurance reasons, sometimes its because a few lame owners aren’t obeying the rules, and sometimes it’s the law.
Haunted houses for example, are definitely not a dog-friendly event. You may understand that guy leaping out with a chain saw is just pretending, but your dog may not. At best he’ll be terrified, and at worst he might give the actor a not-so-pretend bite.
Let’s look at a few dog-friendly options though, and how to find them.
Pumpkin Patches
Some pumpkin patches do allow dogs. Although our go-to for finding dog-friendly Pumpkin Patches is always Bring Fido, this time it really struggled to find ones in our area. We eventually looking up a dog-friendly pumpkin patch using the Bing search engine and our zip code.
Try searching for dog-friendly pumpkin patches, but double check that the search engine is right. Many frustrated farms have changed their rules after too many dog owners behaved inappropriately with their pets.
Sunflower Fields
Sunflower fields often come into full bloom earlier in the year, usually the end of August and early September. Some do bloom as late as October though, and many farmers are more inclined to include dogs toward the end of the season.
Our local sunflower field allows dog owners to buy tickets to the field for the pets on the last day of the season. This is a bit less likely than a pumpkin patch or a corn maze, but still worth checking for.
Corn Mazes
Many corn mazes have strict rules about dogs. Dogs are almost never allowed in haunted mazes, of course, and are usually not allowed during night corn maze visits. This is usually for the safety of both the pet and the actor, and is very important to listen.
Other times, dogs are allowed in the corn maze on leash only, and may be restricted from other areas of the farm. It’s important to check locally.
Virtual Fun Runs
Lots of in person 5ks are dog-friendly, but one sure way of getting a dog friendly event is through virtual runs. Although these runs aren’t competitive, you’re also free to compete at the time of day—and the people or pets—of your choosing.
Don’t forget fun virtual dog events! Do More With Your Dog and groups like Cyber-Rally-O often offer themed events. They also don’t discriminate against species, so if you’d like to compete with a chicken or a sheep, you’re more than welcome to bring your favorite pet.
Doggy trick-or-treat events
Some places not only tolerate dogs, they set up events for them! Good examples include trick-or treat events, Halloween parties, and costume contests. Many kennels, dog groomers, and other dog-related businesses will host these popular events, so try looking them up locally.
Since Covid-19, these have become a lot less common. We found many of our local ones closed, so double check the websites are up to date before giving it a try.
Host Your Own!
If you live in a rural area, you may have to drive a long distance to get to one of these events. If you can’t find one, it may be because the dogs in your area need you to step up. Try hosting your own Halloween party, and inviting your dog’s friends to join in.
Here’s some ideas on how to do that from Rover.com. We’re still trying things out for our own article.
Need help finding an event near you? Write where you’re at in the comments below and we’ll try to help you find events close to you.
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[…] is full of festive events for people, but dogs sometimes fall by the wayside. Since dogs often don’t love the same things we do—creepy haunted houses or dressing up in […]