Day: October 24, 2024

Doggone it, Halloween is full of furry fun

By Gary Bennett

One of the top winners in 2023 Canines on the Creek

This article appears in the October 24, 2024, edition of Frederick News-Post’s 72 Hours magazine.

When did pets, especially dogs, become such a large part of Halloween? According to a recent survey by PetSmart, 75% of pet owners are planning to dress up their pet for Halloween. Dogs lead the way, by a wide margin, as the pet of choice to don creative clothing. Most pet owners even plan to match their pet’s attire to their own!

It is clear most pet owners don’t intend to leave their pets behind when enjoying this fun season. Millennials lead the way in saying they’ll dress up their pets (86%), followed by Gen Z (81%), Gen X (74%) and Baby Boomers (59%).

All cohorts admit that social media posts drive this phenomenon. Pets clearly rule when it comes to social media, even more than children. About a third surveyed admitted that pets in costumes are designed to draw attention and get maximum likes. Kids in costumes trailed slightly behind.

It seems tempting to treat the prevalence of pups sauntering down the street dressed for the season with kids and parents in tow as a recent, social media-driven spectacle. But that is really not the case. As long as dogs have been human companions (going on 12,000 years now), humans have been dressing them.

Ancient Egyptians employed seldom-used dog collars as a status symbol. Around the time of Christ, Romans adorned their dogs with golden collars encrusted with diamonds and rubies. In 19th-century England, the royal family dressed their dogs in jackets and trousers, and the trend soon caught on. Not to be outdone, well-to-do French citizens of the same time dressed their dogs in costumes for social gatherings, travel and beach outings. They even had bathing outfits, silk jackets and tea gowns for their furry friends to lounge in.

It should be no surprise then that modern-day pet owners enjoy dressing up their fur babies for Halloween. After all, what is cuter than Butch as a pumpkin, hot dog or bumblebee?

But the question remains: Is this behavior good for the dog? Or, as one person told me last year, “Can’t we just let dogs be dogs?”

A scary Canines on the Creek contestant

Well, I think we are.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals believes that dog clothing should have a clear benefit to the dog — think sweaters in cold weather and paw protectors in hot weather. But one can reason that providing beneficial clothing to dogs does not preclude it from being beautiful or fun. Let’s face it, dogs are unaware of how they look. Therefore, the Society has concluded that if your pals are comfortable and appear happy, Halloween-themed clothing isn’t going to hurt them. Indeed, they may enjoy the added attention and smiles.

Have you ever wondered why people began dressing their dogs? One explanation is that many pets serve as an extension of the personality of their owners. If you like Halloween, you want Spot to like Halloween, too. Others like to honor their pals by bestowing human-like qualities on them. Who doesn’t speak long, complicated sentences to their pooch while they seem to intently listen? Still others may be lonely and have a need to get as close to their pets as possible — be a part of the pack, so to speak. But the main reason is simpler. According to surveys, most people say it’s just plain fun.

So if you plan to dress up your best friend for Halloween festivities, here are some tips from Frederick-based experts at the Humane Society, Animal Welfare League, and Frederick County Animal Control to make your day safe and fun:

• Measure your pup and make sure the costume fits well but not too tightly.

• Dogs always need a full range of motion. Make sure they can comfortably walk, eat, lie down and run.

• Avoid costumes with small buttons and other decorations pets can chew off and swallow.

• Avoid non-breathable fabrics like nylon and polyester.

• If your pal has never dressed up before, give them a few days to get used to their new duds before trotting them out in public. You can quietly assess their reaction in private.

• Not all dogs will enjoy dressing up. Watch for signs of stress, which may indicate a preference to remain unclothed: aggression, whining, excessive yawning, head-shaking, a refusal to move, panting or persistent body shaking.

The experts offered other tips for a safe Halloween season, even if your pets don’t dress up:

• Slowly introduce adult and children costumes and decorations a few days ahead to limit stress. Remember that humans dressed in scary costumes and big blow-up decorations are strange and novel objects to pets. Give them time to adjust.

• Offer treats and reassurance if you observe reactions such as startled jumps, flattened ears, flattened tails or cautious approaches.

• Never leash them into a spooky situation they can’t escape. Let dogs explore at their own pace.

• Practice doorbell chiming to get your pals used to the constant commotion of trick-or-treating. Reward patience and bravery with calm words and tasty treats.

• Keep human treats off limits to your pups and throw away those candy wrappers, too. Beware their ingesting even the smallest portion of chocolate or sugar-free candies that contain xylitol.

• If all else fails, remove your dog from the chaos. Consider creating a cozy space for your doggos to get away from all the ghouls and goblins.

If all systems are go and you’re ready to strut your mutt, here are the top 10 doggy costumes of 2022 according to Prosper Insights & Analytics 2022 Halloween Survey. Perhaps this will give you some ideas.

• Pumpkin • Hot dog • Bat • Bumblebee • Witch • Lion • Spider • Ghost • Superdog • Devil

A beautiful Taco contestant in 2023 Canines on the Creek

October Orneriness: Candy faces off this Halloween season

By Gary Bennett

Gary’s 32 “team” single-elimination candy bracket

This article appears in the October 24 issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment magazine.

The sweet season is upon us, and this can only mean one thing: It’s time for the titans of sugary deliciousness and empty calories to square off in what I lovingly call October Orneriness.

Sure, March has its Madness and Candy has its Crush, but no one, and I mean no one, can use those terms without hearing from the NCAA or King, the company behind the candy-themed game. Happily, October Orneriness is open to anyone with a sweet tooth and a penchant for gazing upon the wondrous candy aisle at your local Wegman’s.

Never heard of October Orneriness? Oh sure, like you’ve never raided the kids’ Halloween stash after they’ve gone to bed. That is where this term comes from.

So, without further ado, I present to you perhaps the only October Orneriness bracket you’ve ever seen (or probably ever will see).

Because loving candy is nearly universal (yes, I see you smirking, holier-than-thou fruit and veggie lovers out there), I encourage you to fill out your own October Orneriness bracket, just like with that March thing you do.

Allow me to explain my bracket so you can get some helpful tips on your own.

Just like with any good March Madness bracket, there must be some upsets. You can’t just pick the higher-ranked candy each time. Any good professional gambler or frat boy will tell you that never works out.

I’m sorry to tell you this, but just like in March, some of your favorite candies will not even make the tournament. That is sad, but that is life. Maybe next year.

Among the candies on the bubble but ultimately left out of my bracket are such stalwarts as Whatchamacallit (confusing name), Jolly Ranchers (will break your teeth when you least expect it), Bit-O-Honey (good for the dentist, bad for you), Smarties (look too much like my morning pill regimen), and Dove Bar (inexplicably, the Harvard of candy bars had finals on Selection Sunday and didn’t show).

As anyone can plainly see, I have Snickers going all the way. They are my national champ and personal favorite. Any gambler will tell you not to go with your heart, but I couldn’t help it. Snickers is the No. 1 ranked candy in the land (in sales) and is not to be trifled with. Kind of like the Yankees.

By now you’ve also noticed that my national runner up is Nerds. Nerds?! I can feel your seething astonishment through the newspaper.

I know of no one except 4-year-old boys and a certain 72 Hours editor that likes this candy. But I am not stupid, so, on a hunch, I will take them along on this wild ride! Along the way, I have Nerds taking out the highly underrated $100,000 bar (aka 100 Grand) and the No. 2 ranked candy in the land, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They are the LA Dodgers of candy, with an unlimited marketing and TV budget. Alas, they will take Nerds too lightly and get knocked out in a squeaker. Kinda like Alabama rolling into Nashville to crush Vanderbilt. Not!

Going back to the semi-finals, I have Snickers, with their exquisite combination of chocolate, nougat (what is nougat, anyway?) peanuts and oozing caramel deliciousness defeating a scrappy Twix team, featuring a left and right cookie covered in chocolate and caramel. Their dynamic crunch and exquisite “mouth feel” almost got them to the finals. It could be, however, they are better suited to a cookie tournament.

Somehow, some way, I have Nerds defeating M&Ms in the semis. M&Ms could have won that one, but I don’t like their silly, life-size, talking M&M commercials or their split personality disorder — are they plain, peanut or both? Every now and then they’re even dark chocolate!

In the round of eight, Skittles, Kit Kat and Hershey Kisses make an appearance. Skittles will not overcome their obvious lack of chocolaty-ness. If you’re going to stuff a handful of little candies in your mouth, they might as well be chocolate. Kit Kat is okay, and my granddaughter’s personal favorite, but their little wafers and little crunch cannot overcome Twix’s big cookies and mammoth crunch.

Hershey Kisses is one of the all-time greats, but their day has come and gone, I believe. They are too big to shove a handful in your mouth and too small to be happy with just one at a time. Yes, I said it.

Noteworthy match ups in the first two rounds include Zagnut defeating Baby Ruth (coconut will overcome peanuts for this one time only); Almond Joy over Junior Mints — the latter has never been the same after their hilarious star turn on “Seinfeld” (Google it); Good & Plenty using their scrappy licorice-flavored mojo to squeeze by the messy, Bart Simpson-led Butterfinger team; and Starburst overcoming Pay Day when a cherry one becomes stuck in Pay Day’s throat and nearly chokes it.

The last four in the tournament are candy corn — not even a proper noun and possibly the most hated candy in America; Sour Patch Kids — candy should be sweet, nee must be sweet, not sour; SweeTARTS — see the previous comment; and Laffy Taffy — defeated by Bit-O-Honey in a sticky, floss-inducing play-in game.

Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.