Halloween represents an evening that, from your dog's perspective, is far from normal. From the many costumed munchkins roaming the neighborhood to the doorbell ringing every two minutes, to possibly being made to wear a costume itself, your dog may enjoy the frenzy of activity or become quite concerned about it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind and keep your pooch happy on Halloween:

• Be careful with costumes. About 7 percent of dog owners say they have purchased a Halloween costume for their pet — up from 4 percent in 2004, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

If you do dress up your dog, get it used to the costume a few days ahead, and on Halloween night don't have the dog wear the costume for too long. A reflective costume provides an added measure of safety after dark, and always keep dogs on a leash, as there are lots of distractions around.

Also, be sure that the costume's straps aren't buckled too tightly, because they might constrict air passages and cause choking. Make sure, too, that the costume lets the animal move comfortably and does not restrict vision or hearing.

Don't let your pet chew on the costume; it may contain dangerous dyes and other chemicals. Make sure no part of the costume is flammable.

• If your dog has a solid, friendly temperament and routinely handles exposure to strangers without reacting, you can include your pet on your walk through the neighborhood. Use a 4- to 6-foot leash only; long or retractable leads can become entangled among the eager little goblins and ghouls running from house to house.

If your dog lacks good manners or still needs exposure to learn how to behave around strangers, this is not the night to do it — no dog will benefit from constant scolding or leash-popping for inappropriate behavior.

• Watch for discarded candy or wrappers, and don't allow your dog to swallow anything that you haven't given personally.

• If your dog is to remain at home with you, take its general behavior and temperament into account when deciding whether to allow it to remain loose in the house, out in the yard, or tucked away and possibly crated in a room far from the activities.

• If your dog explosively barks every time someone rings the doorbell, keep it contained at the other end of the house so you don't spend the evening scolding. Or you can make this truly a night of treats: Withhold her ration of kibble all day, and use it on Halloween to prevent her from barking at the door. Just prior to every ring or knock at the door, throw a handful of kibble down the hallway and excitedly say, "Go get those cookies!" She'll be too busy tracking down kibble to bolt out the open door.

• A dog left out in the yard may bark at every "intruder" who walks by. If your pet is offered a special project of its own, like a big meaty femur bone or rawhide, she may remain focused on consuming it and tune out the neighborhood activity. If this doesn't prevent her barking, contain her properly, preferably indoors. Remember, barking can be a symptom of stress, so understand your dog's reason behind the behavior and take care to make the evening as stress-free as possible.

• Remembers that dogs should not eat chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs, and although variables such as your dog's size, individual sensitivity and amount of consumption are all factors to consider, toxicity affects the nervous and cardiovascular system. Even a small taste of chocolate may encourage your dog to go after larger quantities, so it's best kept off limits completely.

Join our discussion: Pet stress at Halloween.