Boo Baskets are an autumnal trend I’ve seen going viral on social media over the last few weeks. Typically made for girlfriends or children, they tend to contain cosy essentials for October, including snacks, slippers, snuggly blankets and the likes. But how about a Halloween themed Boo Basket for your dogs?
Halloween isn’t just for the two-legged members of the family – our four-legged companions deserve some spooky fun too. And for pets who aren’t into costumes or dressing up, I think a Boo Basket is the perfect alternative way to celebrate the season without causing any distress.
While there’s no set formula for a Boo Basket, I thought I’d share what I put into Phoebe and Frank’s to spark some spooktacular inspiration. To get started, I used a basket I already had laying around the house and stuffed it with a faux fur rug as the dogs have not long had some new blankets, but you could definitely buy a new one if you wanted to.
Next you’ll need some delicious treats and luckily we knew a few brands stocking some Halloween themed goodies this year, including Lily’s Kitchen and Denzels. We added in one pack of the Lily’s Kitchen Halloween Mini Burgers, made with proper meat, including 38 per cent turkey and 34 per cent chicken. These high-protein, high-value rewards will encourage your little devils to momentarily behave themselves and are packed with seasonal ingredients like pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger and apple to add flavour and interest.
From Denzel’s, we added in the Haunted House gift box which contains a mix of the three limited-edition packs for just £5. Each box, which reminds me of the Addams’ Family mansion, includes a pack of Toffee Apple Sticks and 50g packs of the Spooktacular Bones and Pumpkin Bites. I also added in a pack of the low-calorie Spooktacular Bones, which is the perfect treat to reward your dogs good behaviour with when the doorbell rings on October 31, and some of the Toffee Apple Sticks, which could be used to make a candy apple style treat to enjoy over the spooky period. Featuring apple, pumpkin and cinnamon, it’s basically October embodied in a delicious gently baked chew.
And for even further enrichment, the Pumpkin Bites – inside the Jack-o-Lantern box – are much like Denzel’s usual soft ‘n’ squishy bites, which are one of our favourite things to put inside a snuffle mat. They’re the perfect size for stuffing in the little pockets and can provide a good hour of enrichment for the Scamps.
Natural chews I always think look a little creepy, too, so they’re always a great shout to add into a canine-friendly Boo Basket, especially things like hairy rabbit ears, puffed pig snouts or chicken feet. If you caught our Instagram reel, you may notice that this was the first thing Phoebe and Frank snatched out of the box when I gave it to them.
And much like how your dog may enjoy a Christmas dinner on December 25, how about a Halloween Hotpot on October 31? Lily’s Kitchen has launched a hauntingly good Halloween Hocus Pocus Hotpot that contains 60 per cent meat with freshly prepared sugar snap peas, spinach, carrots and apples, alongside minerals and flaxseed oil to provide a well-rounded and balanced meal. On Halloween you could fill a Kong toy, or similar, with the wet food and freeze it so that when trick or treaters start ringing the doorbell, you can make sure your dog is distracted and stimulated with a seasonal and healthy treat. Alternatively, it could be spread onto a Lickimat, where your pet’s licking action will naturally relieve stress and reduce anxiety, making it a great way to keep your dog calm.
A Boo Basket wouldn’t be complete without a terrifyingly good dog toy, and Yappy has got you covered. This haunted grave dog toy is £5.99 and features a gravestone that reads RIP – which stands for Really Important Plaything, of course. The sensory focused toy stars a squeaker in the ghost, crackles in the headstone and even glows in the dark.
And finally, the finishing touch – a personalised bandana. Yappy has got a range of fun and customisable designs that can feature your dog’s name or even their illustration, and make a great alternative to a costume. They’re a tie design and come in a variety of colours and patterns, priced between £9.99 and £16.99 depending on size. It felt like the ultimate addition to the basket, meaning that the Scamps had something to eat, something to play with and something to wear.
Will you be making your dogs a Boo Basket this October?
