Don't scare your dog when marking Hallowe'en, a dog trainer is urging.

Carolyn Menteith said: "This is your fun - it definitely won't be theirs" and warns that spooky fun can make dogs aggressive and unpredictable.

“Once you stop to think about things from your dog’s point of view – you’ll soon realise just how scary Halloween can be!" she said.

“First of all, there are the costumes. All the people the dog knows and trusts suddenly turn into ghosts, witches and zombies.

"They look strange, behave oddly and for a dog, who looks at outlines and not details, they can be truly frightening," said the dog training and behaviour specialist for Agria Pet Insurance.

“Some dogs can take this in their stride, get into the spirit of the celebrations, and enjoy the apparent madness of it all, but for many, it is a very confusing and worrying time.

"Make sure if you are going to dress up, you let your dog see you do it – and give them a chance to investigate and smell you so they know it is really you.

"The same goes for all the rest of the family. “

She cautions against putting Hallowe'en costumes on dogs.

“As well as not being enjoyable for most dogs, costumes can block sight, sound or movement, or even cause them to overheat or itch – all of which can result in dogs acting unpredictably or even aggressively," she said.

Giving dogs chocolate is an absolute no, she said. Chocolate is poisonous for dogs.

If you want your dog to enjoy Hallowe'en, give him or her special doggy treats, she said.

“Do enjoy Halloween, have a fabulous time but make sure that your dog enjoys it just as much,” she said.