In the mood for some dog-friendly Halloween spirit in Indianapolis? We at the Good Dog Hotel & Spa in Broad Ripple are ready to kick off the holiday season, beginning with goblins, ghosts and dog costumes, of course.
Check out these festive dog-friendly events in Indianapolis happening in October – you’ll find there’s something for everyone. Just remember, watch out for human candy and other treats that can wreak havoc on your dog’s tummy. Find out more about holiday season dog safety here. Have a wonderful and safe Halloween.
Indy Pups Howl-O-Ween Fundraiser
Oct 20, 6-10 p.m.
Indiana City Brewery, Indianapolis
Bring your pups and come dressed in your best costume for this Indy Pups event. Money raised will go to the International Humane Society to help stop the dog meat trade, and will help support local shelters as well as animal shelters in the Houston area that were impacted by Hurricane Irma.
2017 Howl & Wine
Oct. 21, 1-4 p.m.
Tavern on South, Indianapolis
Join the Friends of Indianapolis Animal Care Services Foundation for a “howling good time” to benefit cats and dogs at the city shelter, Indianapolis Animal Care Services. Held at Tavern on South, guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, winetasting and a silent auction. In addition, adoptable pets will be available, plus a pet psychic, raffle, and music by the Patrick Wright Trio. Register early – admission is limited to 125 guests.
Trick or Treat Halloween Pet Parade & Costume Contest
Oct. 26, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Flat12 Bierwerks, Indianapolis
Pick out a fun and spooky costume for your best friend and head over to Flat12 to kick off a festive weekend. They’ll have their dog brew on tap, a parade of your dressed-up pets, and an audience vote on Best Costume, Best Trick, and more. Winners will receive prizes. The brewery will also have its biannually released Bleeding Heart IPA on tap – the Half Cycle IPA with an infusion of Blood Orange juice released especially for Halloween.
BarkHappy Indianapolis Halloween Pup Crawl
Oct. 29, 3-5 p.m.
Indiana City Beer, Indianapolis
Dress your pup up in their favorite costume and join BarkHappy for a frighteningly great time at the HOWL-o-ween Pub Crawl to benefit Forever Friends Great Dane Rescue.
The first stop will be Indiana City Beer, then participants will crawl over to Metazoa Brewing Co. Enjoy dog games, drink specials and raffle prizes. All ticket holders will receive giveaways and goodies valued at over $250.
Halloween Dog Egg Hunt
Oct. 31, 6:30-7 p.m.
Broad Ripple Park, Indianapolis
Dress up for your pooch for this free Halloween Dog Egg Hunt. All event activities are outdoors, so participants are asked to dress for the weather. The event is free, and for adults (18 and up). Special prizes will be given for dog costume categories.
What Else Is Going On?
Are there other dog-friendly events going on this month that we should know about? We’d love to hear about them. Please leave details below regarding any celebrations, fundraisers or special gatherings that welcome our furry friends.
Just how strong is a dog’s sense of smell? And what country has the most dogs? Find out the answers with these fun facts about our furry friends.
Dogs are amazing. And all of us at the Good Dog Hotel and Spa in Indianapolis love getting to know our furry friends, whether they’re in for a grooming appointment, visiting our doggie daycare, or spending the night in Good Dog Hotel.

This is our gorgeous friend with two different colors of eyes, which is due to a rare condition called Heterochromia iridis.
But there’s always something new to learn, which is why we love sharing information about dogs. For instance, do you know how strong a dog’s sense of smell is? Or do you know the name of the dog on the Cracker Jacks boxes? Here are some of our favorite fun facts about dogs – we hope you enjoy them.
- An adult dog has 42 teeth. Puppies have 28.
- A typical dog is as smart as a 2-year-old toddler.
- A one-year-old puppy is as physically mature as a 15-year-old human.
- Dogs can see really well in the dark, thanks to a special eye membrane called Tapetum lucidum.
- Dogs and cats both slurp water the same way.
- Heterochromia iridisis a rare (and often strikingly gorgeous) condition in which animals, including humans, have two different colored eyes. It’s particularly noticeable in dogs and cats.
- A dog’s shoulder blades are unattached to the rest of the skeleton to allow greater flexibility for running.
- According to the World Canine Organization, there are 339 dog breeds in the world.
- The smallest dog breed in the world is Chihuahua, and the largest dog breed in the world is Wolfhound.
- A dog named Laika became the first living being to visit space in 1957.
- Dogs have an estimated 1,700 taste buds (humans average about 10,000).
- Although puppies are born deaf, when they mature, dogs can hear 4 times as far as humans.
- Whiskers help dogs “see” in the dark.
- The Poodle haircut was originally meant to improve the dog’s swimming abilities as a retriever, with the pom-poms left in place to warm their joints.
- It’s a myth that dogs are colorblind. They see color, just not as well as humans.
- Dogs only have sweat glands in their paws.
- A human has about 5 million scent glands, but dogs have 125 to 300 million (depending on the breed). Which means their sense of smell can be 1,000 to 10,000,000 times better than humans.
- America has the largest dog population in the world.
- Greyhounds are the fastest dog. They can reach speeds of nearly 45 miles per hour.
- The name of the dog on the Cracker Jacks box is Bingo. The Taco Bell Chihuahua is a rescued dog named Gidget.
- On average, a dog’s mouth exerts 320 pounds of pressure.
- Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic (a Pekingese and two Pomeranians).
- Scouting offers two merit badges for dog lovers: Pets and Dog Care.
- Dogs have three eyelids. The third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” keeps the eye lubricated and protected.
- Humans have kept dogs as pets for more than 12,000 years.
- The most dogs ever owned by one person were 5,000 Mastiffs, owned by Kublai Khan.