I'm not a big fan of Halloween. I've been to my share of costume
parties, have had fun, loved it as a kid, and even enjoyed doling out
candy for many years. I just don't want to anymore!

When we lived in the city in a rowhouse, it was fun. A lot of little
kids (and a few college students along with a few homeless folks once in
a while) in cute costumes, I had a covered front porch and would sit out
there for 2 hours straight, giving out candy non stop and chatting with
my neighbors. The dogs would hang out with me, behind a baby gate, and
those who wanted to could pet them, those that didn't, didn't need to
interact. Most folks petted them and the dogs were convinced they were
the main attraction.

Here in the 'burbs, it's a bit different. It's darker (we don't have
streetlights), and we just don't have a ton of kids. Sure, there are
kids in the neighborhood, but it's not the constant flow of the city
neighborhood.

I have a split foyer house (groan) and answering the door means going up
a set of stairs from the family room, or down a set of stairs from the
living room or kitchen area. It's not terribly convenient.

The dogs I had when I lived in the city were the silent types. Lucy and
Rudy? Not so much. I can do what I have done in the past at this
house, and put a baby gate outside the door, so I can hand out candy
over the gate, protecting dogs and kids from each other (I don't want
dogs getting candy, nor do most kids want to be licked to death), but I
still have the up and down the stairs thing and ugh........ Then there
are the families that bring THEIR dog with them. Not such a good idea!

I don't have a covering on my glass front door. Dog TV as it is known,
is hard to turn off. I just tacked a curtain over it so I may have some
peace today. I think I'll gate the dogs downstairs when I'm out and
once I'm settled in front of Jeopardy, just to keep them from the
agitation anyway.

Do I put out a plastic pumpkin with candy and hope for the best? I'm
truly looking forward to November 1st.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

In article ,
Terri wrote:


Tack up the glass door covering .....
Put a little sign on that, saying owner is sick, help yourself to candy.
Put the plastic pumpkin with candy _away_ from the door, where the kids
come across it long before they get to your door. Put another sign on
that saying you are sick, help yourself. In fact if you can put the
pumpkin on a stand near the sidewalk that leads to your door.
Make sure you turn your outside lights off.

Ok - curtain tacked up over the door, the baby gate will be at the
bottom of the stairs (inside) to keep the dogs from getting near the
door, blinds and shades will be pulled down (as they are in every good
hospital room) and I've typed up and printed 2 "happy halloween/i'm
sick/help yourself signs". I hope I have a good afternoon and evening
peace - I need it today.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Janet Boss" wrote in message:

I've typed up and printed 2 "happy halloween/i'm
sick/help yourself signs". I hope I have a good afternoon and evening
peace - I need it today.

If peace is what you want, you should've printed 'Afflicted with the Plague.
Eat at your own risk.' Not only will you have peace of mind, I bet you'll
get most of your candy back too.

Suja

In article ,
"Suja" wrote:


If peace is what you want, you should've printed 'Afflicted with the Plague.
Eat at your own risk.' Not only will you have peace of mind, I bet you'll
get most of your candy back too.

Suja

I have candy leftover from the weekend flyball tournament, that I need
to get rid of, so I'll stick w/what I've got! Plague. Hmmmm.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Terri" wrote in message:

You are deliciously evil.

Why, thank you! Must be why I'm less intimidated by the likes of Damien
than mere mortals like Janet. After all, we have much in common.

I have much to learn from you.

I offer lessons. You have demonstrated a certain level of eeevilness, so it
shouldn't be too hard.

Suja

On Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:03:10 -0400, Janet Boss
wrote:

Do I put out a plastic pumpkin with candy and hope for the best? I'm
truly looking forward to November 1st.

I have been really sick all day and Molly hates the trick or treat
commotion. I didn't even leave candy out. I sent the girls out trick
or treating with the neighbors and their dad as chaperone, turned out
the lights that show from the front of the house and climbed under a
blanket in the back of the house with my laptop and the TV. Not a
single ring of the doorbell all night even though we have a pretty
kid-filled and Halloween busy neighborhood.

--
Paula
"Paula's kids get ice water and toast. AND IT GOES INTO THEIR
GRATITUDE JOURNALS." Darla Vladschyk

Paula said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I sent the girls out trick
or treating with the neighbors and their dad as chaperone,
turned out the lights that show from the front of the house
and climbed under a blanket in the back of the house with
my laptop and the TV.

I turned off all the lights, packed up the dogs, and went a-
trainin'. We ran some agility courses with friends, then had
muffins and beer and candy (I restricted myself to only beer -
someone has to be responsible).

Only 2 or 3 kids come to my house on Hallowe'en even though I
give good stuff. I see plenty across the street, but I'm on a
hill, and 15 steps are apparently not worth the effort. My
similarly inclined neighbour has noticed the same thing.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Last year we had Cubbe on a leash and let her bark when people came up
the walk. We thought it would be good all around to let kids pet her
who wanted to. We got few trick or treaters. This year we put her in
the back bedroom all night and got a good assortment of kids. Harry
Potter wasn't as big this year unless all the black and chalky white
face were death eaters. There were some pink fairy princesses.


My proudest moment was asking the bigger kids their ages. If they were
over 13, they got a music CD. I got them at a garage sale and hated a
fair number so they seemed perfect to hand out. Once I got past the
idea that treats must be morsels of candy, it started going to my head.
How about other garage sale items? Coloring books, batteries, flower
pots, used paperbacks, jigsaw puzzles, coasters? It was hard to
restrain myself.


--Lia

Once I got past the idea that treats must be morsels of candy, it started
going to my head. How about other garage sale items? Coloring books,
batteries, flower pots, used paperbacks, jigsaw puzzles, coasters? It was
hard to restrain myself.



one of my favorite houses growing up would give out a coloring book.

one of my favorite houses growing up would give out a coloring book.

What the heck kind of place do you live where this kind of treat is not
eventually met with egg on house?


I am sure it would be by older kids or kids of today, however this was the
80's and I was young. The coloring books were unique and a favorite of
mine, couldn't be found in stores, had to be bought in bulk. I waited every
year for a new one. Then one year they started giving out candy, I was so
disappointed.