Monday, October 28, 2013

Monday Mischief: Preventing Mischief on Halloween

Since I grew up on a farm we would only get two or three trick or treaters on Halloween, aka my cousins. I never got to experience the thrill of hearing the door bell ring, running over to the door unaware of what kind of costume was waiting for me, and handing out handfuls of candy. 

Since moving to town a few years ago my sister and I go all out on Halloween. We decorate our lawn to the max, squeezing in as much lawn decorations as possible. Putting together goodie bags of candy for kids as well as for dogs. We always order pizza, watch Halloween episodes from old television shows such as Home Improvement or Friends. And patiently wait until the first ding of our door bell. 


Now here is where Spencer comes in. He loves when people come to our house and wants to great them with enthusiasm. So how do I keep him in and the goodies going out with no problem......

With a baby gate!!!

Every year I set up a baby gate at our front door. After setting it up our we decorate it with spooky fabrics, chains, and lights. And there we have it, candy going out and Spencer staying in. He can still see them and the kids love petting him, but this way there is no MISCHIEF on Halloween! 

We average anywhere between 125-175 trick or treaters a year, which adds up to opening to door a lot. Using a baby gate has worked for us every year with no problem. 

Do you have any tricks you use on Halloween to help make the night easier with your dogs? Please share, I would love to hear about them.

Only 3 more days until Halloween

-Brittany (aka Spencer's mom)







24 comments:

  1. We never get trick or treaters. Our building is somewhat hard to access and there is maybe one kid in the building.

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    1. When my mom tells people how many kids we get every year (cause she is a nerd and keeps track) they are surprised as to how many we get! It helps that our neighborhood is mostly young families and kids and their 4 legged pals! :)

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  2. We live in the city but we never have had more then one or two trick or treaters. In our building in Manhattan we woould get may be one. Now we have a house i jersey city and we get mayne one or two. I use baby gates to lock the dogs away and have maybe one calm dog on a leash. I think most kids in the city now go to the myriad of halloween parties around rather then going door to door. I always have tons of candy though, which I then eat

    urban hounds

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    1. Isn't that the best part, having leftover candy! My mom enjoys that part the best!

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  3. Love your festive baby gate! We live in the country - zero trick or treaters, darn it!

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  4. This is genius! Why didn't our mom think of it? Me and Stanley are wild with joy every time the doorbell rings so our pawrents were going to turn off the lights. Now we will make sure the baby gate will fit onto the door - YAY!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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    1. I'm keeping my paws crossed that the baby gate fits!!! BOL!!!

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  5. Brilliant idea...and LOVE the decorations!
    *high paw*
    Oz

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  6. Wow that is a LOT of visitors...I've never lived in a neighborhood that had so much Halloween traffice...Your baby gate solution is very clever!

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    1. I know my mom had to make a candy run our first year in town!

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  7. What a great idea and fun for the kids. My mom would do that too - keep track of how many kids came. We don't get any - we live to far out in the sticks.

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  8. What a great idea. Love the way you decorate it!

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  9. What a great idea. Especially the way you decorate it so it doesn't even look like a gate. Our home is fairly isolated so we don't get any trick or treaters here.

    Millie & Walter

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  10. I don't get trick or treaters out at my house either. I imagine that if I did, I'd probably go all out too!

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    1. At least this way you get to go and be the trick or treaters!

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  11. We aren't big into Halloween. This year, Bailie will have to be in her kennel so she doesn't take off out the door. The doorbell is fun for about 10 mins and then we are thrilled when our candy runs out and we can turn off the lights. We get 100 or so kids and it gets old fast. Some love it, we participate so we don't get tp or eggs on the house. A quite night would be preferable but a week night is second choice. It is great for those that enjoy it. I guess we are Halloween scrooges :)

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  12. Hi Spencer!
    I love Halloween ,your Mum is really clever and love the Halloween decorations on the baby gate, great idea!
    I have come over from Stanley and Murpheys blog to say hello!
    Love andf Licks from your new furiend Frank xxxxxxxx

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  13. Hey Spencer, Stanley & Murphy sent us over to meet you. We live kinda in the country on an acreage, in a small town so we get lots of door bangers, its fun cause we are two Mad Scotties and we get to bark till we are horse! That gate would never work for us we would just chew our way through it! Barharhar

    The Mad Scots
    Susie & Sidebite

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  14. We average anywhere between 125-175 trick or treaters a year, which adds up to opening to door a lot. Using a baby gate has worked for us ... babygatesdoor.blogspot.com

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