Lulu and Phoebe in another humilating Halloween get-up
Even when my kids were small I never really looked forward to Halloween. Marthat Stewart was only beginning to make mothers look inadequate, and only one mom on our block grew the cotton, spun the cotton, dyed the cotton and sewed it into a vintage Dorothy costume for her overachieving 2nd grader. The rest of us went to the Ben Franklin and for 5 bucks outfitted the kid in plastic and cardboard witches, ghouls, and princesses. No one gave a rat's behind as long as the grocery store sacks were filled with candy by evening's end. Working full time, I barely had time to get to Ben Franklin, let alone go through the kid's bags of candy at the end of the evening. But we made the time because the nagging suspicion that my child would be the one to find the razor blade in an apple (like they would eat apples?) kept me from sleeping anyway.
This was the era too, of the minatures making a debut (yes, I am that old) and nothing pisses off a kid more than to find tiny little replicas of what used to be real candy bars in their treasured bags. It took many years before they were over that. And lots of adult therapy too because God knows, that would be the thing to blame on a parent. "My mother always took me to the blah blah blah street where everyone gave out tiny candy bars when my friend's mother took her to the big house street where they gave out real candy bars...."
So Halloween was like an upcoming root canal appointment. You want the thing to stop hurting so you know you have to go, but who really wants to go get a root canal? And there it stayed. That is, until the kids were grown and gone, and we acquired two small dogs (hello, Lulu and Phoebe). It seemed like a good idea to humilate then a little bit when we saw costumes for these pint size furballs.
For a bunch of years between children and dogs we lived in places that had nary a trick or treater. Between gated condos, and the evil that lurks in many communities, most parents did not let kids trick or treat. But something changed in the last few years. We moved to a neighborhood full of small children. It is quite safe to be out and about at night. And people pretend to know one another.
So now while we dress up these two little dogs, others dress up their tiny tiny children. And everyone enjoys the cuteness of it all. No doubt about that. But the one thing that just makes me chuckle is that while everyone seems to think it is over the top to dress up the dogs and parade them around sans candy bags, no one thinks it is odd that small children, barely able to walk are dressed in elaborate costumes, ringing the doorbells of virtual strangers and accepting candy from said strangers. So contrary to the message every parent starts telling the kids from toddlerhood on - don't talk to strangers, don't go with strangers anywhere and don't take candy from strangers, and if a stranger tries to give you candy or invite you in, scream, scream loudly and run, run away like the wind.
It isn't a surprise that most of these tiny trick or treaters come up to the door with a look of pure fear etched into their little faces. And some of them won't take the candy at all. The parent's have to intervene and shove it into the candy carrier which is usually a plastic pumpkin bigger than the kid. At least I give them real candy bars!
So, happy Halloween kids! Lulu and Phoebe don't know why they are wearing sugarplum fairy-sistahs outfits, but as long as they get a cookie or two, they don't care.
Comments
what cuties!
Love Lulu and Phoebe! Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. You don't need an excuse to humiliate your dogs as long as there is no real abuse involved! Will work for cookies!
Paws up. You should postdate this and submit it to the Open Call. Or not. You're already front page!
The Weasel will dress up for Open Call also so stay tuned.
Paws up. You should postdate this and submit it to the Open Call. Or not. You're already front page!
The Weasel will dress up for Open Call also so stay tuned.
As someone who has had their hair slathered on by these creatures, I say a little payback is good for them.
holy smokes! I opened Open and there they were staring at me in utter humiliation. Thanks for the comments!
They do work for cookies and yep, slathered is a kind way to say snorted on by Bostons!
They do work for cookies and yep, slathered is a kind way to say snorted on by Bostons!
What is it about little, flat-faced dogs that makes them so oddly cute in ridiculous outfits? I saw a pug the other day dressed as a dinosaur and it was adorable. Maybe I just have a thing for flat-face dogs.
I about peed from laughing. Soooo funny!
Love Lulu, Phoebe and of course the WEASEL! ;0)
I'll be dressing up my Cairn/Jack Russell mix soon. She doesn't even need a costume to look funny.
Peace,
Greg
I'll be dressing up my Cairn/Jack Russell mix soon. She doesn't even need a costume to look funny.
Peace,
Greg
I love their outfits! We got Abigail a bumblebee costume that I actually can't find - I did a great purge/toss out a few weeks ago and I worry that her little swatch of yellow and black fabric with shiny antennae got tossed with the other trash.
- Jess
- Jess
Lulu and Phoebe, you are ADORABLE! (And good sports, too.)
What an absolutely clever and hilarious post! And the little ones are adorable. Thank you.
Thumbed between chuckles.
Thumbed between chuckles.
Eh, a little humiliation never hurt anybody. Especially when it's that funny. Although I really like the little prisoner uniforms. :)
Adorable! My grandparents raised Bostons, so I grew up around them and think they are the best dogs on earth. My husband, who grew up with huge dogs like German shepherds and standard poodles, says we can only get one someday if he can name it "Fugly." I alluded to Bostons' incredibly sweet personality, which he countered with, "They'd have to be sweet with that face."
So maybe when we're not working full-time a Boston named Fugly is in our future. Great picture and article!
So maybe when we're not working full-time a Boston named Fugly is in our future. Great picture and article!
Ah ha! I knew Halloween was a conspiracy to dress up pets! Animals are taking over Halloween. Before you know it, you'll be writing posts about how animal costumes are too scantily clad.
Hey, last week my daughter and I took the mini-Shi Tzu to a pet-costume contest (dressed as a cowboy, by the way) - but the first place winner at this contest was a German shepherd dressed as a police dog... with a badge, and belt loaded with police gear - handcuffs, weapon, night stick, radio... the lot.
The poor dog actually looked terribly embarrassed. Pet humiliation is not just for the small dogs!
The poor dog actually looked terribly embarrassed. Pet humiliation is not just for the small dogs!
Thank you, Lulu and Phoebe!
Really cute!
rated and loved
Really cute!
rated and loved
Thanks everyone!
Lulu and Phoebe were humbled to know that they were a cover shot and that people were saying they were "cute" and soon realized that "humbled" was getting them nothing. So now they have told me that if I wish to humiliate them again (and I do!) that the negotiation begins for better cookies and more of them.
I always wondered what they were saying when they snorted to one another. Now I know. Bargaining ploys in dog-speak code.
Lulu and Phoebe were humbled to know that they were a cover shot and that people were saying they were "cute" and soon realized that "humbled" was getting them nothing. So now they have told me that if I wish to humiliate them again (and I do!) that the negotiation begins for better cookies and more of them.
I always wondered what they were saying when they snorted to one another. Now I know. Bargaining ploys in dog-speak code.
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