The Candy Bowl Was Full. The Poodle Puppy Sat Very, Very Close.
Just inside the front door, a fluffy white Poodle puppy sits very straight beside a bowl of wrapped candy. The bowl is heaped with shiny orange, brown and silver wrappers, and the puppy is angled so that it's close enough to supervise but not quite close enough to be accused of anything. A few dried leaves have blown across the mat, a jacket hangs on a hook, and a bit of fake cobweb clings to the window by the door.
This is a good moment to talk about Halloween candy and dogs. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and the darker it is, the more dangerous it gets. Sugar-free candy and gum can contain xylitol, another ingredient that is very harmful to dogs, and the wrappers themselves can cause trouble if swallowed. The simplest plan is to keep the bowl up high or behind a closed door once trick-or-treating begins. If your dog gets into the candy, call your vet right away rather than waiting to see what happens.
Poodle puppies are famously smart, which is exactly why this scene works so well. They learn quickly, watch people closely and love having a job. Teaching a puppy to sit politely by the door, and rewarding it with a dog-safe treat, makes the doorbell much less chaotic for everyone, including the visitors in costume.
This one seems to have taken the job to heart. She sits there like a tiny doorman in white curls, completely focused on the candy and completely innocent on the surface.
