Tis the Season! Thinking ahead to the Christmas Tree...

[Ace's Place]

Hi! Now that its November I'm thinking of the Christmas tree and whether Ace can be left home with it in the living room. It will be his first Christmas. He isn't crated anymore and he spend four hour chunks of time at home alone. Generally we think he sleeps for most of it, but who knows when the sparkling wonder of the tree goes up. Has anyone had problems? Do you put up a gate around it? Does that work? Thanks for thoughts and ideas..... ho ho ho.

[jesstat]

Diego was terrified of the tree for the most part, so we didn't have much of a problem. My dog (lab) growing up, however was a different story. He knocked the entire tree over a few times and took off plenty of ornaments. We gated him out of the living room during the day while the tree was up, which did help.

Definitely keep any breakable ornaments out of reach from the wagging tail -- learned that one the hard way!

[Daisy'sMom]

Originally Posted by jesstat

Definitely keep any breakable ornaments out of reach from the wagging tail -- learned that one the hard way!

Totally agree with this!!! I was worried, too, our first Christmas with Daisy but it was a non-issue. I just made sure the ornaments around the bottom part of the tree were non-breakable, had little value/meaning, and weren't a soft material that she'd want to chew (like yarn or thread, etc). We didn't have any problems, I hope it is the same for you, too! I know cats tend to knock down trees, I have a few friends that's happened to, yikes!

[Nikkiey]

Juneau was only 3 months old last Christmas and we had put up a gate to block him from going near the tree. He never seemed to interested in it. The few time we didn't put the gates up he would just use the tree as a hiding spot when he had gotten ahold of one of our touques or mittens

My other dog Bear was a completely different storey. We had to make sure there were no wooden ornaments near the bottom of the tree. We came home once to what looked like a battlefield of my mom's toy soldiers. None of them made it.

[jodysh]

I'm thinking no tree in my house this year. Although I usually just put up a really little one anyway (like 3 or 4 ft tall?). I don't know we'll see. I'm thinking though that Malcolm can't be trusted with the tree even with me in the same room LOL. He's so nosey!

Funny memory...my black lab Jesse (he passed 2 years ago) used to open the presents under the tree every chance he got

[Ace's Place]

It sounds like a wait and see kind of thing. Funny memory Jody - and I can see Ace doing that maybe more so than anything with the tree. Boy does he love paper!

[kdavis2004]

When Charlie was a puppy he use to run by the Christmas Tree -grab an ornament off it and keep going. It was seriously the cutest thing.....we did end having to move all the ornaments up to where he couldn't reach them.....it made for a very bald bottom tree, but at least he was safe from getting a hold of something he should have.

[lindamarie]

Christmas trees and puppies! It all just makes me laugh!
Pups are such curious little beings and like to stick their noses and teeth on everything. So, we always have that first Christmas where we introduce the tree and just see what happens.

I put a smaller tree on a table in the window the first year where Bogart couldn't get at the ornaments and stuff.
In fact, that made more room in my house so I continue to do that.

Yes.......be careful of them eating the ornaments. MANY pups do and that spells trouble and a vet bill!
Oh.........also......I am always concerned about a dog lifting his leg on the tree when we visit others who have huge trees. It hasn't happened to us, but I have heard of it. How embarrassing!

[daking]

as far as knocking the tree over. right above where my tree goes, I have a ceiling hook that is normally used for a hanging plant in the spring/ summer/ fall. I simply use clear monofiliment fishing line and tie the tree to the hook. Now the cat climbs the tree and sits inside and the dog knocks in to it, but it doesn't tip and you cant see the line... I only use 6 pound test as it doesnt take much to hold the tree up!

[Jasper'sMomma]

Well we put our tree up tonight and Jasper didn't really care about it!!! All he cared about was the fact that the attention was not on him, lol !!! He checked it out every once in a while but didn't try to really touch it...

As a caution through, we put the tree on a square end table from ikea so that it's about 3 feet off the ground once you add in the base...I think it's the wrapping paper that we will have to be more careful about! He loves the crinkle noises....hehe

[Ace's Place]

Well, the update is the tree is up and Ace is like Jasper - aok with it! He did one trip around the tree, underneath the lowest branches when it first went up. We watched but remained quiet. I thought it best not to command him to stay away or off. We just didn't make a big deal out of it. He did like the furry white polar bear ornaments which are now at the top of the tree. He also did like this little plether thing at the end of the light cord that you can turn the tree on and off from - so I just put that away and we stuff the end of the cord hidden in the tree when we are not home. Funny, sometimes at night with the lights twinkling he stands at attention gazing up at it like a child, very happy like, then just walks away. One night he napped under it. Very cute....

[Jasper'sMomma]

That is adorable. Jasper stares at it too!!! Doesn't touch it, though. He didn't like a dog ornament we got, so that one went higher....

Doodles are so cool!!

[lindamarie]

Ohhhhh.....that is so precious!!! Doodles ARE cool!

[deepnite10]

we ve sorta lost the desire for a tree ever since my brother brought
over his golden and decided to go for the dove top piece..

so Toby s never had an opportunity to experience a tree for Christmas..intead he s just satified with all the presents from
Costco..

the saluki was another story though..they are known as tenacious sight hounds..they see, chase and bite..so when the neighbors lit up the raindeers in their front yards..it cost us $$$$ to replace them..

[jodysh]

I broke down and put up my little 4.5 foot tree because my parents decided we would do Christmas here at my house. I put it up yesterday when the boy was at the spa. I'm not even sure if he's aware it's there or not lol. I had him sit by it when I got him home and took his picture though.

But he, so far, is pretty uninterested in it. Christmas morning should be fun though...he and Piper (my mom and dad's mini dachshund) have lots of little presents to unwrap

Jasper'sMomma - mine is also on a square IKEA end table! funny