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Christmas can be challenging if you have a young dog or a dog that is curious about everything. But it is possible to have a beautiful Christmas tree and keep your dog safe at the same time. There are lots of great ways to dog proof your Christmas tree to keep your dog safe during the holiday.
Tips To Dog Proof Your Christmas Tree
1. Secure The Tree
Even if your dog doesn’t show much interest in your Christmas tree, it should still be secured and tied to the wall or the ceiling. Accidents can happen and if your dog accidently runs in to the tree or gets too close, he could knock it over.
To tie your tree to the wall or the ceiling, use either a strong twine or wire. No one wants to come home to find their tree laying on the floor and worse yet, it could land on your dog and injure him or he could cut himself on broken ornaments.
2. Put Breakable Ornaments Up High
To prevent those valuable, sentimental or breakable ornaments from getting knocked off and broken, put them up high on your tree. It only takes one swipe of a trail to knock them down and break them.
Some dogs are tempted by ball shaped ornaments, thinking that it is a toy. If your dog has trouble leaving the ornaments on the tree alone, either don’t put any ornaments on the lower branches where he can reach or check out tip #5.
When hanging your ornaments on the tree, avoid using metal hooks. Use yarn or ribbon instead. If your dog happens to swallow a metal ornament hook, it could mean an emergency trip to the vet. That’s the last thing anyone wants. It’s also best to avoid tinsel as well. If ingested this can also cause an emergency trip to the vet as it can get wrapped around your dog’s intestines.
3. Do Not Use Edible Ornaments
Edible or scented ornaments can be an invitation to your dog. If he can smell a tasty ornament he may be very tempted to eat it. This could be bad for many reasons. The edible ornament may be edible for humans but toxic to dogs. Your dog could also knock down your tree, if you haven’t already secured it, when trying to remove the edible ornaments.
So skip the stringed popcorn or cranberries and candy canes. Instead use plastic ornaments that don’t smell like tasty treats. There are lots of great looking plastic Christmas ornaments online and in stores, use those instead.
4. Wait Until Christmas Morning For Gifts
I’ve actually made this mistake before! My one dog ate a box of chocolates…yikes! Luckily he didn’t get sick, they were milk chocolate and not dark chocolate but I still was very worried. And my other dog unwrapped a necklace and chewed it. The necklace was a pewter dog with a quote on the back about how awesome dogs are…how ironic! I still have no idea what drew him to that present!
So, after that ordeal, my presents did not go under the tree until Christmas morning! And even after Christmas morning, once your gifts are opened you will want to put anything edible out of reach of your dog.
5. Use Baby Gates
I have not done this but this is a great idea if you want to have your gifts under the tree or don’t want your dog stealing any ornaments. Use baby gates or even a dog exercise pen and put it around your tree. Just make sure that the ends of the baby gate are securely fastened so that your dog can’t get through to get to the tree.
6. Conceal Electrical Cords
Electrical cords for your lights and other decorations can be a temptation to puppies and even some older dogs too. Always conceal them and keep them out of reach of your dog. When you aren’t in the room, leave them unplugged so that your dog doesn’t chew the cord while it is plugged in.
If your dog is known for chewing cords and you can’t conceal the cords, use tip #5 and keep the cords inside of the baby gate. This would be the safest option for your dog if you plan on using cords.
7. Use An Artificial Tree
Real trees smell awesome and look really nice but they aren’t always the best option when you have pets. The needles from real trees can cause upset stomachs and diarrhea in your dog if he eats them. They could also cause an obstruction or puncture your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
If you do decide to use an artificial tree, pay close attention. With age, some artificial trees may lose needles. While these needles probably won’t cause your dog to have an upset stomach, they still could cause a blockage or puncture your dog’s gastrointestinal tract like real tree needles.
Real trees need to be watered. They are cut and in your house for at least a few days to a month, depending on your family traditions. During that time, you need to water your tree to keep it from drying out. Often times your dog will think that this is an extra water bowl just for him. The thing is, though, that this water could make him very sick. Many trees are treated with pesticides and given fertilizer to stay healthy looking throughout the holiday season. These things could be toxic to your dog.
Keeping your dog safe at Christmas should always be a consideration. It is possible to have a beautiful Christmas tree and have a happy healthy dog for the holidays too. Keep our tips to dog proof your Christmas tree in mind when you are decorating your Christmas tree this holiday season.
Related Article: 9 Tips To Keep Your Dog Safe Through The Holidays
