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Post by iamkristinl16 on Nov 13, 2023 17:24:51 GMT
We got our dog the week before last Christmas. I did end up taking the tree down sooner than usual because she was messing with it, but she was young then. I am curious if it is common for dogs to mess with Christmas trees and if there are factors/tips/tricks to making it less likely. For example, does it make a difference if you have a real vs fake tree? Thanks!
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Nov 13, 2023 17:27:00 GMT
I found my dog (and it was only my male dog) liked the real tree a little too much. I now have an artificial tree and he doesn't bother it. Female dog doesn't care about either.
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Post by birdy on Nov 13, 2023 17:47:03 GMT
We got our male dog 1 week before Christmas 13 years ago. The first Christmas, when we were in the room with him, we'd let him "free roam" around. He was interested in the things hanging from the tree and would gently bat them and watch them swing. I moved anything breakable up and put stuff he could "touch" lower. By the 2nd Christmas we had him, he was over that. But, I would often find he had dragged his bed over by the tree and would nap laying on his bed, partially under the tree. He still does this. It's so cute. But other than napping by the tree, he leaves it alone.
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naby64
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Post by naby64 on Nov 13, 2023 17:52:27 GMT
I have never had dogs that messed with the tree. Now my male dog has "marked" on the tree the last 2-3 years. I got to the point of putting a gate boundary up last year. I have sprayed the tree with some sort of spray that should keep them away. He is persistent.
Now this year, we have a 9 month old pup. I am anxious to see how she is going to be with the outside being brought in. She is mouthy and I would imagine, I will be having to watch for missing ornaments.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Nov 13, 2023 17:55:43 GMT
We have had the tree(s) on the island since DD got his male bird dog about 10 years ago. If I put a floor tree in here he would be giddy with excitement that I brought him his own indoor tree to hike his leg on.  . When DD was very young, DH's father made me a really cool picket fence to put around the base of the tree (it was in 3 sections with corner posts to hold each segment. Kept DD and the dog away from the tree. We don't use it any longer as this house is too small for it. |
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Post by monklady123 on Nov 13, 2023 17:56:17 GMT
We got our dog when she was about 9 months old according to the shelter. We got her in the late summer, so she had about four months with us before her first Christmas. We were still doing a real tree at that point and she basically ignored it, and ignored any ornament hanging down at her level. When we switched to an artificial tree it was the same thing. She never seemed to take any notice of either tree.
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kelly8875
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Post by kelly8875 on Nov 13, 2023 17:58:48 GMT
I've had dogs all growing up, and through current day. We have never had a problem with dogs and the trees. There have been real and fake trees.
I also don't have issues with my cats.
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Kerri W
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Post by Kerri W on Nov 13, 2023 18:04:42 GMT
Our dogs typically check it out when it’s first up by sniffing and touching a few ornaments with their noses but within a few minutes have lost interest and moved on.
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Post by peano on Nov 13, 2023 18:21:55 GMT
Orla was 9 months last year and showed no interest in our artificial tree. Vinny, the #$@%ing cat on the other hand, loves particularly the felted ornaments; we'd find those all over the house. He also broke his share of glass ones too. I use sheepskin rugs as a tree skirt and the tree becomes his little hangout.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 13, 2023 18:33:10 GMT
Sadie was 5.5 months old when we put the tree up. She enjoyed laying near it and nudging the ornaments with her nose. A few fell off so we'd hang them again.
Toby was a year when the tree was up and he just sniffed it and that was it. He was neutered when we adopted him.
Hope is 3 and we are excited to see how she behaves. She sniffed our Halloween decorations and laid by a few.
Any dog ever owned has done nothing to the tree.
I would just correct any behaviors you don't want. Positive words (yes) and treats in the beginning when acting accordingly will help.
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 13, 2023 21:25:54 GMT
When Emma was a puppy, she loved the tree. She was about 9 months old and would nose the ornaments, try to steal them, and would chew on the branches. It took a few “not yours” before she would just stare longingly at the tree.
I’d put the breakable ornaments up and put the tree up when you have time to watch your pup. At a year, a dog should be able to control itself. I say should because my brother has a Brittany who is almost 3 and they still put up a sensor that works with a collar to buzz her if she gets too close. But Daisy has NO chill!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 13, 2023 21:44:44 GMT
I don’t really ever having any major issues with any of our dogs and the Christmas tree, but for a number of years at our old house the only spot big enough for the tree was on top of two large dog kennels side by side (we put a piece of plywood on top) and they weren’t able to get to it.
We currently have one big dog and one little dog and neither one really shows any interest regardless of whether it’s real or fake BUT we put all of the breakable ornaments up higher anyway because the big dog has a tendency to smack anything tail height by accident. So for that reason only the plastic and fabric type ornaments go on the bottom third of the tree.
I think for a dog that’s a year old, they’re still dumb and curious so if I had a baby play yard gate thing I would put that up around the tree on all accessible sides if someone can’t always supervise the dog when she’s around the tree.
Now on the other hand, my brother has a crotchety old cat that just LIVES for destroying Christmas. No matter how small of a tree he has or where he tries to put it out of reach, that goofy cat will find a way to get up to it and kill it.
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Post by papersilly on Nov 13, 2023 21:52:53 GMT
thank goodness our dog doesn't mess with the tree. just in case, we don't put any ornament teeth level to him.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 14, 2023 1:59:40 GMT
Oh one other thing I just thought of. I always have to ask my sister if there is anything edible in the gifts she mails to us (which she occasionally includes) because my big dog WILL sniff it out and rip it up if there is!
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StephDRebel
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Post by StephDRebel on Nov 14, 2023 4:07:56 GMT
Mone have never really bothered it but I always use a fleece blanket instead of a tree skirt and a puppy bed under it because the little one likes to sleep under it.
We just have to be mindful to put important ornaments up high because Zeus launches ornaments with his tail.
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snyder
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Post by snyder on Nov 14, 2023 4:33:20 GMT
Never had a male dog, so can't comment on that, but the first year we had our dog, she ate all the candy canes on the lower branches, plastic coating andall, so be careful of that if you hang canes on your tree.
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cakediva
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Post by cakediva on Nov 14, 2023 11:43:32 GMT
This is Murphy’s first Christmas. I have the main tree and two skinny trees. I have the skinny ones up with no ornaments to see how he does. The one goes on the stair landing and he likes to lay there.
So far so good with that one! Next step is to add the 18” Mickey and see how he is lol.
But the other skinny tree? Last night right in front of us he lifted his leg! The yell from DH stopped him. So we will be shutting that area off when we are not in it!
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smartypants71
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Post by smartypants71 on Nov 14, 2023 12:46:14 GMT
I've never done a real tree, but I can only decorate the top 2/3 of it because his tail takes everything out. The same reason we don't put drinks on the coffee table.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 14, 2023 13:16:50 GMT
The only issues we have ever had with dogs and the Christmas tree was one would get excited and take out anything on the lower branches with her tail, and more than one would help themselves to candy canes.
We ended up putting the candy canes on higher branches, our of reach, or so we thought. The cats were enablers and would knock them off the higher branches for the dog.
Cats and Christmas trees? A WHOLE other thread.
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peabay
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Post by peabay on Nov 14, 2023 13:29:59 GMT
The only reaction our dog has is frustration that we move "his" couch from the window to put up the tree and he can't protect us from invading squirrels, plastic bags and blowing leaves.
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craftymom101
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Post by craftymom101 on Nov 14, 2023 16:16:32 GMT
I was positive our Great Dane was going to knock the tree over last year, or at the very least, continually mess with it, but he left it alone. He didn't mess with the presents under the tree, either! I was truly shocked. He was 1.5 years old last year. I do plan to put up a tree this year and I'm hoping he leaves it alone again.
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