If you have a dog at home a real Christmas tree may not be the best idea for your home but there are things you can do to keep your pup safe this holiday season even with a real Christmas tree.
Here are some important tips to know when it comes to having a real Christmas tree and a dog in your home.
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Pick the Right Location for Your Tree
You want to choose a location for your tree were it can’t easily be knocked over by the dog. Choose a place that is in a corner of the room or someplace were it is not in the way of where you dog usually roams or sleeps. Also try to have it as close as possible to an outlet so you don’t have electrical cords running all along the floor.
You can also try to secure your tree to the wall or ceiling using fishing line or something of that sort just in case your dog accidentally knocks it over or does jump on it when you first set it up.
Keep the Water Stand Covered at All Times
This is probably one of the most important things to do because the tree sap mixed with the water is poisonous for your dog. There are also other things like pesticides and preservatives that are added to the water that can be toxic to your dog as well.
Your dog may just think it’s some yummy water at the bottom of the tree, but since there is pine sap in it as well as the other agents, it can poison your dog and they wouldn’t know not to drink it. Give the tree plenty of water but keep it covered at all times.
Clean Up Any Fallen Needles from the Tree
Pine needles are not digestible for a dog and can cause some problems with a dog’s digestive tract if they eat too many of them. If you have a small dog and they eat the needles just like the water, it can be toxic to them.
Also, pine needles are sharp and can actually puncture a dog’s digestive tract so you don’t want to take any chances with all the needles lying on the floor and instead clean them as soon as possible.
Stop Using Ornament Hooks
If you have ornaments that use those metal Christmas tree hooks, then you will want to replace all of those with ribbon or string instead. If an ornament falls or your dog gets a hold of the ornament somehow the hook can puncture your dog’s mouth or tongue and cause great pain.
Be Careful What Ornaments You Use on the Tree
Avoid using any edible ornaments on your tree or any that have any type of food smell to them. You also will want to be careful about using glass ornaments if you don’t trust your dog with your tree. If they happen to knock over the tree they can cut themselves on the glass if it breaks.
No Presents Under the Tree Till Christmas
Some people like to put the presents under the tree before Christmas or even add decorative presents under the tree. If you have a dog then leave the presents tucked away until Christmas morning. Gifts under the tree are just another thing that your dog may try to get into and you don’t want your pooch gnawing on your presents and ripping them open.
Also when it comes to opening presents be sure that you clean up all the paper as well as the ribbons and small pieces of plastic and such. You don’t want your pet choking on any of the wrapping or packaging.
Consider Fence Around Your Christmas Tree
If you have a puppy or a hyper dog in your home, you may want to consider gate around your tree so you dog can’t get to it. This helps prevent any type of possible situations from ingesting the water to peeing on the tree, which is actually pretty common. A simple baby gate or baby fence may just do the trick so you can have your real Christmas tree and a healthy dog.
Supervision and Training is Key
Making sure you are supervising your dog and training them to leave the Christmas tree alone is the key to keeping them safe with a real Christmas tree this holiday. You may have to pay extra attention the first few days but if you train them properly, they will leave the tree alone and you can keep your pup safe this holiday.
