Christmas is known as the most wonderful time of the year, but to our dog companions, bringing a huge tree into the living room could be just a tad confusing. There are new smells, lots of shiny things, and the place where Fido usually lifts his leg is literally right next to the couch – see where we’re going here?
Whether real or fake, the Christmas tree can be one of the most baffling parts about the holiday for your four-legged family member. Here are a few great tips for dog-proofing your tree so everyone has a merry Christmas (with zero trips to the vet!)
1. Elevate the Christmas tree
I promise you, the tree will still be just as pretty raised off the ground! Not only will this eliminate potential potty problems, it will also keep your pup from drinking the tree’s water, which could be potentially toxic when it’s from pine trees. Not to mention, you could be saving all those antique ornaments your Grandma gave you that have been in the family for years.
2. Take advantage of baby gates
You don’t want to take your dog out of all your family traditions, but putting a baby gate up to keep Fido from having complete access to the room primarily filled with Christmas cheer might be a good idea especially when you aren’t home.
3. Choose your ornaments wisely
If your pup has a tendency to turn everything into a chew toy, pay extra special attention to your decor to make sure they don’t have anything toxic in them. Paper ornaments are both cute and safe if your dog gets ahold of them! Consider putting the safer decorations on the lower branches in case they fall to the ground, or avoid putting ornaments near the bottom of the tree altogether. Also, try to avoid super breakable ornaments that can shatter easily. If you do like the pretty delicate bulbs, make sure that they are secured well to the branches, so they can handle a little ruff-and-tumble play if your pup gets a bad case of the zoomies.
4. Be super aware of electric cords
I’m sure if you were to go into most vet’s offices during the holidays they would tell you they’ve had at least one patient who chewed through an electrical cord and burned their mouth. This doesn’t have to be an issue! Choose battery-operated lights, cover cords with plastic liners, or tape cords along the wall out of your pet’s reach. Your bank account (and your dog) will thank you for avoiding that emergency trip to the vet.
5. Don’t fill your stockings with chocolate!
It’s awesome to dig to the bottom of your stocking and find a whole handful of chocolate kisses waiting for you, but you’ll want to avoid this tradition if you have four-legged friends. As we all know, chocolate is extremely harmful to dogs, and if they smell the yummy treat, they will inevitably do whatever it takes to get to it. Instead, keep chocolate kisses in a candy bowl on a high counter or table so that your hooman friends can enjoy it, but leave the milkbones to the dogs.
Featured image via Entirely Pets
