Puppies & Christmas Trees

sheenbeen · 12-05-2007, 08:16 AM

So, Bailey is nearly 4 months old and sleeps downstairs on his own at night - not in a crate but downstairs is puppy proofed.

We have decided this year that we won't put a Christmas tree up because it is just asking for trouble as there is no way we can block it off to him and don't want to risk him chewing, swallowing, knocking it down etc.

Right idea??? I'm sure some of you will have some stories to make me sure this is the right decision

poconogal · 12-05-2007, 09:17 AM

I have no stories to tell but I do think its the right decision, better safe than sorry. My rescue guy is 14 mos. and I'm thinking twice about putting up the tree this year.

**DreamDoby** · 12-05-2007, 09:51 AM

The only Christmas tree story I have is when I decided to go to an artificial tree. Some dog decided to come inside, sniff the tree and lift a leg on it. I had to throw out all of my decorations. I decided I would never like the scent of live trees in the house after that again.

Sorry, no other stories to help you out. I have always crated my puppies until I felt they were completely trustworthy unsupervised. If you feel the tree is a threat to your pups safety, then you are right not to have one. It is always better to be safe than sorry later.

**Burns** · 12-05-2007, 03:17 PM

Yeah, if there's no way to block access to the tree, and he would be around it unsupervised, seeing as he's only 4 months old, I think you are making the right choice. Better safe than sorry. He will be older and better trained next year so maybe you can try it then.

This is Red's first Christmas too, and instead of putting up the tree in the usual spot (which he would have access to), I'm going to put it up in a different area of the house that he's only in when he's supervised. He's still too puppy-ish for me to trust him around the tree.

**Luvbirds59** · 12-05-2007, 03:24 PM

I'm more worried about the big moose running into it and knocking it down!

oxc

sheenbeen · 12-05-2007, 03:31 PM

we had a nightmare last year with Flo our cat who was only a couple of months old at the time and fergie our other cat chewing on the ribbons on the parcels and climbing up the tree but they have settled a bit but as much as i'll hate having no tree I really think it's the way to go

Sagesmom · 12-05-2007, 07:02 PM

Have you thought about putting an X-pen around your tree? That is what my mother did for years to keep the critters out. If I had a bigger house I would be doing just that as Sage would run into the thing. LOL

sheenbeen · 12-05-2007, 07:24 PM

what's an x-pen??

brutusandbella · 12-05-2007, 08:32 PM

I have a 18 wk old male and 7 wk old female and they don't bother ours(real tree). Granted it is in the corner and there is a couch to one side of it and a love seat to the other so the little space that is opened I block with a tupperware bucket.

12-05-2007, 10:30 PM

We have a tree up with a train that runs around the bottom of it and leroy was curious at first and sniffed around but now he just walks by it like its not there...he does very well for only being 6.5 months