Puppy-Proof Your Christmas Tree

Can Christmas trees and puppies co-exist? Yes, they can live peacefully together!

Take a few moments to puppy-proof your Christmas tree and you’ll keep everyone safe and still have a beautifully decorated and lit tree. 🙂

 When in doubt, confine puppies when left alone.

Christmas Tree Location

Height

If you have a young puppy, I would recommend a four-foot tree placed on a three-foot side table covered with a holiday-themed cloth. Trust me, when having young puppies (six months and younger), it’s just not worth your time preventing puppy face plants at the bottom of a tree.

For taller trees and wildly running dogs, I would secure the middle/top of the tree to the wall. For security, choose a location that prevents visibility of the “tie down,” such as the wall behind the tree. I’ve used command mini hooks, which are strong, yet easily removed, and won’t leave wall marks.

Location

Place your tree in a low traffic area to keep decorations safely in place from romping puppies. I recommend choosing a corner or at least a location with one wall on the side or behind the tree. This provides a safe barrier to hide presents later.

Christmas Lights

Push light wires deep inside tree branches. Also, hide plugs behind the tree or place a barrier over the main outlets. If this is not an option, place lights so the main electrical strip is three to four feet from the ground or higher, depending on the size of your dog. Place the main electrical strip on a side table away from the floor.

Other Decorations

While puppy-proofing your Christmas tree is important, you may have other decorations you need to protect from your puppy. Here’s where things can quickly get crazy!

• Refrain from using any glass or easily breakable ornaments. They now create plastic ornaments with the shine or gloss of glass.
• Keep food off the tree. This means candy canes, popcorn, cranberries and so on. Instead, choose plastic candy canes or fill in holes with fake poinsettias flowers.
• Tinsel is deadly for dogs. I would bundle yarn, ribbon and string right next to tinsel. This stuff is a digestive nightmare for dogs, as it can really cause major issues by blocking the intestines.
• Holly, poinsettias and mistletoes are toxic to pets. Use artificial lookalikes instead or keep the real ones up high, so your puppy can’t reach.
• Keep candles up high and away from dogs. Choose a location, so it’s not easily knocked over, preferably a mantle.

Keeping Presents Safe

Puppies (1 year and under)

• Place presents on a table next to the tree.
• Put presents out on Christmas Day (or when your family gets together to open presents).
• Place a metal gate around tree to protect presents.
• Always confine puppy when you leave.

Adult Dogs

• Push presents deep into the corner under the tree.
• If you’re gift wrapping a dog chew to place under the tree, keep hidden in a safe place until the day you open presents. This is just too tempting even for a senior dog.
• Confine your dog whenever you leave. Don’t give him any chance to explore.

Christmas Tree Fascination Tips

It happens. Your dog finds the Christmas tree fascinating and just can’t leave it alone!

Male dog marks the tree

• Protect the Christmas tree by placing a foldable metal gate to block your dog from marking the tree. 🙂
• Try a Belly Band. This band fits around the waist and prevents male dogs from marking.

“I just can’t leave the tree alone”

• When your dog is sniffing the tree, call him to you. Reward with a fabulous food stuffed Kong to enjoy. This teaches him the tree is boring, but being next to you is fun!
• Supervised tethering works great when teaching your dog to ignore the tree.

Have a fabulous holiday and enjoy your beautiful tree!