August 25th, 2008
Never too Early to Think about Safety
Dog Safety: 10 Christmas Tree Decorating Tips For Your Dog In Mind
Creating a holiday tree that is both beautiful to look at for you and unattractive to your dog is a special challenge. Here are some suggestions to keep your tree pet-friendly.
1. Tree water at the base of live trees can be harmful if preservative chemicals have been added to prolong the life of the tree. Keep your dog from drinking the water by covering the tree basin with foil or a tree skirt.
2. Place dog-safe ornaments near the bottom of the tree in case your dog decides to use the ornaments as playthings.
3. Tie up loose electrical cords of the lights used to decorate the tree and keep them concealed by attaching them with wire or cord to the trunk of the tree. End-to-end lights eliminate individual cords dangling from the tree that might entice your dog to chew them.
4. If you have lots of tree lights that are not end to end, purchase a power strip in which to plug the lights. Attach the strip to the tree trunk at a level that is higher than the height of your dog. As a result, you will have only one heavy-duty power cord running from the tree to the outlet instead of several flimsy cords from single strings of lights.
5. To prevent your dog from knocking over your holiday tree, anchor it with cord or wire to the ceiling directly above the tree’s trunk. Don’t attach it with wire to a wall behind the tree because your dog could get caught in the wire if be darts behind the tree.
6. Spray the tower branches of the tree with bitter apple, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus, or other unappealing scents.
7. Hang your ornaments with ribbons rather than hooks to keep your dog from accidentally swallowing something that could get lodged in his throat.
8. Do not use tinsel or angel hair on your tree. Angel hair, made of glass fiber, and tinsel, made of metal, can cause internal damage if your dog swallows any.
9. Avoid decorating your tree with strings of berries or other edible ornaments - many are harmful if swallowed. The string on which they are attached can cause damage to your dog’s intestines if swallowed, and a dog, eager to get to the "treats," could knock over the tree.
10. If you like, decorate a small, artificial tree for your dog with items he will find appealing, such as doggie biscuits and dog toys. Hide the tree until you are ready for your dog to open his presents.
Remember that if you begin by introducing the dog to holiday hazards early in your relationship, you are far less likely to have problems with destructive behavior or illness related to decorations. Patience, kindness, consideration and respect all play tremendous roles in forging the positive bonds that create life long memories with your canine companion.
