Oh Christmas tree...

[L.M.]

So I am a Christmas fanatic...I'm 26...have only lived in my house for 2 years...and have already accumulated 4 Christmas trees of different shapes and sizes.  As my favorite time of year approaches, I have begun to worry about my Christmas ornament snatcher...AKA Seamus doodle.  He is a year and a half and is no longer crated.  On any normal day, he is a perfect angel when left alone.  Never has accidents or steals things or anything.  BUT do I trust my big man alone with my Christmas trees?  We attempted gating him in the kitchen and when we came home Houdini escaped, so the gate is a no go.  Deep down I think he'll be fine, but I'm just curious....Do you all trust your doodles alone with a tree and their super-tempting ornaments???   (My childhood dog...a chubby pug...used to lay in the village under the tree and steal the little village people and mini trees...I found it hilarious at the time....now it comes back to haunt me.)   =)  

[Phoebe's Mom]

I am not going to be of much help here because our Phoebe--almost 2 years old--is still crated whenever I leave but I do have to say that I worry so much about the Christmas tree! Last year, she ate some of the pine needles while I was in the kitchen and she got sick from them. Our house is open concept so gating the tree is impossible for us but might that work for you? Do you think Seamus might compromise that as well? The holidays are so difficult with all those pretty, sparkly temptations all about the house. I wish you luck!

[Camilla and Darwin]

A fellow Christmas fanatic! It's ironic that you posted this because I put up my tree yesterday. Yes, I said it. I put my tree up, YESTERDAY.

As you can see, this is a tabletop tree, so the issues don't really apply. Last year we had a full size tree though. Darwin was fine when we were watching. We put these little glittery twig sticks in the tree, orange ones. Well, we started to notice some... orange glittery stuff in his poop. LOL. Anyways, we figured out he had been pulling them off the tree when we weren't looking and chewing them. So no... I don't really trust him.

I haven't figured out any solutions, except one time I saw someone who had gated off their tree into a corner, I can't find a photo of it.. but it was basically a rounded fence type thing that curved around the base of the tree, blocking any pets from reaching it.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I put mine behind the couch a few years ago. Looked ....well stupid, but it was safe and so were my dogs. Oh, and I only had Lights on the tree. NOTHING that even resembled a BALL.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Hilarious! I love that you admitted to something most (not me) would find a little bit um, different. I have not stepped into the tree this early (mainly because I use real) but I plan to adorn the house inside and out this weekend. My husband makes me wait until day after Turkey Day.

Our old pal Zach used to love the Christmas tree, he never bothered one thing but would get himself under there and sleep - kind of like in nature. We loved it.
Daisy will probably be fine - we have a big live tree in the corner that she never even glances at and I also have a decorative tree with flowers in another corner, doesn't bother with that either.

Am I being naive or what?! LOL

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I am a Christmas fanatic also. Would not trust my dogs unsupervised around my tree. But then I just paid a $2200 vet bill because Tigger( 2 and 1/2) ate a disposable razor while we were on vacation and my daughters were watching the dogs. Daughters are much more repenitent than Tigger, I might add.

I love everything Christmas and have a nativity that goes in the bay window every year. Roo and Tigger have provided it with the only entire flock of legless sheep in nativity history. I pretend they (the sheep) are lying down.

I can't wait for the day after Thansgiving when DH helps me get everything out of the attic!

[Melissa & Porter]

LOL. I can mail you my daughter's footless Barbies to go with your legless sheep.

[Carol and Banjo]

I'm laughing out loud Maryann about your poor legless sheep....opps! I mean your "laying down" sheep!
I'm a Christmas fanatic too.....and WAY over decorate.....this will be our 1st Christmas with Banjo....his birthday is actually on Christmas Eve!!!!! Maybe we'll put him in the manger ! ; -) Although he's crated when we're out....I have no idea how he'll behave when I'm not supervising him...like when I'm taking a shower or cooking or anywhere else in the house. This is going to be interesting!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Last year Guinness was fine with the tree...he never touched it. This year with Murph is probably going to be a totally different story. I've been wondering the same thing, since the boys are "free" now when we aren't home. A gate would be more of a challenge than a deterrent for Murph. I still have to figure this out. I can close off all but the kitchen with doors, and I may have to resort to that just to be sure.

[L.M.]

This past Sunday, we gave a gate in the kitchen a trial run before Thanksgiving when we actually put up our trees...The gate was meant to keep Seamus out of the living room. Well, we were out for 3 hours and as we pulled up in the driveway, Seamus' big puffy head was in the living room window staring back at us. He must have pushed through the gate. He never touches any of my normal decor, but he just LOVES to look out our low living room windows, which is exactly where the tree goes. We are thinking of putting it in a corner this year that is more out of his reach.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Murph is gonna be hel&* on wheels with that tree. He and Peri might have the same momma as far as I'm concerned. They can both be up to no good, especially with anything *new* in the room LOL!

We do a tree on a planter in the corner - Peri can't get to it. But I am in a condo not a house and next year hopefully the house will have a full tree. Just might have to install fencing. HEHE

[Adina P]

I put an expen around it the 1st year...took it down once doggies showed little interest.  Try an expen to start and gauge his interest.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

If you are too worried about Seamus doodle munching on your tree you might want to consider putting an exercise pen around the tree until he is no longer curious.