[Jim]

For the past five years I've been putting my Christmas tree out on my side porch due to the fact that I have two active Bassets. In previous years i know the tree would have been knocked over or ornaments scattered. This year I decided that Jack and Maggie had matured enough so I decided to move the tree into the living-room. The tree looks rather odd because all the ornaments are on the upper half of the tree. ( to avoid sneaky ornament thieves) I had to work late today so my parents agreed to come over and let the hounds out. While they were at the house my parents went down in the basement to look at a couple of Christmas deer which won't light up due to a unknown broken bulb. Well anyway, my mother told my dad to keep going up to check on the hounds to make sure they wern't getting into any trouble. The first two times they were sleeping quietly on the couch. A few minues later my dad went up again and found five ornaments chewed up on the livingroom floor! So much for maturity! We still can't figure out how they got up in the tree to pull the ornaments down. They both looked innocent, but Jack wandered into the kitchen and threw up a piece of wood so I think he is the main suspect. Now all my ornaments are on the upper third of the tree. (very unusual looking) It's funny how many adjustments we make for our dogs.

 

[AmyB]

I don't do trees for the very situation you described. I do put up a tree for my Mom in her house. The problem there is since Sadie went to the Bridge, she keeps Spencer all day while I work. I warned her to keep an eye on him around the tree. Well, it has been up 1 week & he has left it alone -- until today! She was doing laundry & after returning upstairs one time she found him de-stuffing an ornament. No real harm done, it was an open bag, she re-stuffed it. It was just a little soggy with drool! Then after another trip from the basement she found him chewing on a wooden sled. He managed to chew one of the runners off. Now I'm worried. She does not have the heart to correct him. I'm afraid he'll have all her ornaments chewed before the holiday is over! Oh, I forgot to mention - he is 10 1/2 years old. So much for maturing is right!

 

[Mikey T]

Toughy alway loved to "pop" glass ornaments. Grab them off the tree , bite them until the explode with a little poooff in his mouth. He would jump, then go get another one. Never bothered any other ornaments. But he may of had a 'make you jump" fetish. When some one new was petting him he liked to let out unexpectantly with his big boy bark which general caused the petter to jump startled. He would do this every time that person pet him until final they got use to it and did not jump. All that had to happen was for the person not to jump one time and he stop the behavior. I had relatives that new him for 11 years and this fetish of his but still could not stop being startled every time he barked.

 

[Guest]

We got a kitten this summer so of course the tree has been a source of entertainment for her. Molly used to steal things from the tree so we too used to have the lower half undecorated--looked really weird. Well, the girls have learned to leave it alone but now the kitten has tried on 2 occasions to climb it. We have seen it moving from side to side and of course she has made it half way up the tree (the front claws are not out yet). So, we have a squirt bottle near the tree in case she attempts to scale it again......

 

[Sabian's mom]

My dogs have never bothered the tree. However Sabain opened a pair of shoes when he was a pup and chewed them up. They have also in the past found wrapped candy I didn't know was there and had early Christmas treats!

 

[BrunosParents28]

Oh boy we are putting our Christmas tree up right now...(I should be helping buttttttt Im on here instead) I guess I know what I have to look forward too with my cats and Bruno.....LOL...I hope I get some good pics of these moments Im expecting!!!

**Tyler**

 

[Aruuuu]

You could set up an ex-pen around the tree. Not very attractive, but it will keep the hounds away from ornaments, etc., that could be dangerous if ingested....

 

[Valerie and George]

I feel very lucky that George has never bothered our tree and even Gigi, Gallumph Extraordinaire, has ignored it after a few curious sniffs. The worst problem we've had is a few knocked-off ornaments due to wagging tails.