Help! My Dog Won’t Stop Tearing Off Christmas Ornaments
Understanding Why Your Dog is Tearing Off Christmas Ornaments
Every year, when Christmas rolls around, many pet owners scour the Internet, trying to find ways to keep their pets safe around their trees and the decor that they use. One of the most common questions that seem to come up is how to keep your dog from tearing off Christmas ornaments from the tree. While some people do not have this problem, if you have a young dog or one that is particularly mischievous, the Christmas ornaments that you hang onto your tree are often going to receive the brunt of this attitude.
Why are dogs attracted to the Christmas ornaments on a tree? There could be several reasons! One, this is new. After all, it doesn’t stay around throughout the entire year, so this is something new for your pet to investigate. Two, with all these Christmas ornaments dangling on the tree, to a dog that just wants to play, this is an invitation.
Signs that Your Dog’s Ornament-Chewing May Indicate a Larger Issue
What can happen if your pet were to eat one of these Christmas ornaments? That is another question that is commonly asked, and believe it or not, there have been several dogs that find themselves at the vet’s office because they decided that they just had to chomp into one of these ornaments that you have hanging on your tree. In the event that your dog does eat one of these Christmas ornaments, most vets will tell you to bring them into the office to check and ensure that this will not cause a stomach blockage. If there is no blockage, the dog will probably pass it the next day. However, if it does cause an issue, then this may mean surgery in order to remove the ornament that is causing the blockage. For this reason alone, you must figure out a way to keep your dog from tearing Christmas ornaments off the tree!
Tips for Preventing Ornament Destruction
So, what can you do?
1. Be stern with your dog so that they know this is a ‘no no’. This is probably one of the best methods as your dog needs to be trained to simply leave the tree alone. For some dogs, a few times of correction and are fine. Other dogs may decide to do as you said while you are around, then attack this once you are gone.
2. If you do leave, be sure that the dog cannot access the tree. For this reason, many dog owners may crate their dog during Christmas as there is just too much for him or her to get into if they have the chance. This is best for those who have a dog that they know will take advantage of being left alone!
3. Get your dog some of their own toys to play with in hopes of discouraging them from grabbing the Christmas ornaments. Studies have shown that when dogs have something to occupy their time, whether this is a toy or special bone, then they are less likely to get into trouble with other things like your tree!
