ArchersMomma Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 About 8 years ago I decided that we were going to have a "traditional" Christmas and do the whole "bush whacker" thing and get a real tree. Well that didn't work out since we couldn't find the time to actually make it to a tree farm! However, we did bring home a lovely real Christmas tree from the local nursery! I was so excited to smell the nice pine tree and spent hours upon hours decorating this lovely and most perfect tree! Even had "snow" under it in the form of quilting batting. The next day I noticed something funny on the "snow" while rushing by one morning on my way to work. Pondered it briefly, then headed on my way. That night, I was wrapping gifts by the tree, when Tucker came by...sniffed the tree...THEN COCKED HIS LEG AND PEED ON IT!!! Then Kodi came right behind him and tried to do the same!! I was mortified! THE NERVE! That was the last year for our "real" tree experiences. I can only assume that the tree farmer had a dog that he took with him when he trimmed trees and naturally the dog peed on the tree and my dogs smelled it? Has anyone else had this experience?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 My trees are all fake (that sounds so negative, doesn't it?) I'm allergic to well...life for the most part, so we have to use the "realistic" ones. Scooter's been good about not lifting his leg on any of them. Guess he's smart enough to know the difference between a real one and a fake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 We've always had real trees and never had a problem - well, other than the year that I got real creative and hung real cookie ornaments on the tree. Arwen, our Airedale, ate every one off the lower two-thirds of the tree overnight. I suppose that, if you bring in a real tree, you run the risk of it having been "marked" by a dog beforehand, and therefore your dogs will feel obliged to make their contributions. And, if not, they are accustomed to doing that to trees outside. But, they don't have to do that inside. Either set something up that blocks access to the tree (at least until they get used to it being there and it's lost its "newness") or make sure to be there if they are there and watch closely, forestalling any attempt to give a sniff and a tinkle. Catch him/her just considering it, which is best, and give a proper correction so that the dog knows that it's not acceptable. We've had numerous, intact males and females over the years and always a live tree, and not a pee. It can be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanillalove Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Every year, my mom goes out and buys new Christmas bulbs on Boxing Day when they go on sale. She sort of collects them so she put a lot of time and money into them, and they always have to match. The cats love to sit under the tree and we've never really had a problem with them, until.. the first year we had Petey. He chased the cat right under the tree and the entire thing fell over, and every single of my mom's precious christmas decoration shattered. Pete was so scared to death that he won't get any closer than a meter or so, so I guess he learned his lesson! I'd just keep an eye on Tucker and give him a sharp "Aht aht!" if he looks like he's approaching the tree funny. Or train a "leave it" on the tree so you can keep him away from it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 That night, I was wrapping gifts by the tree, when Tucker came by...sniffed the tree...THEN COCKED HIS LEG AND PEED ON IT!!! Then Kodi came right behind him and tried to do the same!! I was mortified! THE NERVE! OK, on the internet it's hard to tell when someone's kidding, so I apologize in advance if you are joking and I missed it. But look at things from the dogs' perspective. All their lives, it's been ok to urinate on trees. Probably they've even been told they were good for urinating on trees. Suddenly, for the first time in their lives, there's a tree in their living room. Do you see how they might think it's ok to pee on that tree, particularly if they haven't been told to leave it alone? I really think it was an honest mistake on the dogs' part. No use getting angry about it - just get another real tree this year and teach them that trees in living rooms are different from trees in the yard - dogs may look but not touch. Or pee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchersMomma Posted November 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 OK, on the internet it's hard to tell when someone's kidding, so I apologize in advance if you are joking and I missed it. LOL! Ok..well I'm kind of sarcastic so yah...I wasn't really MAD...but just kinda thought, HOW RUDE! Didn't they SEE how much WORK and EFFORT and LOVE I put into decorating that tree!! But yes, I definitely saw it from their persepective which is why we have had a fake tree ever since. However, I do like the ideas of teaching them the difference so once Tucker "goes" we will try. He's going on 13 and I just don't have the heart to try and teach him not to do something that's so natural for him to do. Besides, he'd probably just forget he's such an old forgetful fart now. Poor Tuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Ah, Christmas Tree! What memories! This is the first picture I ever took of Dean in our house when we adopted him two years ago just before Christmas. Speedy: "Make it leave now, please!" Dean: "Where am I? Why am I here? What is that thing in front of your face? Can I get back to my exploration of those kitchen counters now?" Ha! They are good friends now and Dean is quite happy two years later. Anyway, that NOEL ornament was crushed beyond recognition a week later. You guessed it . . . !! We haven't had a real tree since the year before we got Sammie! It's been a loooooooooooong time! So, I have nothing to add. I just wanted to share that memory! Enjoy Archer this year! The first Christmas is a special memory - crushed ornaments and knocked over trees and all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Dean is half tiger, right? I see what you mean when you mention that some folks might think you got him for color. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach BCs Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I've never had a problems with the dogs and a live tree but the cats used to climb it constantly and knock the decorations around. One morning we even found the tree toppled over. The cats were not small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 The only accident our tree typically meets with is that it always sits in "Ben's corner." Ben always thought it was very nice that we'd provide him with shrubbery and a blankey - and BALLS! No matter how high we put those balls, they'd gradually end up on the floor as time went on. Sniff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Dean is half tiger, right? I see what you mean when you mention that some folks might think you got him for color. Wow. I want to see more pictures of Dean! Sorry....off topic. I get a fake tree. DH and I fought every Christmas about if the real one was crooked or straight. So I finally got an easy-to-set-up fake tree and did it myself. Never had a dog pee on my tree. More Dean pictures, please. B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anda Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 I had the same fear two years ago. Three years ago, in 2005, we brough Ouzo home a few days before Christmas, a total coincidence with the holiday, and he was too tiny to do any major damage. Or so we thought. I mean, how can a itty bitty puppy do any harm? Just look at him compared to the tree: Well, he did manage to pull on some branches and knock the tree down at least a couple of times. And the ornaments? Yumm! As he grew up and took marking as a hobby, but luckily never in the house, I feared the next Christmas. I was certain Ouzo will say "WOW, finally, indoor plumbing!" He never attempted to mark the tree or even take the ornaments off, despite them looking like tempting balls. And this is a dog who goes nuts for balls and he's been known to mark even other dogs (on occasion... I think Laura witnessed it once but the victims never seem to mind) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 None of mine pee on the tree - but my doG they looooove to drink the water out of the tree stand! Every animal in my house has balsam breath till Epiphany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 We've been so lucky. Never had a problem or anything eaten or peed on. But of course their first Christmas, I told them both, "No peein on the tree!" anyhow. Just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esox Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 We have not tried a real tree with the dogs yet. In my pre canine days I had a real tree which the cats loved. Cameron brought me one ornament every morning. And then there was the cordless phone. I placed in on an end table which Tommy liked. A little while later I couldn't find it. I paged it, I searched , no phone. The next day I went to water the tree and guess what I found. Tommy got the blame because as a young cat he would push everything off of tables. Esox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 More Dean pictures, please. B Ask and you shall receive . . . http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=21786 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordercentrics Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Years ago our solution to dogs lifting their legs on the tree, knocking the tree over or ornaments off was to get a small tree and set it up on a table or entertainment center. For years we had dogs that were a lot heavier than Border Collies, and just having one or two of them trot quickly through the living room would set the tree (floor model) to vibrating and sometimes ornaments would start wiggling and drop off. It was not even required that a dog even touch the tree to do this! To this day we have small trees that are up on something, so there is never a problem, and no dog is tempted....This way you can go real or artificial according to your taste! Kathy Robbins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophinator Posted November 26, 2008 Report Share Posted November 26, 2008 I don't put up a tree anymore so my Sophia is deprived of the chance to create mischief. In my childhood, however, we had an intact male Bull Terrier. Let's see. Intact male. Real tree. What do you think happened? We scrambled to pick up the now rather damp presents and we're quite relieved to see that that all the packages so marked belonged to immediate family! Subsequently, Mr BT spent the holidays in the basement unless someone was really, really watching him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4pack Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Always a real tree. Intact males. Never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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