ejano Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 Robin the red nosed Border Collie is on Santa's naughty list....he'd been stealthily clearing off the ornaments from the bottom of Santa's favorite tree for the past few days - Santa decorates nostalgically as if there were little children in the house -- unbreakable ones down low and in Robin's defense, those plastic snowmen DID looked like chew toys, and well, those two Santa replicas and that angel did really look like stuffies... It kind of upset Santa because he has this game every year for guests....guess how many Santa figures there are on the trees and put out around the house and Robin was upsetting the count, but Santa forgave the initial misunderstanding.... Well, Mrs. Claus didn't like where Santa had put that tree downstairs so she made him move it yesterday. Santa chose a new spot by the stairs - not Mrs Claus approved either, but that's another story - though Santa should have listened because , while Santa was working on his accounts, Robin the Red Nosed Border Collie found a whole new smorgasbord of the more delicate and rare Christmas ornaments to munch on, including a parachuting Santa (lots of strings to tangle in the gut) a glass Santa orb he assumed was a new ball (smashed on the carpet, hopefully none of the pieces ingested) and, a real worry -- a Starfish Santa - half ingested, all of which which prompted a frantic call to the vet because are long dead starfish poisonous to red-nosed Border Collies??? and what about all the dye and paint on the starfish that was made in some unknown foreign country???, and the string, the glass....! All this done quietly within about ten feet of Santa! Mrs. Claus spent the rest of the day following Robin around making sure he was peeing and pooping properly while Santa went grumbling off to the North Pole workshop shouting loudly as he went out of sight, "When you're not watching that dog, he's going in a crate!!!!" (That's not exactly the problem...Mrs. Claus always puts him in a crate when she's not watching him, but that's another story...) Robin has definitely made the naughty list, but at least he'll live to tell the tale. If you too have an inquisitive Border Collie with a taste for the unusual, mind where you set your tree....and other Christmas decorations.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 Hoooooooooo boy! Dean ate part of an ornament a few years ago and I was worried. All turned out fine, though. Last year was the first year since then that our tree was back on the floor after spending a couple of Christmas's up on a table. This year it's back on the table! Tessa hasn't gotten into much, but I do worry about her ingesting parts of ornaments. Maybe by next year it will be on the floor again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushdoggie Posted December 18, 2010 Report Share Posted December 18, 2010 Heh. I keep an ex-pen around the bottom of the tree when I have "untrustables" in the house. Add a little garland around the top and voila! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted December 19, 2010 Report Share Posted December 19, 2010 How scary. Glad everything seems to be okay. We put up three trees and in six years, thankfully, Scooter has never paid any attention to any of them, the decorations or the wrapped packages underneath. I still keep a close eye on him though. No dog is ever 100%. His stocking, on the other hand, is another story. The minute we hang it up, he's very interested in what's inside, and he knows which stocking is his. He doesn't even bother with the other two. On Christmas morning we take down his stocking and let him figure out how to get all the goodies out of it, then he unwraps his gifts. He's gotten quite good at it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejano Posted December 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 How scary. Glad everything seems to be okay. We put up three trees and in six years, thankfully, Scooter has never paid any attention to any of them, the decorations or the wrapped packages underneath. I still keep a close eye on him though. No dog is ever 100%. His stocking, on the other hand, is another story. The minute we hang it up, he's very interested in what's inside, and he knows which stocking is his. He doesn't even bother with the other two. On Christmas morning we take down his stocking and let him figure out how to get all the goodies out of it, then he unwraps his gifts. He's gotten quite good at it! Sounds like our house! We haven't had our three trees ("official" tree, "Santa" tree, and "homemade" tree) up for several years because my troubles started right at Christmas 08, so Santa was really going to town this year...but Robin's stealth attack brought things to a screeching halt -- He didn't want to risk the homemade ornaments that go on the third tree - those that children had given him over the years he'd been Santa in various schools, churches, etc.... Now...Anybody know where I can get a Starfish Santa Claus ornament? I'd be happy to travel to Florida...it's about 14 degrees here....last year was much easier...Robin only chewed up a pair of Santa's boots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Ohhh..I love that picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach BCs Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 The shop I used to work for sold lobster claw Santas. Can't say that I've seen a starfish Santa but I'll take a look in town. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyTDogs Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Now...Anybody know where I can get a Starfish Santa Claus ornament? I'd be happy to travel to Florida...it's about 14 degrees here....last year was much easier...Robin only chewed up a pair of Santa's boots! Ummmm duuuh...Amazon of course Or maybe This One is better?? I think I like This One the best tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippin's person Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 That is a naughty dog. Many years ago when we had a very naughty kitty, we decided to stop putting decorations up (esp. the tree). Since we've had a series of naughty kitties since, we have had to maintain that practice. Lucky pups as I'm sure we have some holiday mischief makers among them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejano Posted December 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 That is a naughty dog. Many years ago when we had a very naughty kitty, we decided to stop putting decorations up (esp. the tree). Since we've had a series of naughty kitties since, we have had to maintain that practice. Lucky pups as I'm sure we have some holiday mischief makers among them. I think he's just got it in for Santa -- he never touches any of my things. (I don't decorate the trees -- that's Santa's thing and the pups laid right there watching Santa do it!). Nor does he "act out" when I'm around. He's loose all day long in the house when I'm home and nary a tooth mark on anything. If he's not interested in what I"m doing, he just goes into his crate and takes a nap. But if I leave the house and he's alone more than five minutes with Santa, something is shredded...I've suggested he gets anxious because DH "dens up" with Brodie and Ladybug in the recliner. DH says no way, he's deliberately trying to get me trouble because he's done some pretty interesting things... Thanks for the tips on the ornaments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuxedodog Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Our tree redecorators are cats, the dogs leave the tree alone. Had to replace the peppermint ballast in the train cars with strings of colored beads - boooring. Trevor tiger has a couple of activities. My most favorite, how high up can I jump and pluck balls from the tree - less every year - and the garland war with my husband. Cat pulls garland off bottom of tree, huband puts back up and walks away, cat repeats as often as husband does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejano Posted December 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Our tree redecorators are cats, the dogs leave the tree alone. Had to replace the peppermint ballast in the train cars with strings of colored beads - boooring. Trevor tiger has a couple of activities. My most favorite, how high up can I jump and pluck balls from the tree - less every year - and the garland war with my husband. Cat pulls garland off bottom of tree, huband puts back up and walks away, cat repeats as often as husband does. Oh, the memories....Baby's first Christmas, he was just learning to walk -- he chased the cat up the tree, the tree came crashing down, thankfully missing Baby. It was my first Grinchy Christmas . Tiger Lily has never bothered the tree - famous last words... Still wondering about Robin - he was horribly sick in his crate this morning (diarrhea). They didn't get to go out at ten o'clock because we were doing Santa pictures with our great nephew, then suddenly then the smell of something really nasty came wafting up from the mudroom... Nothing unusual (no blood, slime, unusual parts of things like undigested ornaments etc.), just a great big stinky mess.... Santa eventually confessed he had given him a great big dollop of yogurt with breakfast instead of just a tablespoon so perhaps that was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Star happily brings me presents that are under the tree! I tell her, well thank you but this is mine, and put it back under the tree. A couple days later, she'll bring another one. She hasn't bothered the tree or ornaments at all. I hope Robin is okay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Our tree redecorators are cats, the dogs leave the tree alone. Had to replace the peppermint ballast in the train cars with strings of colored beads - boooring. Trevor tiger has a couple of activities. My most favorite, how high up can I jump and pluck balls from the tree - less every year - and the garland war with my husband. Cat pulls garland off bottom of tree, huband puts back up and walks away, cat repeats as often as husband does. My Mother's cat, Smokey, likes to climb up her trees and lay on the branches near the base of the tree. He then proceeds to bat the ornaments off of the tree from inside the tree. My mother is unimpressed, but has yet to figure out how to stop him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 My Mother's cat, Smokey, likes to climb up her trees and lay on the branches near the base of the tree. He then proceeds to bat the ornaments off of the tree from inside the tree. My mother is unimpressed, but has yet to figure out how to stop him. Tell your mom to get some two sided tape and wrap it around the trunk and lower branches near the trunk where he likes to lay. Cat's don't like sticky stuff! Just a thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted December 20, 2010 Report Share Posted December 20, 2010 Heh heh... last year was no problem. This year, Bess isn't bothering the tree, but apparently thinks all gifts are hers. We finally decided Santa won't come until Christmas morning, when Bess is safely crated. We left last saturday and were gone all day for a graduation, quick potty break for her, then off to office party. She didn't like it. she had left a box of gifts on the floor alone for a whole week. The next morning, we left as usual for church. We got home at the usual time, to bits of wrapping paper, cardboard box, and broken wooden puzzle bits strewn from one end of the house to the other. Then yesterday, she took an empty gift bag sitting by the tree for looks, and she tore it to smithereens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 Heh heh... last year was no problem. This year, Bess isn't bothering the tree, but apparently thinks all gifts are hers. We finally decided Santa won't come until Christmas morning, when Bess is safely crated. We left last saturday and were gone all day for a graduation, quick potty break for her, then off to office party. She didn't like it. she had left a box of gifts on the floor alone for a whole week. The next morning, we left as usual for church. We got home at the usual time, to bits of wrapping paper, cardboard box, and broken wooden puzzle bits strewn from one end of the house to the other. Then yesterday, she took an empty gift bag sitting by the tree for looks, and she tore it to smithereens. Sounds like she's annoyed at being left alone so much lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 We got our first cat in about October 1967. I was pregnant and due the beginning of January. So, by Christmas, I was not up to policing Ulthar's tree explorations. We put one of our stereo speakers behind the tree. The amplifier was withing reach of the couch and chair. We may have been poor, but we had - still have - some great stereo equipment. Every time Ulthar went behind the tree, I cranked the speakers way up for a second. And he'd come flying out. He learned to leave the tree alone - it always screamed at him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejano Posted December 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 We got our first cat in about October 1967. I was pregnant and due the beginning of January. So, by Christmas, I was not up to policing Ulthar's tree explorations. We put one of our stereo speakers behind the tree. The amplifier was withing reach of the couch and chair. We may have been poor, but we had - still have - some great stereo equipment. Every time Ulthar went behind the tree, I cranked the speakers way up for a second. And he'd come flying out. He learned to leave the tree alone - it always screamed at him. I'm passing this training trick on to my son! One of his cats is a dedicated climber (the cat perches atop doors!) and so refuses to put up a tree, something that drives Santa wild...he's threatened to sneak over to his house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted December 21, 2010 Report Share Posted December 21, 2010 Sounds like she's annoyed at being left alone so much lately. LOL... Yeah, I was on a very lo cal diet for a little while, so I couldn't go walking because it gave me foot /leg cramps pretty bad... she really was annoyed about that, but we are getting back outside into the great wild winter weather now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 We got our first cat in about October 1967. I was pregnant and due the beginning of January. So, by Christmas, I was not up to policing Ulthar's tree explorations. We put one of our stereo speakers behind the tree. The amplifier was withing reach of the couch and chair. We may have been poor, but we had - still have - some great stereo equipment. Every time Ulthar went behind the tree, I cranked the speakers way up for a second. And he'd come flying out. He learned to leave the tree alone - it always screamed at him. Great idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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