The holidays are coming

edited November 2008 in Behavior & Training
...what are your experiences with your furry kids and Xmas trees?

It's our first Xmas with the kids, so we're wondering the possible situations we might face after putting up our tree.
During the day it won't be accessible to them, since it will be in the living room and they're out in the entrance (Kuma) and the kitchen (Nyx), and in the evening we'll be home when they have access to the tree so it shouldn't be. When we go to bed, the living room is closed too, they have free run only of the bedroom, the entrance and the kitchen.

What has happened to you?

Comments

  • edited November -1
    Our tree is placed in a corner behind our loveseat for multiple reasons...kids & dogs. Basically, we only decorate the upper half of the tree (dogs are not allowed on our furniture) and there's no access to where the lights are plugged in for Jazz or Sally to chew on them. It's a family tradition that no presents get put out until Christmas Eve, so those aren't a problem, either - we pile them on the loveseat in front of the tree.
  • edited November -1
    I have to ask....what is a loveseat?
  • edited November -1
    A small couch meant for two
  • edited November 2008
    we put our small (maybe 5 foot?) tree on top of a dog crate this year. so far, no issues. I'll take a picture, its quite classy :)

    *cats - the last few years we had some fosters or friends with cats come over - inevitably, one cat always ventures in and up the tree.
  • edited November -1
    Might you have a picture of a "christmas cat"?

    I've grown up always having dogs and I must have been very lucky because we never and a problem with ornament-eating, electrical cord chewing, "tree-watering", or anything else other than slight curiousity as to what exactly was now residing in our home. Let's see how we do with this dog.
  • edited November -1
    we do have a pic of a former long time foster kitty Tallulah reaching from my hubby's arms into the tree. I'll have to scan it in later tonight. I'm told Tallulah is naturally drawn to trees to this day, too.
  • edited November -1
    The cats love getting into the Christmas tree and the ornaments. We wont have a tree this year but next year we just plan on not having a single breakable ornament on our tree...especially considering that Spaz will be 8 months old by then.
  • edited November -1
    We get a very small live tree in a planter. Like 2-2.5 tall and keep it on our dining room table. With the cats AND the dogs that has always been our best solution and if I was a better plant care taker theoretically I would still have it....
  • edited November -1
    Hanzo helped me decorate yesterday:
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    then he got distracted:
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    The glorious dog crate tree:
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    Admit it, it is classy:
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    From Holidays 08
    Former foster cat Talullah:
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    Tallulah in tree and "freshman-30" Jen!:
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    Let me see your Christmas decor!
  • edited November -1
    That is so cute!!
  • edited November -1
    I love Hanzo!
  • edited November -1
    it is classy! hehe
  • edited November -1
    The cats have been pretty good. I've had one climb up the tree a couple of times (previously owned cats & current as kits). Now that they are older only the ordements begin to disappear and become their play toys -grins-.

    Surprisingly, neither Lynxiene or Shoushuu have been around a christmas tree unsupervised. I took Lynx to the Christmas tree lot when she was a pup (between 9 weeks-12 weeks of age). The 2 years I lived with my dad, she wasn't allowed in the house, except for my room...but of course I gave her supervised run of it when my dad wasn't home and she's never knocked down a tree. Last year I didn't have a tree and this year it is going to be in the main house and we're (me and my animal crew) live in the back house. I'm planning on taking Shoushuu to the Christmas tree lot this year!
  • edited November -1
    I only decorate the upper 3/4 of the tree. The dogs are fine, though they might inadvertently knock down an ornament or two. It's the cat's that we have trouble with. Luckily, they don't climb into the tree, but they do play with the ornaments they are able to reach.

    The Christmas tree blanket thing that goes around the base to cover the stand is another story. The dogs destroy that, so no more blanket for us. Presents have to be monitored closely. The dogs will poke at them and pull off the bows.

    Jen: That is one skinny a%% tree!
  • edited November -1
    I know Barbara! Its a box tree :(
  • edited November -1
    This is both the Shiba's first Christmas with us so I don't know how they will react to a tree. We are getting a little live, potted tree and putting it up on a table in the living room so they can't touch it. After Christmas, and once the ground un-freezes, I will plant it in the backyard.
  • edited November -1
    This is Keikos first Christmas with us... and so far she hasn't been allowed near the tree (still stuck in her little 'calm' area til Monday-ish). Belle could really care less that there's a tree in our house... she's much more concerned with finding a lap to sit on or food to mooch on :o) Here are a couple pictures of our (quite boring) tree. We're starting the 'buy a nice ornament each year' tradition this year since it's our first official year living together... hopefully we're getting the Swarovski snowflake!

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    Photobucket

    Oh yeah... the only present under the tree is for my best friend - ironically it's a Channukah gift wrapped in "Merry Christmas!" paper... she'll appreciate the humor ;o)
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