Pet Christmas Disaster

I’ve heard the warnings and read the articles but have never taken any steps to secure my Christmas tree from my pets. So I’m not sure why I was shocked to find my newly decorated tree on the ground with pieces of glass ornaments scattered on my floor. How could my well-behaved dog knock down this massive tree? And why didn't I buy unbreakable ornaments? The thoughts were racing.

You never think that it could possibly happen to you, but it can. Not only was the tree knocked to the ground, but my dog so kindly peed on it. At first, the anger set it and I yelled at Junior. As he often does when he’s naughty, he ran into the bathroom (I don’t know why that’s his hiding place). So, I closed the door and began to clean up the mess. But as I heard his muffled cries, I knew Junior was sorry.

And I just have to note, Pip, my cat, was also milling around. I have to wonder, did he take part in this mess? Was there some other story behind this disaster? How do you punish a cat?

As the anger subsided, the internal dilemma began. Clearly I can be upset about the tree knocked to the floor, right? –Or should I be? Isn't it my fault for not following the rules and securing my tree? As for the puddle underneath, isn't it pet nature to pee on a tree? He IS a male dog. Plus, Junior is generally a great dog and as I look at his white eyebrows, gray cheeks and sad eyes, my heart melts. This 11-year-old dog has been a loyal companion, best friend – and I realize, I may not have many more Christmases to spend with him.

What's a few broken ornaments and some urine? It’s nothing a broom, mop and a squirt of Febreze can't fix.

The moral of this story: Secure your tree so you won’t have to clean up a mess and yell at your pets. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

One final thought – pets are awesome. Here’s just a another example of why