Are you finding it challenging this year to help your blind dog coexist with your Christmas tree?
Living with many blind dogs has taught me to be a bit creative with my trees. Some of my dogs have knocked the whole tree over! Others just bump into the tree enough to knock off my favorite ornaments, or to poke their eyes on the pine needles. Some have tried to open gifts that weren’t for them.
There were the alternatives of not having a tree or of putting the tree in another room and using a gate to prevent my blind dogs from getting into the room. But I enjoy having my dogs with me while I enjoy my Christmas tree.
So here are some of my favorite blind dogs and Christmas tree tips. You’ll need to see what works best for you and your dogs. Each dog will need something a bit different to keep both them and the tree safe from harm.
With a dog that isn’t going to bother your gifts, but who bumps into the tree, you might find that piling some larger gifts around the base of the tree will provide a buffer so your dog doesn’t poke her eyes on tree branches.
A dog that is very aware of texture and surface changes can be warned that they are getting near the tree by using a large textured tree skirt around the base of your tree. The skirt should poke out farther than the tree’s branches so your dog will have enough warning to stop or turn away before running into the tree.
You may decide to have a slightly smaller tree and place it up on a sturdy table. This will eliminate the chance of your dog bumping into the tree. Just make sure the table is sturdy in case your dog bumps into the table. Putting this table in a corner is also helpful to provide more stability.
One of my favorites is to use a small decorative fence around my Christmas tree. You can paint or decorate the fence to look festive, and you can choose how tall the fence needs to be based on your dog’s height. This will also prevent your dog from drinking water from below a live tree.
I'd love to hear your favorite tips for navigating the holiday season with your blind dog. Please share them with me below, and I may feature them in a future post!
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