Have you added a new dog to your family this year and you’re worried he’ll decide to “water” your Christmas tree? The good news is that most dogs who are well house-trained won’t suddenly decide that an indoor tree makes peeing inside acceptable.
If you are still concerned or your dog has already proven himself untrustworthy around the tree, there are some steps you can take to keep your tree urine-free this Christmas. You might have success just picking one of these ideas, but the more of these steps you utilize, the better chance of success you and your pooch will have.
#1 – Deny him access to the tree (especially when he’s unsupervised)
This might mean blocking off the perimeter of the tree with an exercise pen or it might mean keeping the door closed to the room the tree is in when nobody is in there keeping an eye on the situation.
#2 – Keep your dog in sight at all times
If you don’t have a way to deny your dog access to the tree, you might consider attaching your dog’s leash to yourself as you go about the house doing your daily routine so that you always know where he’s at. For dogs that go into kennels or backyards when their owners leave the house, this may be a plausible way to keep your dog away from the tree.
#3 – Housebreaking 101
Go back to the basics of potty training. Take your dog out very often throughout the day and reward him with treats for doing his business outside. Watch for signals that your dog is about to eliminate like sniffing or circling and take him out before he has the chance to do anything.
#4 – Distract him
If you don’t get him away from the tree quickly enough and he lifts his leg, make a sound loud enough to startle (but not frighten) him in order to get him to stop before emptying his entire bladder onto your tree.
If there’s been a failure…
Be sure to clean up any urine with a strong enzymatic cleaner. This way, the area won’t smell like an acceptable place to use as a restroom to your dog. Afterward, start over again from step 1.
(H/T: The Bark)
