Tips to Prevent Dogs From Peeing On Your Christmas Tree
Five steps to prevent your pup from ‘decorating’ your tree
You brought home your Christmas tree about 25 seconds ago, and the dog’s already peed on it. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Around this time of year, people start frantically asking their dog trainers how to prevent this very problem.
Though we see Christmas trees as decorations, their purpose is far from clear to dogs. The good news is that most dogs (who are thoroughly house-trained) won’t pee indoors just because a tree is suddenly under their roof. But it’s good to think ahead and be proactive if you want your tree to be free of wee. Here are a few tips to keep your festivities in the clear.
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opens in a new tab1. Go back to house-training 101
Before the tree goes up, it’s important to get back to basics – no matter how well your dog is house-trainedopens in a new tab or how many years it’s been since they had an accident, especially if it is your dog’s first experience with an indoor tree. A dog who pees on a Christmas tree is confused, not acting out. Give your dog some help by letting them know that you still want them to go outside.
Take your dog outside often for walks and time in the garden. You want to provide plenty of opportunities for them to pee in the right places.
Reinforce peeing outside with high-value treats every time, to make sure that your dog knows where they are supposed to go pee.
Never let your dog out of your sight while inside, especially at a guest’s house.
Practice using ‘leave itopens in a new tab’ for a variety of objects in the house that are off limits, including the tree, and reinforce the dog’s correct response to this cue with treats, play and chew items. You’ll feel good about helping your dog avoid a mistake.
2. Use prevention barriers
Supervise your dog so that there is no chance for your dog to sneak toward the tree. Watching them constantly is the best way to guarantee they will not ‘decorate’ the tree. If you cannot supervise them, block your dog’s access to the tree with gates or other barriersopens in a new tab. Putting a hoover next to a tree may work for some dogs. Tethering your dog to you with a leash is another way to be sure you know where your dog is and what they are doing.
3. Look out for signs
Be alert for signs that your dog may be about to go, such as sniffing or circling. By the time a dog has started to lift a leg or squat, it is often too late to stop them from peeing.
If you do see your dog doing this by the tree, make a sound that’s loud enough to cause a startled reaction, but not so loud that it’s scary. Take your dog outside immediately and reinforce your dog for urinating outside with treats and praise.
If you end up with pee on the tree, clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaneropens in a new tab so the area will not smell like a toilet to your dog.
4. Normalise the tree
Spend quiet time with your dog near the tree, massaging and scratching them, or letting them chew on a Kongopens in a new tab or other chew treat, so they consider the tree part of their living space. Dogs are less likely to pee in areas where they hang out or sleep.
5. Reinforce and redirect
If your dog sniffs the Christmas tree or goes near it, reinforce them for being near it but not peeing on it. Do this by teaching your dog to do something specific near the tree, such as ‘sit’ or ‘lie down’. This gives them a go-to behaviour to do in that area other than peeing. If your dog develops positive history with a behaviour other than peeing on the tree, they will be less likely to pee on it.
