A Christmas Tree is a source of Joy during the holidays but can pose dangerous hazards to your Bulldog.

Your Bulldog may think that your Christmas tree is their best friend at least during the holidays. Most dogs are instinctively drawn to its inviting smell and the allure of gift boxes, wrappings, lights and ornaments. But beware, their natural curiosity can place them at risk for serious injury or worse.

This is our Pre-Lit Noma Christmas Tree we just decorated! We decided to place it in the Front Foyer as this is an area of our home where our Bulldogs do not really visit often.  However we understand not all families can have their Holiday Tree in a place away from their dogs access.  My mum always has her Christmas Tree in the Family Room where the Bulldogs frequent, But the adults are not as inquisitive about the tree as the Bulldren Babies are. 

Hazard Awareness and Prevention: Age, temperament, and your dog’s energy level all play a role in how much mischief they may get themselves into. Even the most well behaved Bulldog can succumb to the temptation of a Christmas tree and its trimmings. Short of 24/7 supervision, your next best defense to ensure your Bulldogs safety is to take precautions that minimize or eliminate the risks to access to the tree.

               REAL CHRISTMAS TREES POSE THE MOST DANGER

Real Christmas Trees are Beautiful and fun to pick/chop down as a family but they do pose a higher safety hazard for your beloved Bully!  We have always had fake trees for this reason alone, if you do decide a real tree is something you must have then please read these tips to keep your Bulldog safe.

 Needles: Don’t let your Bulldog chew or swallow fallen Christmas tree needles. They are not digestible and can be mildly toxic depending upon your bulldog’s size and how much they ingest. The fir tree oils can irritate your dog’s mouth and stomach and cause them to vomit or drool excessively. Tree needles also can obstruct or puncture their gastrointestinal tract.

Water: Tree water can poison your dog. Preservatives, pesticides, fertilizers and other agents, such as aspirin, are commonly added to tree water to keep the tree fresh. Treated water can be harmful to a thirsty Bulldog -so use a covered tree water dish to be safe.

Lights: Some types can get very hot and burn your bulldog. Firmly tape cords to the wall or floor and check them regularly for chew marks or punctures. Bulldogs as we know are chewers and will gnaw on electrical cords and lights can receive electric shocks and mouth burns. Chewing on wire also can cause pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) which can be fatal to your Bully!. If your Bulldog cannot be kept away from the Christmas tree do not string the bottom half of your tree.

Ornaments: Avoid decorating your tree with edible or glass holiday ornaments. Your bulldog may knock over the tree trying to get to one, or injure itself trying to play with a broken one. Swallowing an ornament also can cause a gastrointestinal blockage. Some ornaments may be lethal depending upon the materials or chemicals used to create them.

Hooks: Use ribbon, yarn or lightweight twine to hang your ornaments – not traditional wire hooks – which can snag an ear or If swallowed, they can lodge in your bullies throat or intestines.

Tinsel: Don’t trim your tree with tinsel. If swallowed, it can block the intestines causing decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss. Surgery is often necessary to remove the tinsel.

Gifts: Keep the area around your tree free of discarded string, ribbon and small toys or toy pieces. These can be swallowed and cause a bowel obstruction.


                                      ARTIFICIAL TREES

Although we prefer and always use artificial trees, You still have to be careful especially as it becomes more brittle with age, replacing your Artificial tree every 2-3 yrs is recommended as Small pieces of plastic or aluminum can break off and cause an intestinal blockage or mouth irritation if ingested by your Bulldog.

                                     PREVENTION IS KEY

As mention before If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room that can be closed off from the rest of the house or somewhere your Bulldog does not frequent in the home. Another option is to install a baby gate in the doorway to prevent entry to the tree room, or put low-lattice fencing around the tree and secure it so they can’t knock it over.  We tied our tree to our stair banister to secure it so it will not tip over (We also have a inquisitive Ragdoll kitty who loves to climb the Christmas tree).

When you are not at home or unable to supervise your Bulldogs you can confine your Bully to their crate or a separate room to keep them out of mischief. :)