You got pets? You gonna decorate? Read this...

Our friends over at DogAge sent us our weekly dog tip, this weeks tip includes the 5 decorating do's and don't if you've got a pup. Here's the run down:

• Put plants in their place. Holly, mistletoe, and poinsettias are all considered toxic to dogs and could cause real trouble if your pup happens to take a nibble. No need to ban festive flowers and greenery altogether; just hang 'em high and way out of reach. (we solve this by not having real plants in the house...mom typically forgets to water things; its a good thing I let her know when I need some h2o...)
  
  
• Use cord caution. Make sure your extension cords aren't frayed or showing any exposed wires, and keep them out of your pooch's sight to avoid chewing temptation. (thankfully mom bought all new cords a few years ago, and I don't chew on things, so this doesn't really apply to us...)
  
  
• Accentuate the top of your tree. Consider leaving the bottom part of your holiday tree bare and placing all ornaments, tinsel, and trimmings above your dog's snoot level. Swallowing any bits or pieces of such decorations can produce painful intestinal blockages. (Let's talk about this for a second; I like to run in the house. The other morning I forgot where the tree was, and I ran into it. Opps! Thankfully nothing fell, but accidents happen- oh, and I don't understand why they call it a "holiday" tree, its a CHRISTMAS tree!)
  
  
• Avoid food-based decorations. It's a simple fact of nature: Dogs can smell food and, when they do, will usually go after it. To prevent your tree from being grazed upon, skip the popcorn-and-cranberry strings, and leave off any edible ornaments. (Ew, popcorn? Cranberries? Ewwwwwwww; no thank you. I'll pass.)
  
  
• Enforce water restrictions. Make sure your pooch knows not to drink from the tree water. As it sits, it tends to collect bacteria and often contains traces of fertilizer. (This is solved by having a fake tree. Simple, easy, done. And yes, those are trash bags with the tree sticking out of them...don't judge; it keeps the tree from getting dusty!)