Anchor the tree and protect its base
A tree is a tall, unstable object covered in interesting smells, and a dog who jumps at a falling bauble or shoulders past it to a window can bring the whole thing down. Anchor the trunk to a wall or a heavy piece of furniture with discreet cord, choose a sturdy low stand, and set the tree in a corner rather than in the middle of a thoroughfare if you can. Cover the water reservoir in the stand so your dog cannot drink from it, since standing tree water quickly turns stale and unclean, and sweep fallen needles daily because sharp needles are unpleasant to chew and swallow. Route the light cable along the wall, switch lights off when nobody is in the room, and never leave lit candles on low tables within tail height of an excited dog greeting guests at the door.
Hang and place decorations by risk, not just by looks
Decorate the lower branches as if a curious nose and mouth will inspect every item, because they will. Keep glass baubles, salt-dough ornaments, chocolate decorations, tinsel, angel hair and anything with small detachable parts on the upper half of the tree or off it entirely, and use shatterproof ornaments low down. Tinsel and ribbon deserve special respect: a dog who chews and swallows strands can end up needing urgent veterinary help, so skip tinsel altogether in a dog's home if he is a known chewer. Keep potpourri bowls, scented pine cones and wrapped bath products off low tables for the same reason, and tidy wrapping, string and tape straight into a closed bin during present opening rather than leaving an exciting paper nest building up around his paws.
Manage presents, guests and the food that comes with both
Wrapped gifts under the tree are a guessing game your dog will play with his teeth. Keep presents elsewhere, on a table or behind a closed door, until they are about to be opened, especially any gift that might contain chocolate, alcohol, batteries, small toys or rich food, and never let a guest surprise you by placing a food gift under the tree. Ask visitors not to feed titbits from the buffet, and give your dog his own long-lasting chew or stuffed toy on his bed while people eat, so he is occupied rather than patrolling for dropped turkey skin, bones, onions from stuffing, mince pies and grapes from a cheese board, all of which can make a dog seriously unwell over the festive period.
Know the festive signs that need a vet promptly
Call a vet promptly, even on a holiday, if your dog has eaten chocolate, mince pies, grapes or raisins, cooked bones, tinsel, ribbon, batteries or a chunk of ornament, and keep the packaging or remains to show what he took. Act quickly too if you see repeated vomiting, straining without producing anything, drooling, restlessness, a tight belly, or lethargy after he has been rooting among presents or decorations, and do not be reassured just because he seems bright an hour later, since some festive foods cause harm that builds over time. Tell the vet when it happened and supervise him closely until you are seen. Keeping the shared list of who brought food gifts, where they are stored and which decorations are off limits current in KinsLe Family Sharing means the whole household guards the same tree in the same way.