It is often frustrating to work diligently on decorating your Christmas tree, only to have your cat come strolling in and ready to pounce on the sparkly ornament hanging on the edge of a branch, or to lay the tree skirt down perfectly with presents strewn about on Christmas Eve, only to wake up and find all of the presents ripped open by the family dog. Whether you have dealt with these situations, far too many broken ornaments or chewed branches, lights and garland, it is highly recommended to protect your Christmas tree (and all of your hard work) from the family pet. Keeping your pets away from your tree will not only benefit your tree, but it will benefit your pet(s) and the entire family. While it may seem like an impossible task, saving your Christmas tree from a curious or playful pet can actually be quite simple.

Some cats will do anything to climb a Christmas tree and some dogs just can't stop themselves from running into it. The result from this can be a tree that has unfortunately toppled over. The solution to this problem is to secure the tree. Using clear fishing line, you can secure the tree with hooks to the walls or ceiling from the center of the tree. Also, make sure that you have a sturdy tree stand. You should secure the tree before you begin decorating. .

Of course, the easiest way to stop your pet from interfering with a Christmas tree is to keep them away from it. This can mean locking the pet out of the room that the tree is in or placing a gate around the tree as sort of a "tree body guard".

If the tree is in a family living space where people are frequented located, then you probably do not need to keep the pets away as long as someone can supervise. However, if you plan on leaving the room for a long period of time, it may be wise to keep the pet out of the room if you can comfortably do so. Find a suitable room in the house to keep the pet(s) in while you are away, with their food, water and a litter box if needed. If you can put up a tall gate in the doorway of the room where the tree is, that may be another alternative to prevent any pets from getting into the room.

There are some baby gates that can be manipulated to form a circle around the tree. This also a useful way to deter a pet or protect any ornaments from being knocked off by a dog's wagging tail.

Always keep an eye on your pet while you are in the room with them. If they go near the tree, direct them towards another area or give them a toy to play with. Place a few bells on the top of the tree that will ring when the cat or dog bothers it. This is a good way to stop pets before anything bad happens just in case you leave the room. .

This doesn't mean making your tree ugly, it just means you need to be careful what you put on the tree. There are a wide array of things you can do in regards to your tree decorations that can prevent a pet from going near it constantly. Shiny, swaying ornaments that sit low on a tree are a magnet for a playful cat. Do not place ornaments, especially fragile ones, on lower branches where the cat may think it is a toy.

Also, while candy canes may seem like a simple way to decorate your tree, they can seem like a yummy treat to your dog. If a dog tries to grab a candy cane, they may knock over the tree and break ornaments. The plastic wrapper on the candy cane can also be hazardous to your pet's health

Aside from keeping your pet away from the room where the tree is located, you can also use other options to deter your cat or dog.

Training mats. Mats are often a safe and effective ways to train cats or dogs to stay away from restricted areas. Some mats give off a slight static charge, emit an alarm or have uncomfortable raised surfaces that will cause a pet to flee the area. You can place these mats around the tree.

Training sprays. Cats are not huge fans of citrus based odors. Pet stores provide lemon or citrus based deterrents that can be sprayed on certain surfaces. You can spray a little on the tree skirt to see if your cat will stay away. Some people will also utilize spray bottles with water to spray on their cat to keep them away. This option should be used with caution when spraying around electric outlets. There are other training sprays that are sold in pet stores that can be useful on dogs as well.

Not only do pets present a potential hazard to your beloved Christmas tree and all of its decorations, the tree can also pose a huge risk to your pets. The following points will not only keep your tree and decorations safe, but your pet as well.

Pine needles. If your pet likes the idea of chewing on the trees branches, the pine needles from a real tree can be dangerous if swallowed. There is a chance that the pine needles can pierce the intestines of your pet. Sweep up any pine needles from the floor and quickly stop your pet if you see them chewing on any branches. If pine needles are too much of a concern, you can choose an artificial tree instead.

Secure ornaments. Wire hooks to hold ornaments can easily snag on a pets mouth or be dangerous if swallowed. If you use a string or ribbon to attach the ornaments, a pet can choke on either if it detaches. Your best bet is to make sure all wire hooks and strings or ribbons are tightly wrapped around the branch. This will also help prevent any ornaments from easily falling off the tree and breaking - which can also pose a risk to your pet and anyone else! If an ornament breaks, your pet can suffer from cuts on their paws if they step on any broken pieces or can cut tissues in their gastrointestinal tract if ingested.

Electrical cords. Puppies and kittens are more likely to play with or chew on electrical cords that are in plain sight. The danger of this is that a playful pet can pull the lights off of the tree, which can, in turn, pull down the tree or knock off ornaments. There is also a chance your pet can become tangled in any cords. Chewing on the electrical cords can cause electrocution. If you cannot position the cords above the floor, you can tape them to the floor or wall or use cord covers such as the Critter Cord which can be found at CritterCord.com.

Tree Water. If you have a real tree, do not treat it with any chemicals if possible. Open water sources will attract your pet and if the water is treated, they could become ill. Also, any stagnant will grow bacteria, which can be harmful to your pet.

Another potential danger to your pet is tinsel, which can cause intenstinal obstruction if ingested.http://www.cfainc.org/articles/winter-hazards.html