Is Your Christmas Tree Safe for Your Dog? Holiday Plants & Decorations, Ranked by Risk

Most holiday decorations are a small risk to dogs, and a few are serious ones. Poinsettias have a scarier reputation than they deserve. Mistletoe, holly, amaryllis, tinsel, and the water in the tree stand deserve more caution than most people give them. Here's what to worry about, what you can relax about, and what to do if your dog gets into something.

Every December, our walkers in Red Bank, Rumson, Holmdel, Middletown, Brick, and Toms River walk into homes that changed overnight. A tree is in the living room, there are plants on every table, and there are wrapped boxes on the floor at nose height. To a dog, that's a room full of new things to sniff, chew, and drink. Most of it is harmless. Here's how to tell which parts aren't.

Holiday Plants, From Most to Least Concerning

Higher risk: keep out of reach

• Mistletoe. The berries and leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and drooling. Larger amounts can cause a drop in heart rate and blood pressure. Hang it high, and sweep up any berries that fall.
• Holly. The spiky leaves and bright red berries can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and a lot of drooling, and the leaves can injure the mouth. Holly berries on a mantel garland end up on the floor more often than you'd think.
• Amaryllis. A popular holiday bulb gift, and the bulb is the most toxic part. Eating it can cause vomiting, drooling, belly pain, and sometimes tremors. Dogs who dig in pots are the ones at risk.

Lower risk: watch, but don't panic

• Poinsettias. These have a bad reputation, but for dogs they're mildly irritating, not deadly. The milky sap can cause drooling, mild vomiting, or an upset stomach. Keep them up high if you have a chewer, but you don't need to ban them from the house.
• Christmas cactus. Not toxic. A dog who eats a lot of any plant may vomit from the fiber, but this one isn't poisonous.
• Lilies in holiday arrangements. Lilies are an emergency for cats, even in tiny amounts. For dogs they usually cause only a mild stomach upset. If you have a cat too, keep lilies out of the house completely.

The Christmas Tree Itself

Fresh trees from the farms and lots around Monmouth and Ocean County aren't very toxic, but they come with a few real hazards:

• Tree stand water. This is the one people forget. The water sits for weeks, grows bacteria, and may contain the preservative or fertilizer that came with the tree. Dogs drink it because it's at bowl height. Use a stand with a cover, or put a tree skirt tightly over the opening.
• Pine needles. The oils can irritate the mouth and stomach, and the sharp needles can be hard to digest. Sweep them up often, especially in the last week before you take the tree down.
• Tipping. A big dog with a happy tail, or a puppy pulling on a low branch, can bring the whole tree down. Anchor tall trees to the wall or a window frame with fishing line.

Artificial trees avoid the water and needle problems, but small pieces can break off and get chewed. Wired branch tips are worth watching with puppies.

Decorations That Cause Real Vet Visits

• Tinsel and ribbon. This is the decoration vets worry about most. A long strand can bunch up the intestines and need surgery. If you see tinsel or ribbon hanging from your dog's mouth or rear end, do not pull it. Call your vet.
• Glass ornaments. Broken glass cuts mouths and paws. Keep breakable ornaments on the top half of the tree and use shatterproof ones near the bottom.
• Salt dough ornaments. Homemade ornaments are loaded with salt, and dogs find them tasty. Eating one can cause salt poisoning. Hang them high, or skip them in a dog home.
• Light cords. Chewing a plugged-in cord can cause burns in the mouth. Run cords behind furniture or through cord covers, and unplug the tree when no one is home.
• Candles and potpourri. A wagging tail can knock over a candle. Liquid potpourri can burn a dog's mouth and skin. Battery candles solve most of this.
• Gifts under the tree. Dogs can smell chocolate through wrapping paper. Gum and candy with xylitol are an emergency in small amounts. Keep anything edible off the floor until it's opened. Our holiday foods guide covers the kitchen side.

A Five-Minute Dog-Proofing Checklist

1. Cover the tree stand water.
2. Anchor the tree if it's taller than you.
3. Move glass, salt dough, and edible ornaments to the top half.
4. Skip tinsel, or keep it well above tail height.
5. Put mistletoe, holly, and amaryllis where your dog can't reach them.
6. Keep wrapped food gifts off the floor.
7. Unplug lights and blow out candles when you leave.

For dogs who can't leave the tree alone, put a baby gate or exercise pen around it for the first week. Most dogs lose interest once the tree is no longer new.

If Your Dog Eats Something

Don't wait for symptoms, and don't make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to. Note what was eaten, about how much, and when. Then call:

• Your regular vet, during office hours.
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply.
• Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661. A fee may apply here too.
• A 24-hour emergency vet if your dog is vomiting repeatedly, shaking, collapsing, or you suspect tinsel or xylitol. In Monmouth County, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls is open around the clock. Save the number of your nearest ER vet in your phone now, before you need it.

Why This Matters More When You're Busy

Most decoration accidents happen during the hours when the house is full of new things and nobody is watching: work parties, shopping trips, and long travel days. A bored dog alone with a new tree is a dog with a project. A long midday walk takes the edge off. A tired dog is much more likely to nap than to taste the ornaments.

When a Happy Tails walker visits during the holidays, they also do a quick look around: is the tree stand covered, are there wrappers on the floor, did a branch of holly come down? If something looks off, you'll hear about it in the photo update after the walk. Every walk is solo, one-on-one, your dog only, never a pack, with the same walker every visit. A 30-minute walk is $30 and a 60-minute walk is $50 (see our pricing page). Traveling this season? Book early, because holiday dates fill fast.