Christmas trees are often the festive centre around which the holidays revolve, but if you have a house with dogs, you want to make sure that your tree is canine Christmas ready.

Trainer Rose Browne of Dynamic Canines says that the tree is a common concern, particularly for owners with younger dogs.

She says you shouldn’t leave pups unsupervised by the tree. There are a lot of exciting sights and smells on a Christmas tree, says Browne, and there’s the danger that the tree’s water could become a drinking bowl for the dog, which isn’t good with all the sap and preservatives in the water.

Browne says while a cat might want to try and climb the tree, with dogs the dangers are more about accidental collisions.

She says when her German Shephard was younger and got the zoomies, it wasn’t long before her excited tail would knock at the Christmas tree.

She recommends you put the tougher ornaments, like ones made of felt or wood, on the lower branches and the sentimental ones up high.