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A fawn Great Dane puppy with a wrinkled brow looks upward beside a lit Christmas tree in a cluttered living room. 14 / 23

He Had Never Seen Anything Shine Like That Christmas Tree

AI imagegreat danechristmas treepuppy

A fawn Great Dane puppy sits on a rug with his head tilted upward, wrinkles gathered between his soft brown eyes. The Christmas tree glows beside him, its lights and gold baubles winking in the corner, and he cannot decide whether it is a wonder or a very large snack. His ears flop forward and his enormous paws splay out in front of him. Around the rug lie rope toys, a few scraps of paper, a mug and the happy mess of a family in the middle of the holidays.

For a young puppy, a Christmas tree is a strange new object that smells like the outdoors and sparkles at nose level. Many dogs just stare, while others sniff, chew branches or knock things over. Pine needles can irritate the mouth and stomach if swallowed, and tree water may contain preservatives, so cover the stand and keep the water out of reach. Great Danes grow very tall very quickly, and a wagging tail at that height can sweep ornaments off the tree, so place breakable decorations higher up. Teaching a puppy to settle on a mat while the family decorates is a patient, rewarding way to share the season.

The tree is still standing, the lights are still blinking and the puppy looks completely enchanted. A child's wonder at the tree has found its four-legged equivalent, just with much bigger ears and a bit of drool.

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