Doggone Christmas Season

I'm at my shop... there are 22 dogs here with me.

I decide (stupidly), that I am going to go into my storage room and drag out my 6' fake Christmas tree.. (it's green, not white or tinsel colored)..

I open the door, turn on the lights and 16 of the 22 dogs flood the room ... mind you, the room, is approximately 8 feet by 6 feet ... and my tree is standing in the corner behind some kiddie pools. I go to move the pools, and the dogs go ballistic.. they think it's pool time and I'm bringing out the pools to fill.. nooooooooooooo...

After I try to explain to them that it is winter.. (cocked head, tongues waggin', tails flicking)... they back out of the room when they see I have a tree that I am trying to drag... (I swear I heard one of them say, "Oh God, she is going to fill the hole I dug with that tree")..

So I proceed to drag the tree out of the room, with them all backing up.. (not turning around and walking out.. backing up as to not miss any movements I may make). I slide the tree on it's side so that it doesn't fall over and hit one of them... (good thinking.. so I thought)..

'Fido' yells "Tug of War"... and grabs the top of the tree and yanks it off.. (lights still attached, breaking the bar that will hold the top of the tree on). I say "LEAVE IT".. and thankfully, he let's go... (the dogs name has been changed to protect his identity)..

They had to figure it wasn't a 'good thing' to touch the tree that Gail has in her arms so they stand out of the way and watch... wait... and try to figure out how the heck I am going to get this through the gate and is this an opportunity to get through the gate too? All way to smart for their own good.

I get through... only one dog comes through with me... (not bad, I thought)...

I go to stand the tree top up straight.. nope.. broken. ..

The lights work... (most of them).. the tree is up... the top is straight, kind of .. (with a bright yellow broom handle zip tied to it for stability - my options were limited considering I don't get out much... X-Pen surrounds it .. figuring nobody can shoot pee that far...

I'm figuring by next year, the tree will look like a Charlie Brown tree... but I'll still like it, the dogs will still try to pee on it... ahh, tis the season..