Better watch out!

It's Christmas Eve. Did you remember Santa? (They hope so!)

IMAGE: Many thanks to FunnyPicture for this image!

That funny-looking tree!

Seriously, people. 
You have pets and you also want one of those tree-thingys?
In researching this month's Images of Interest, I found a BUNCH of funny pictures of pets tangling with Christmas trees.

I'm not going to glorify the ones where the animals appear to be in active danger (though the tree-topper cats are pushing it), but here's a collection of assorted favorites. Happy holidays!

This was a much-re-posted favorite, all over the Internet.

Assorted critters
It's not just dogs and cats who get in on the Christmas tree action.

Yes, it's a rat. Don't judge--rats make great pets. They are sweet natured and smart. Also take to trees pretty naturally.

Almost a "Hallmark moment," if you're a rat-lover.

Here's another natural climber. Matches the pseudo-flocking pretty well, don't you think?

Who knew Bearded Dragons made such good Christmas decorations? This one liked the warmth the lights created.

I thought this little guy was especially stunning. When better for a chameleon to show what it can do?

But the Cats rule
Dogs, lizards, rats, and ferrets may take the occasional stab at consorting with the Christmas tree, but the cats OWN this territory. Don't believe me? Take a look:

This is my favorite Christmas Cat photo of all time.

What? You thought it needed something more?

it's almost like the toy closet scene from ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, don't you think?

Ruler of all s/he surveys . . . naturally.

Never doubt it.

So, then, are we who want Christmas trees defenseless?
Well, maybe. But we do still have a few options left.

We could take the "minimalist" approach . . . or is that simply how the tree looked after the cat got done with it?

I think this might qualify as "extreme cat-proofing."

I actually did a variation on this "Fortress Christmas Tree" idea one year, when we had a puppy. Made it harder for the humans to mess with the packages, too!

Whatever pets you may have--and however they interact with your Christmas tree (if you have one), I hope you got a Christmas laugh from this post, and I wish you the best holiday season possible!

IMAGES: Many thanks to The German Shepherd Dog Community's Facebook page for the "Oh Christmas Tree" German Shepherd; to Bonnie Cook's Christmas Animals Pinterest Board for the Christmas tree Rat on a limb and the Christmas Ferret; to Michelle Nyree's Pinterest Board for the red-package Christmas tree rat; to TikkiLink's DeviantArt page for the ornamental Beardie, and to Harlingen Pets' Facebook page for the Christmas Chameleon. As for the cat collection: a thousand thank-yous to: Emma Bruck's "Emma's Pics" Pinterest Page, via my own earlier post from Christmas 2015; to FunnyCatsGif's "Christmas Cat" post, for the two mid-tree cat photos; and once again to Bonnie Cook's Christmas Animals Pinterest Board for the tall "Tree-topper Cat" and "I'm the Star." The three "cat-proofed" trees are all from i iz cat's "6 Cat Proof Christmas Tree ideas to try out during the holidays" page. I appreciate you ALL!

Getting the season rolling

. . . Or at least the ornaments rolling around everywhere. Sometimes there's just no resisting temptation!

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Facebook page The German Shepherd Community, for this image.

Perspectives: The Artdog Image of Interest

Anyone whose baby is a "power breed" knows how this works.

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Facebook Page for this image.

Relative Alert Levels: The Artdog Image of Interest

It's important to discern what's really worth the effort.

IMAGE: Many thanks to "Backpacks Got Jets" on The Subreddit of the Month.

Artdog Image of Interest: Wolves Once

A lot of us are on vacation right now . . . some of us more permanently than others.

IMAGE: Many thanks to the HumorHub Subreddit.

Artdog Image of Interest: Not Dangerous

Words to live by . . .

IMAGE: Many thanks to Imagur.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be grateful! Enjoy the day! Cherish your family (and forgive them)! Oh, and watch out for what lurks under the table . . .

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Facebook Page, for this image.

Artdog Image of Interest: Watching You

As we prepare to create the holiday feast, don't forget who'll be watching.

IMAGE: Many thanks to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Facebook page for this image!

Recommended Reading: The Chet and Bernie Mysteries by Spencer Quinn

Because I am writing an sf novel with a canine protagonist that involves a mystery, I like to keep up with what else is being written in this general category (you might be amazed how many there are). And sometimes I find wonderful things!

Case in point: the "Chet and Bernie Mysteries" of Spencer Quinn. The first two novels in this deservedly-bestselling series, which has now stretched to 8 novels and several e-shorts, are:

Dog On It (2009)

Told entirely from the viewpoint of Chet, the 100-lb. K9-training "reject" with one black ear and one white ear, this entertaining, fast-paced story grabbed me from the very first line. 

Chet lives with his human partner, PI Bernie Little (of the Little Detective Agency). Their home is in an unnamed southwestern state, in a place Chet only knows as The Valley. 

In their first adventure, they're on the trail of Madison, a teenager who may or may not have been kidnapped, and is the focus of a dispute between her divorced parents. 

Mom Cynthia Chambliss is convinced her daughter has been kidnapped, and hires Chet and Bernie to find her. Dad Damon Keefer (who smells suspiciously of cat) tells Bernie she's probably run away, but demands details of the investigation. 

Turns out Mom is right, but when Madison briefly turns up again, it almost looks as if the case will come to nothing . . . until she disappears again. Good thing Chet is on the job! He follows her trail--and ends up in deep trouble, himself. 

Will Chet and Bernie unravel the clues in time? Who is the mysterious Russian? Was Madison really in Las Vegas the whole time, after all? And how does the knife in the parking lot fit in? Enjoy the suspenseful fun as you read the book to find out.

Thereby Hangs a Tail (2010)

Chet and Bernie return for a second adventure, this time on a mission to investigate threats made against a show dog named Princess. Her owner, the wealthy Adelina Borghese, is worried.

The partners need the money, so they take what seems at first to be a silly job as bodyguards to a pampered puffball. But when both Princess and Adelina disappear, things get serious very quickly. 

What are the secrets of the ghost town where Chet finds Princess? Who is the sniper? Will Princess and Chet survive their trek across the desert? Where has Bernie's on-again, off-again girlfriend, Suzie Sanchez, disappeared to? Read and find out! You'll be glad you did.

Chet spins his tales well, yet remains very convincingly a dog. it's one of the things I love most about him. He could only have been written by a man who intimately understands dogs. Quinn (actually the thriller-writer Peter Abrahams) clearly has a long and close relationship with the species. (His current canine family members are Audrey and Pearl. They live with him and his wife on Cape Cod).

While the "Chet and Bernie Mysteries" are not at all like what I'm writing, they have been a delicious discovery. I hope you'll enjoy them, too!

IMAGES: The cover images for Dog On It and Thereby Hangs aTail are both courtesy of Simon & Schuster. Many thanks for both!