THE PUPPY AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Our family got a puppy for Christmas.
He's smart, funny, and cute as can be.
We love him dearly and always check
To be sure he's okay.  He's family.

Salt and pepper colored hair, and ornery,
But beautiful brown eyes.  He's an indoor
Dog, we're training him to go potty after eating
And sleeping--and that he's to do it outdoors.

Each one of us takes turns with him when our chores
Are done each day.  Mom and Dad take turns too.
He loves to swipe socks from the laundry--
What he hides, he chews.

So we're trying to train him on several things
While taking down the holiday décor.
We think we're making headway--he'll
Scratch and whine at the door.

Everything is down but the tree itself.
We make sure all ornaments are
Off.  At the weekend we'll take it to be
Ground into mulch, for flowers in our yard.

We're all up and ready to go and
Have them grind the tree.
Then all at once, our parents hear us yell:
"The puppy peed on the Christmas tree!!"

Note to self:  Next year get a fake tree,
And remember that the dog should
Be trained by then.  No more mulch
From pee stained wood.