Okay so I just went home for lunch and my daughter had let Saphire outside to go potty UNATTENDED! We usually go out and supervise and play with her every time she goes out.

So out of frustration or bordom or maybe both, Saphire started stripping the bark off of my Maple tree (which I just planted a month ago). My daughter insists she wasn't out for more than about 15 minutes, but hey she is a husky it takes less than that to get into mischief.

This isn't surprising as Saphire LOVES to play with tree branches (like more than new toys and treats) and the first thing she does is strip the bark off. However, its a little upsetting because I just planted the tree.

We are in the process of building a dog run for Saphire (so she has a place to dig) that we can use to ensure that she can't get to the tree again and I will put up a makeshift fence in the meantime.

BUT I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on how or if the tree can be saved. I'm doing some internet research but this is my starting place for all things husky! Thanks in advance.

How much of the bark did she strip off? It also depends on if she stripped around the entire diameter of the trunk. Do you happen to have a pic?

can you just build a chicken wire fence around the tree for now? the tree should be fine, did you add any tree food or good dirt when you planted it? if not maybe give it some food to help it to heal faster. do you have pictures?

I didn't take pictures but I can if needed. She stripped quite a bit. Like better than half way around the trunk from the lowest branch almost to the ground. But not all the way around.

I will work on a fence to keep her off when I get home and my daughter has strict instructions for watching the dog until then. Just hate to lose the tree.

If it is not all the way around, it should heal up and be fine. It will likely be scarred on the trunk.

If she chews 360degrees around the trunk, it will choke off the water/food supply to the tree and it will die.

I think it will be just fine

I'm currently trying to find some place locally that I can purchase grafting wax to seal the area she stripped the bark to protect it.

You need to protect the remaining bark mostly. If she chews all the way around, the tree will die.

Okay so the internet says that it should be sealed with a wax to protect the tree from water, fungus and insects and that I should wrap the tree with a protective wrap until it heals. So I have to stop at Lowes on my way home. Will keep everyone posted on how it turns out. Hopefully the tree will survive. (I killed the last one without any help from the dog. This one is under warranty but the warranty doesn't cover dog damage!) Thanks for the help.

While your at lowes try to find the corrugated tree sleves to put around the trunk then you won't have to build a fence. It protects the bark from deer and dogs. Put some of her dog poop around the base of the tree that will keep her away from it. Good luck!

dbingham12 wrote:

This one is under warranty but the warranty doesn't cover dog damage!)

who said this happened because of the dog
sorry i make returning things in to sport sometimes

good luck on the wax and tree wrap, i would also 2nd getting the harder spiral wrap to keep from farther "dog" damaged.

I will definitely look into the harder spiral wrap. Thanks again!