I have a question about damage to a young sugar maple I planted. Tree is (actually was) about 7-8 ft. tall. One of my 1 1/2 yr old great danes decided he would chew on it. He snapped it off about 3 ft of the ground. All of the growth was above the area broken off except one branch emerging about 1 ft below the break.

Will this become the new leader? Should I just leave it alone? Should I cut it slightly above this emerging branch? Is it likely the tree will recover?

It is bad enough having to worry about deer. The tree cost $40, about the same as a bag of his dog food. Hmmm, I could deduct....nahhh.. he might eat more trees.