How big of a tree is it (height, trunk diameter) and how long was it out of the ground? When was it originally planted? Were the roots mainly intact still or did many break off? Was there dirt still mostly stuck to the roots? If the tree is still dormant, the trunk wasn't severely damaged, and root loss was rather minimal, then the tree should make it. If it lost a good deal of roots, then it may show signs of transplant shock and stress this summer. I have to put cages around all my young trees to ensure deer don't mess with them.

I planted it early June 2018 and it’s about 4.5 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of about an inch and a half. From what I saw there were still roots intact, two long strands in particular and they had some dirt on them.

I’m not entirely sure of how advanced a root system a tree of that size is, but I had to stake it in early January because the freeze thaw cycles were causing it to lean over. I would say it was out of the ground anywhere from 6 to 48 hours. I let my dog out the door I can see it from and I’m usually pretty aware of what’s going on outside in the yard, so for me to have not noticed it was lying down in the yard for more than a couple of days is pretty minimal. It stills looks healthy, the entire tree is a nice deep red and it is covered in buds.

Seeing that you just planted it last summer and it wasn't out of the ground that long, I am guessing it will likely be fine. You will know for sure how badly any root loss was by the size of the leaves this summer. If the leaves look normal size, the tree is pushing new growth at the branch tips, then all is well/okay. If the leaves are "mouse ears" come mid-summer, off-colored, and new growth is next to nothing, then the damage was somewhat severe. It still doesn't mean the tree is done for but recovery might take awhile. I'd probably stake the tree for a year or so until it gets rooted in better.

I too thought it sounded too severe of damage to be deer gg. Deer generally are browsers and this time of year, the bucks don't have antlers so damage is usually limited to tender shoots at a time when food is not easy to find. Chewing on the trunk and then yanking the whole tree out of the ground is not typical of deer. Big dog yes! :0)

My second thought is a bear, we had a family of them around during the summer, which was highly unusual where we live. The only size dog around my house that could’ve ripped it out of the ground like it was is a wolf. My surrounding neighbors don’t have big dogs and I’ve never seen anything other than a fox or whitetail in my yard that wasn’t my 25 pound dog.

I thought about bear also but didn't know if your location was where bear would be out of hibernation yet. If so, they can do unusual things being somewhat disorientated and trying to fill their stomachs. :-)

eta: you won't always see bear. I lived for years out where bear sign was frequently encountered but I probably only saw an actual bear in person was maybe once or twice in like 40 years.

But if they're around, the dogs usually go crazy when the get the scent of a bear. :-)

I never knew they broke hibernation during unusual warm spells until last year, but we hit 70 on Friday and the temperature just dipped back below freezing for the first time in 5 days. I can definitely see them being disoriented if that was the case.

The closest unsafe encounter I’ve ever had with a bear was when a cub crossed my path 10 feet in front of me when I was on a run when I was younger. I grew up in the mountains, so I’ve been fortunate to have seen them in my parents yard all the time growing up, and one time one climbed a tree and stared at my mom and I from her bedroom window. Only the cub encounter truly scared me because I knew the mother had to be pretty close, but needless to say seeing how scared my neighbors were at having bears around made me chuckle because they’re really nothing be to fearful of unless you provoke them when they’re around their young.

I'm no expert on trees or wildlife, but your dog could be the culprit. I have a 26 lb dog who is trying to destroy my gardens. I caught him trying to rip a climbing hydrangea out of the ground. It is 4 years old and has a trunk diameter of over 2 inches. If it wasn't frozen in the ground he would have ripped it out. In the process of him yanking on the trunk, he pulled the whole vine off the fence along with the metal trellis that I was using to keep the vine self clinging as it grows. The vine is currently larger than a small fruit tree. So just wanted to share my experience. He has also managed to prune back all my ornamental grasses, that I leave up for winter interest. They are seven feet tall & 4 feet around. He rips thorny canes off of roses, ate the lower branches off a pagoda dogwood, etc. So anything that resembles a stick is fair game to him. My dog is like a Tasmanian Devil in the yard! So now I have to monitor him all the time. He is only a year old so we are working on some manners still!