Puppies and Christmas, they just
seem to go together, don’t they? At the shelter,
people often want to adopt dogs for others.
Romantic boyfriends want to surprise the girl of their dreams with the
puppy of her dreams, parents delight in the idea of lighting up their child’s
face on Christmas morning with a new puppy, or a dutiful son thinks getting a
dog for Mom at Christmas will be the perfect gift of companionship and prevent
her from feeling lonely. Although this is a wonderful
ideal, sometimes it doesn’t work out so well.
The couple breaks up by New Years Eve, the puppy the parents chose gets
huge, scares the kid and knocks him down, and Mom becomes overwhelmed at the
prospect of caring for a dog.
I
suggest people forgo the element of surprise for a well thought out adoption or
purchase of a puppy or older dog. It can
be just as wonderful and surprising to thoughtfully gift wrap an animal shelter
gift card, photo of a cute puppy, a leash, or a stuffed animal dog. Tell the recipient that right after
Christmas you’ll be taking them to pick out the pet of their dreams together!
Wrap
the package beautifully, concealing your surprise, then make a day (or two, or five!) of
searching for the right puppy or dog together.
The time you spend searching for their new best friend together will be
a gift in itself and a great memory!
Before you decide that a dog is
the perfect gift for someone else, be sure their lifestyle will support the
lifelong commitment of owning a dog.
🐾 If the recipient is your child,
make sure responsibilities for caring for the puppy are well thought out and
that it’s the right time to add a pet to your family. Everyone in the house should be on board.
🐾 If the person you are gifting
travels frequently be sure that won’t become an issue. Who will care for the dog while they are
away?
🐾 Is there an apartment complex or
Homeowners Association with restrictions that may impact dog ownership or the
size and breed of dog they can have?
PIN THIS!
 |
| Is a Puppy or Dog the right Christmas gift? |
🐾 Do they live with someone else
that should be consulted before bringing a new pet into the home? Are there
other animals in the home already?
🐾 Assess the ability to afford vet
bills every year; annual vaccinations,
checkups, and visits to the vet for occasional illness or injury. They may need to spay or neuter the dog
themselves. Training, especially for puppies, is critical.
Including a gift card towards training is an excellent addition to
your gift!
Once you determine that a canine
companion is definitely the right gift, help them make the right decision about
whether to get a puppy or an older dog, and what type of dog would best fit
their lifestyle.
Puppies are irresistible, but
they are a lot of work. House
training is the first order of business, and it takes time. Some puppies learn within a couple of days,
others can take weeks.
Basic obedience commands and good behavior must be taught. No one wants to come home to find potty
accidents all over the house and a ripped up couch.
Puppies are delightful but the first few
months can be a lot of work. An older
dog may already be house trained and well behaved, or at least calmer and
easier to train.
The next question is what type
of dog would be best. What breed of dog,
how big, will they shed a lot, what is the dog’s level of activity, do they
slobber, is the dog likely to howl (Beagles, Blood Hounds, & Huskies are breeds that like to howl)?
These are
important questions to answer before deciding on what type of dog will fit
their lifestyle. Check out Purina's Dog Breed Selector quiz. It's a lot of fun and it can help you decide which breeds
of dog might be a good fit.
Would a small dog that doesn't shed be the right fit, or a larger more active dog?
At animal shelters, Adoption
Counselors help customers select a pet that fits their
lifestyle. Don’t choose a dog based
solely on looks, find the right breed (or breed mix) that fits the
person’s lifestyle. Whether you work
with a shelter, reputable breeder, or rescue to find the right dog ask a lot of questions
about the breed to be sure it’s a good fit.
A dog is a lifelong commitment. Do the planning up front and the gift of the
right dog will be the gift that never stops giving!
Check out more of our dog tips & information in these posts:
Have you ever given or received a dog as a surprise gift? Tell us about it in the comments! We Love hearing from you.
