Nothing makes a better Christmas present than a cuddly puppy, right? Wrong.
There is a huge misconception that pets make great Christmas gifts, and while your child might beg for a puppy for Christmas, you should think very carefully before you buy one. Presents don’t get any better than a puppy if you’re purely looking for that “ahhh” factor. A cute puppy popping out of a gift-wrapped box may seem like a very adorable gift idea to many, but unlike most gifts, live animals can’t be exchanged if they’re not the right fit.
Shelters are filled beyond capacity with homeless animals, many of whom were former “pets” all because a child lost interest and no one else stepped in and took the time to provide training and care. Dogs need outdoor exercise every single day and training a puppy is a huge time investment. Children are not mature enough to handle this responsibility. If you are looking to please a small child, a stuffed animal may be better suited for a gift rather than a real dog.
The main reason to avoid gifting a dog for Christmas is simple, you probably don’t know whether the recipient really wants a dog, or any other pet. Having a dog as a part of your household is a huge commitment and many people are simply not prepared to take that obligation on. The holidays are a busy and hectic time for families – do you really want to make them even more hectic with the addition of a new pet?
Bringing a new dog in to such a hectic surrounding can have really harmful consequences. Trying to adapt a new dog to his new home during Christmas is not an easy task. There are too many distractions and new dogs require a lot of attention and care.
Dogs require significant time as well as financial commitments. By giving a dog as a gift, you are assuming that the recipient lives a lifestyle that would allow them to care for the dog. You also need to consider the fact that pets are a lifetime commitment. Many dogs live 12 to 15 years or more, and unless you know that the person you are giving the pet to can make this kind of commitment, look for another gift.
It is easy to buy a dog and gift to someone, but you need to be aware that the recipient is the one who will have to take care of the pup. There is food, vet visits, checkups, and other things like toys, grooming, training supplies and bedding.
If a family decides to adopt a dog, every member of the family should go to the shelter together to choose the dog after having discussed the obligations and long-term commitments involved. If you give an animal as a gift, there’s a good chance that the recipient never wanted a dog in the first place, which could result in neglectful treatment.
Unfortunately, many people view pets as commodity items, they are viewed as a new toy or something to play with. Dogs are not toys, there are living beings and you need to treat them as such. Dogs require a great deal of care and they can eat up a lot of your time. Improper care and training for a dog can lead to behavioral problems which if not corrected, can lead to even bigger problems. Countless numbers of pets are given up to shelters or taken in for euthanasia due to “behavior problems” that could have easily been prevented with proper training.
Before you buy that fluffy puppy as a Christmas gift for your child or loved one, think carefully about whether it is really the right choice. Tragically, countless pets given as holiday gifts end up in the shelter system and many of them never end up finding a new home. If you do decide to give a pet as a gift, put the time and forethought into the decision.
Here’s an idea, if you REALLY know that someone wants a companion animal and is ready for the responsibility, how about giving a gift certificate for the adoption fee at the local animal shelter? Wrap up a food dish and some toys to give along with the gift certificate and put them under the tree or wrap up a dog bed with a stuffed animal and the gift certificate. After the holidays, you can all go down to the shelter together and pick out the dog who’s just right for the gift recipient.
From all of us here at Paws Give Me Purpose, we send out a very important Holiday reminder – ADOPT DON’T SHOP. Happy Holidays!