Christmas Puppies

 I refuse to look at CLs pet section for this very reason! Great thread! I mean everyone knows that getting a kitty/puppy at Christmas is a really bad idea. Don't they?

The second one has been flagged for removal.  I had a conversation with the sweet UPS guy who comes to our office.  He's a total dog lover and a really nice guy.  He told me a few weeks ago they are getting their kids a puppy for Christmas.  I had the talk with him but he was unimpressed.  I wasn't overbearing about it but he just didn't see how it could possibly be anything but the happiest Christmas, ever.  Chances are, it will be ok.  Many pups have absolutely no problem adjusting to the hustle and bustle of the holidays and as long as they are managed properly, it's great socialization.  Impulse puppy buys at Christmas are another thing altogether and many don't end well for the dog.  :(

The dog in that first ad looks like a JRT or a JRT mix which makes me so sad.

 The second one was a person looking for a puppy to buy his/her brother for Christmas for $100 or less.

Liesje

The second one was a person looking for a puppy to buy his/her brother for Christmas for $100 or less.

I figured it was something like that.  Maybe they'll adopt from a shelter and make sure the gift recipient really wants a puppy/dog and they'll also pick a pup that will fit the lifestyle of the prospective owner.  Unfortunately, that probably won't happen. 

Along these lines, I saw something on Facebook where you could donate an adoption fee for Christmas...but part if me found that a bit odd.  Not that there is a monetary requirement for being a good dog owner, but you'd think that someone ready and willing to commit to a dog could at least cough up the money for the adoption fee?  I'd rather donate to the shelter's expenses or donate supplies.

 I thought this was a GREAT article -

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/11/26/why-the-holidays-may-be-the-best-time-of-all-to-get-a-pet/

yes, getting a puppy 'for the kids' as a christmas present may be a mistake. But it may also be the best timing of the year for some folks. 

 Blanket answers are convienent, but not necessarily USEFUL.

It's certainly the best time for me, Pan is now my third GSD puppy over late fall/winter.  I like that I have holiday time off to spend with the puppy and socialize the puppy at family gatherings.  I also like that I have the winter "down time" to let the pup be a pup (and we take a puppy class), then come spring the puppy is older and ready for more formal training (Schutzhund).  There's always a big three day/six show weekend in mid-Dec that was Nikon's first show, Ana came along last year (she was a week too young) and now Pan will be in the show this year.  It's a great opportunity to get a puppy socialized at a large dog event and get him in the ring before it counts.

But, I think spending several years saving and researching, getting a puppy from a reputable breeder for oneself is a far cry from the current Craigslist traffic ("need a dog as a present? Mine is FREE!!";).

Pwca

 I thought this was a GREAT article -

 

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/11/26/why-the-holidays-may-be-the-best-time-of-all-to-get-a-pet/

 

yes, getting a puppy 'for the kids' as a christmas present may be a mistake. But it may also be the best timing of the year for some folks. 

 Blanket answers are convienent, but not necessarily USEFUL.

 Hey Cait! Long time no talk! I hope you and yours are well. I do agree with you about that. For some folks, they really don't celebrate Christmas or New Years and would have no problem bringing in a puppy/dog around that time. I think if the puppy/dog was well planned, folks have done the research involved in the care and raising of a puppy then it may not be such a bad idea to bring home a puppy during the holidays as some folks are able to take off work and are able to be home with the puppy during those times.

I'd like to believe that anyone choosing to get a puppy at this time of year had sort of planned it out and it wasn't a matter of - we could get an xbox, a wii or....oh, hey, what about a puppy? Our shelters are so overcrowded right now, I almost don't care how well thought out the plan has been as long as they at least attempt to love and care for the dog. The alternative is pretty grim.

Pwca

 I thought this was a GREAT article -

 

http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/11/26/why-the-holidays-may-be-the-best-time-of-all-to-get-a-pet/

 

yes, getting a puppy 'for the kids' as a christmas present may be a mistake. But it may also be the best timing of the year for some folks. 

 Blanket answers are convienent, but not necessarily USEFUL.

 ITA. People get so caught up in what they believe to be the one truth that they don't consider things are different for everyone. Getting a puppy "for the kids" if the adults aren't totally on board with the idea is a mistake, no matter what time of year. But if someone is going to be a responsible owner and the choice to get a puppy is well thought out, the time of year the puppy comes home really doesn't matter. Christmas time doesn't suddenly transform people from good to bad pet owners. I think it's sort of a shame that so many shelters tend to not permit adoptions around the holidays.

I wish more shelters, around here, would hold off on adoptions till after the holidays.  It's one thing if they would screen people carefully but most shelters around here are always full to the brim and they run holiday specials because they know they will get lots of impulse Christmas gift adoptions.  If people have the adoption fee, they get a pet.  I have no doubt that some adoptions work out fine, even when it's an impulse thing but to me it's no different than someone making an impulse purchase of a pet store pup because they're Christmas puppies "on sale" and "wouldn't mom just love this cute little JRT pup".

As I stated earlier, I think getting a puppy during the holidays can be a great decision for multiple reasons.  I don't think impulse puppy purchases during the holidays or at any time are a good idea. 

JackieG

I wish more shelters, around here, would hold off on adoptions till after the holidays.  It's one thing if they would screen people carefully but most shelters around here are always full to the brim and they run holiday specials because they know they will get lots of impulse Christmas gift adoptions.  If people have the adoption fee, they get a pet.  I have no doubt that some adoptions work out fine, even when it's an impulse thing but to me it's no different than someone making an impulse purchase of a pet store pup because they're Christmas puppies "on sale" and "wouldn't mom just love this cute little JRT pup".

  It depends on the shelter. If they are a high kill shelter and the situation is adopt out during the holidays or the dogs will die, it seems the dogs are a lot safer being adopted out to the public than staying at the shelter. If the no Dec adoptions policies discourage good homes from adopting, that isn't great either. Shelters often do things to encourage people to decide to adopt after seeing a specific dog - adoptathons, featured pets on the local news, ads in the paper, Petfinder, ads in CL, etc, etc. It's as though people really believe that pets adopted out in December will only go to irresponsible, careless owners. I know when I taught puppy classes year round, Jan was a big month for it. Lots of people bringing their holiday puppies. And those puppies were owned by people who wanted them and kept them. Many were pet store puppies but had the local shelters made adopting around the holidays possible, more of them may have been rescues. The no-holiday policy also sort of totally ignores that there are plenty of people who don't even celebrate the Christian Christmas. 

AgileGSD

The no-holiday policy also sort of totally ignores that there are plenty of people who don't even celebrate the Christian Christmas. 

And that plenty of good, responsible pet owners DO, and aren't hindered from being responsible by it. Emma was a Christmas puppy. I bought her home on December 17, took her for parvo treatment on December 18, and had a blast teaching her to open presents, on her first Christmas. I did get her from a shelter, that thankfully let her go when they did. If I hadn't brought her home, she would have died of parvo, at the shelter.

AgileGSD

The no-holiday policy also sort of totally ignores that there are plenty of people who don't even celebrate the Christian Christmas. 

And that plenty of good, responsible pet owners DO, and aren't hindered from being responsible by it. Emma was a Christmas puppy. I bought her home on December 17, took her for parvo treatment on December 18, and had a blast teaching her to open presents, on her first Christmas. I did get her from a shelter, that thankfully let her go when they did. If I hadn't brought her home, she would have died of parvo, at the shelter.