Christmas puppies...some advice

Excellent idea Gina.

When we were breeding, and now with fosters, I will not place a pup just before Christmas....after mid-to late November it doesn't happen.  If they are dead set on getting a pup for Christmas, they can take a picture to wrap up, and then pick the pup up a couple days AFTER Christmas.  Too much excitement and not normal stuff in the house around the holidays.

http://www.westieclubamerica.com/breed/nochristmaspuppies.html

http://dogs.about.com/cs/shopping/a/christmas_puppy.htm

Some links to start us off!

As a younger girl I always wanted a puppy for Xmas. It wasn't until my early teens did Inotice that at the shealther I was working in, That after Xmas we had a HUGE amount of pure breed pups come in! =( Alot of these pups where put to sleep because they where causing our shealther to be past its dog limits. I think Glen idea is just WONDERFUL! I wish more breeders and adopting rescues would do just that! It would save alot of Furbabys lifes.

Here here!

(That said? I *love* (/sarcasm) a large, remaining-nameless local shelter's vastly "NO CHRISTMAS PUPPIES" stance whilst they blithely continue adopting out dogs in their lovely festive mobile adoption centers in a number of area malls with no home check, just a signed contract and application (okay, fair enough, they DO call and verify with landlords if it's a renter) dogs right up until 12-23....)

well i think it can work, if it is well thought through... parents getting a dog "for the kids" on christmas, when they know THEY will be the ones responsible for it and are prepared for it. i have heard stories of it working...

I think the problem with "Christmas Puppies" is that generally (but not always) they are bought as a gift for a child, and the parent expects the child to take care of the puppy completely. That NEVER works whether it is Christmas or not. Every person in the household needs to want a dog and 1 ADULT needs to be the primary caregiver and make sure the puppy is being properly cared for and trained. I think that if that criteria is met then a Christmas Puppy will work just as well as an any other day of the year puppy.

The other thing that people need to do is make sure they know what to expect with a Christmas Puppy or an any other time puppy. I think a lot of people run out and buy a puppy because they need a great gift and they don't research breed or what to expect. They don't know that they will be waking up with the puppy, they dont know the puppy will potty on the floor, they just plain don't know how much work a puppy is. I think people make this mistake a lot though.

I have a few Christmas Pet stories:

 When I was 2 (This story is relayed by my mother) my dad brought home a 6 month old cocker spaniel on Christmas Eve. The puppy was from a breeder but I don't know much more about it. The puppy was a surprise for my mother and me and my dad brought it home and let it out. The puppy proceeded to run over and knock me over and then potty on the floor. Then while we were eating dinner the puppy went under the tree and ripped open all of the Christmas pressents. Puppy who was later named Hope went to a neighbor who had another cocker and was looking for a 2nd. She lived a good long life with them at least (til 16!).

When I was 8 or 9 my Dad went out to buy my Christmas present. he is notorious for waiting until Christmas Eve to start shopping. Not learning from his 1st mistake he went out and purchased a golden retriever puppy from a friend who was a breeder. He brought home the 9 week old puppy to a new house with no fenced yard, 2 full time working parents, and a kitten. We did keep Chauncey for about a year, but in that time he killed the cat, jumped through the screen door 4 times, and distroyed the house. We rehomed him with a friend of my father who lived on a farm. He had a good life with them.

All I can say about my Dad is that at least he found good homes for his mistakes. So sorry for the long post. I do think a Puppy at Christmas can work, but I think it needs to be a family decision with an adult planning on being the main caregiver. It needs to be not a fun "gift", but a new family member that happens to be adopted at Christmas time.

christmas puppy success story:

christmas 1995:  we had opened all our gifts christmas morning, mom was making breakfast and dad had to go to the garage.  my brother, sister and i thought nothing of it and continued futzing with our holiday spoils.

about 2 min later i hear *click*click*click* on the back room's floor and look up to see this adorable black lab puppy with a huge red bow on his neck.  i can't even tell you how excited everyone was - mom and dad included.  rules were laid down straight away, too.

mom worked from home, and this was something she and dad had discussed for a while.  they knew someone who had a runt from one of their litters, and just gave him to us. 

it can be done.

It can work, but only if its not a rush or rash choice. it needs to be thought out, are youthe parent/adult) willing to keep and care for the puppy if the recipient isn't? You have to be dedicated to give the right care and attention though the busy holiday. they are not a toy that can be crated all day, toys and clothes, and decor should be watched as a puppy is can be destructive and silly.

 Most of the time its a bad idea. I mean why can't you wait until after the holiday?

whenever I'm going to give a "big ticket" gift I wrap a "mock up" of the gift with an appropriate sign.

for example, around the time of my husbands birthday I calculated that we could finally afford a house - so I thought I would tell him on his birthday.  I bought a cheap dollhouse and wrapped it.   Inside I put a sign that said "Happy Birthday !  We're going to buy a REAL house !!".  For one of our anniversaries I caved into the "we should get a boat" cries and wrapped a plastic bathtub boat with a sign that said "Happy Anniversary !  Lets go boat shopping !!".    For a friends 50th birthday I wanted to get her a very nice piece of jewelry but her tastes and mine are very different - so I bought one of those children's jewelry toys and put all the pieces into a box - under the lid I wrote "Happy Birthday !!! Let's go shopping for jewelry - ON ME !"

I can see the "dog gift box" in my mind -- a stuffed dog toy, wearing a real collar, with a real bowl with a sample of food in it and a sign that says "there's dog that wants YOU as a best friend !".     LOL, maybe the sign can be written on a wee-wee pad !

The kids / recipient can get excited on the holiday but doesn't (yet) have to deal with raising their new furbaby.  They can take time to research and discuss responsibilities, arrange their vacation / work schedule, and take the time to look for the "right dog" not just the "dog that happens to be available for Christmas".   Better yet - as they use the time the "returned" puppies will be showing up at the shelters, so they may even be able to save a life in the process.

 I agree with everyone!

Pretty much what it comes down to is the preparedness of people in the household. As the holidays may be the bulk of surprise pet presents - it does still happen 365 days a year. If the people in the house aren't ready, then it is the dog that ends up suffering the most. 

Depends on the family for sure. A knowledgable family would do fine. Anyone that can proporly care for a pup could do it. Lots of people would not do well, just as it always is. I have not done it, but I can see it would be a wonderful memory for a family if the baby was cared for. I take Trudy on all family trips and I take care of her and I would do fine, but it depends on the person.

JoAnnDe

I can see the "dog gift box" in my mind -- a stuffed dog toy, wearing a real collar, with a real bowl with a sample of food in it and a sign that says "there's dog that wants YOU as a best friend !".     LOL, maybe the sign can be written on a wee-wee pad !

The kids / recipient can get excited on the holiday but doesn't (yet) have to deal with raising their new furbaby.  They can take time to research and discuss responsibilities, arrange their vacation / work schedule, and take the time to look for the "right dog" not just the "dog that happens to be available for Christmas".   Better yet - as they use the time the "returned" puppies will be showing up at the shelters, so they may even be able to save a life in the process.

I love this idea.  This is the best idea IMO.

I think Xmas is a bad time to bring home a puppy.  I believe the best environment for puppies is one which is calm and consistent.... umm, hardly synonymous (sp?) with Christmas is it??!! 

I also think that a puppy as a gift carries the wrong message to very young (and I mean very young) children.  I think it carries the implication that this is like another toy to be played with till you're bored and then discarded.  Nuh.  He is NOT a toy, he is a living, breathing sentient being.  And he CAN'T be discarded, (even when he stops being "cute", even when he chews up the toys YOU left lying about or buries your socks in the garden or wees on your bedroom carpet or nips your fingers....)  The puppy shouldn't be kind of lumped in with a load of things the kids might not be all that interested in this time next year, let alone in 10 or 15 years.... I don't think it helps to impress on them how serious it is.

Even when given to an adult, if there are young kids in the household witnessing the gift giving... still seems to kind of carry the wrong message.  And then there is the questions... what if they don;t want a puppy?  What if they dont WANT one at Xmas?  What if they are not ready for one?  Who then takes care of the puppy?  Is the buyer aware of the pitfalls awaiting puppy buyers?  What if the receiver HAD decided to get a pup and done their homework and found a reputable breeder, only to be given a fourth rate sickly puppy with HD and behavioural problems?  That would tick me off terribly.  I take getting a pup very seriously.  I want to view litters myself.  I want to handle each puppy.  I want to examine them carefully for signs of ill health, for clues as to their temperament and whether or not we will "gel" as a partnership.  If I was given a puppy for Xmas, how do I tell the person  take him back, I dont want him; I wanted to do it properly and pick the dog myself from a specific breeder?

JoAnnDe

I can see the "dog gift box" in my mind -- a stuffed dog toy, wearing a real collar, with a real bowl with a sample of food in it and a sign that says "there's dog that wants YOU as a best friend !".     LOL, maybe the sign can be written on a wee-wee pad !

 I had a family do this one year. They came, fell in love with a dog, but wanted to suprise their oldest son. Both parents were they, they brought in their dog, the whole nine yards. Worked wonderfully.

Another thing the shelter I work for offers is a gift certificate. That allows people to come in on their own time and find an animal that matches their needs. The first question on our adotion application is "who is this dog/cat for?". Yes, some people lie, but it's cuts down on some.