Christmas puppies...some advice

erica1989

Another thing the shelter I work for offers is a gift certificate

Wow - that's fabulous and a great idea (as my mind goes hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - wonder if Prancer wants a playmate ?)

The other reason I like the "gift box" idea is that it gives the family time to put away all the holiday decorations .... puppy + christmas tree + ornaments = borrowing trouble (generally)

I think if you have a talk with the person (if it's an adult) and decide it's an O.K. gift, and they are O.K. with it, then yes.  But if you think you're going to buy one for a child and not tell the parents, then no.  I also, believe "no", if you don't ever have a discussion about it, since a pet is a big responsibility it cannot really be a surprise.  People may say, "I would love to have a dog!"  But you don't know if they mean now, or later, or when.  I understand people wanting to give a gift and not tell the person what they're getting them, but in this case...you have to.  Good subject, Gina, this is actually a really good idea to bring this up. 

I think that getting a puppy at Christmas can be done right if a few basic rules are followed:

1.) Everyone in the family is on board with getting a new puppy

2.) The parents have dog experience and know that the puppy is going to be around 15 years after that Xmas. The parents have discussed this with the children as well...children are old enough to understand this idea.

3.) The dog is not the actual surprise - giving the gift of a leash, collar, chew toys, etc. with a card saying that they can pick out a pup from the shelter after the holidays settle down seems like a better idea. My first dog was not a gift, but my parents made me start doing "dog chores" one weekend before we brought home the pup...it was a wakeup call for me that having the pup was not going to be all fun and that even I (at 8 yrs old) was expected to pitch in. Giving the supplies gives everyone time to think about getting a pup & all that it entails and can more insure against "buyers regret" later on.

4.) Everyone in the family is involved in picking out the new family member, whether it be from a shelter or breeder. Nothing worse than surprising the kids with a new puppy, only to find out that little Suzie is terrified of him/her because puppy keeps chewing on her feet and/or toys, etc.

That said, the reasons not to get a pup at Xmas seem far too numerous for me to list:

1.) It's generally cold and/or wet - not a time I want to try to potty train a pup at all hours of the day and night

2.) It's hectic - dinner here, breakfast there, who has time to make sure that the pup is getting attention as needed?

3.) Visiting relatives bring enough stress - need I say more?

4.) There is generally not enough time to form a good puppy routine during the holidays...after the holidays, kids go back to school, parents go back to work, and the pup is wondering what in the world happened!

All in all, I don't think a Xmas pup is the best idea but I don't think it is the worst either. I think it will typically take more work on the part of the parents/caretaker of the pup to make sure he/she gets all the socialization, attention, and training that is so vital in those first few weeks home. If the family is willing to work extra hard to take care of puppy during the busy holiday season, and goes about picking out a pup in the correct way while bearing in mind that this is a commitment to last the lifetime of the pup, then I would say that it is worth a shot...I would also venture to say that they are braver than I am!

I agree with Stormy and i love #3 the best....

i would prefer to drop hints.... a STUFFED puppy(pure bred or obscure stuffed brown puppy)... with a brand new leash and collar plus some books on basic care and training.. talk to a (GOOD) breeder in advance - months in advance preferably -and/or let the person who wants the puppy decide when to adopt one or which one to pick out.

all in all it takes a lot of consideration and knowledge of the child or adult that wants the puppy. if you KNOW that person is deserving and would love to share their life with a pup then i dont see a problem.. but i wouldnt surprise them a puppy already picked out for them....which, to me, is like the time my husband bought a pair of shoes for me while he was out and about... he came home with bright white bland (UGLY) tennis shoes..  and thought i would love them.. not only were they ugly they were also too small.. So, some things are better left up to the receiver to pick out.. shoes and puppies are at the top of the list.. unless of course its a special situation.... homeless puppy wandering down the road all by itself... but again that still needs to come with the option of refusal and knowledge of whether or not that person even WANTS a puppy or if they are holding out for something special.

I dont exactly oppose children getting a puppy for Christmas or for their birthday, but unless you know that kid is responsible(i was taking care of seven dogs all by myself before i was seven years old) then go for it. if not... then its best to wait or accept the chores involved. 

Heck, I wouldn't buy a Christmas puppy for myself!  Who wants to stand outside waiting for the puppy to go potty 1231411231 times a day in a northwest Indiana winter--NOT me, that's for sure! 

I got Gizmo as my Christmas present!

IMHO anyone considering giving a dog as a Christmas present should consider WHY they are thinking about it. Is it "Hey this family really needs a dog and what better time than Christmas" or " What would make an awesome gift and make them super happy?" Personally I think the decision that the family really needs a dog should come first rather than the other way around...

Here's what we did:

I had been seriously looking for a GSP breeder for maybe 6 months.I talked to people, went to shows and spoke with breeders who were planning on litters that would have the qualities I wanted in a dog. (I even "interviewed" with one of Gizmo's breeders before he was born). The timing worked out that Gizmo was born in December and so we decided he could be my Christmas gift. If I had found a spring litter he would have been my anniversary present! 

On Christmas Day we had some puppy things wrapped and under the tree for the kids to open along with a little booklet that we made.

The booklet had photos and information about the puppy. It said something like: Dad is getting Mom a dog for Christmas (photo of litter)  This is his mother (photo) this is his father (photo) but he is too young to leave his mom yet (photo of litter) so we have to wait until he gets bigger. We had photos of all the pups in the litter because we didn't know which pup would be ours. We put the photo next to the calendar and checked off the days until he could come home. 

For us this worked out much better than a sudden surprise and wild excitement on an already over-wound day. I wish he had been born a few weeks later then we could have skipped potty training in some bad ice storms! But seriously, if the point is to get the family a dog then take the timing of Dec, 25 out of the equation and find the right dog at the time that is best for the family and dog.

I have a litter that will whelp any day now so they will be ready about 2 weeks after Christmas.  My girls' usual litter size is 3, one of the pups is for me and I have had 2 people on a waiting list for almost a year so they will be allowed to take their puppies home at the appropriate age.  Should my girl have 4 pups (or more, which is doubtful) I will not start talking to prospective mommy's and daddys until after the 1st of the year.  My concerns are two fold.  The holiday decorations are very dangerous for dogs especially sneakly little puppies, and the whole "Christmas puppy" aspect. 

In certain situations, a Christmas puppy is a wonderful idea, like if my DH wanted to get me another dog he knows he can and no one would have an issue with it (as long as he properly researched the dog etc. ok, so maybe he couldn't buy me a dog lol), but so many times it is a spur of the moment purchase (the worst impulse buy EVER) and not a well thought out plan at all. 

This goes for rabbits at Easter, and let's not even talk about what happens to black cats at Halloween time.  I am glad the shelters in my county and surrounding counties have put a hold on adopting animals at Christmas, rabbits at Easter and black cats at Halloween. 

We placed a pup at Christmas and it worked out great.  My mom was working with a rescue and we took in a gorgeous Australian Shepherd - she was about 8 months old.  She had a fantastic temperment and was shockingly beautiful - a deep red with freckles on her white nose.  Just a love.

Anyway, a family contacted us and the parents came out several times to meet the dog.  This was a month or so prior to Christmas.  Once they felt comfortable that this was THE dog we held onto her until Christmas morning.  Christmas morning the family came out to my mom's ranch and were surprised with their new dog.  I couldn't believe it - the children's hair was the exact color of Freckles!   We had put a big red bow on Freckles and the kids were thrilled.

 It was a success, but usually we don't do the Christmas thing, because unfortunately it doesn't always work out so well.

 Sequoyah was a Christmas pup - sort of.  I planned on getting a dog for quite some time, researched bloodlines, called several reputable breeders, narrowed the choice, and took time off to drive down to get her.  Being a trainer, I knew exactly what I was getting in to, so for me it wasn't hard.  I actually planned it so I would not be getting her when my work schedule is busy - plenty of time at home to begin her education LOL.  But, when I advise clients, I tell them puppies are a lot of work, and it might be better for the puppy and the family if you put a nice note in a box that says "we're going puppy shopping" and do it after all the holiday hoopla is over.  Also, that gives you some time to avoid the impulse buy - really research what kind of breed is good for your family, and think about how your lifestyle might change in the fifteen or so years of a dog's lifespan.  If you can't guarantee a good home for a dog, including adequate food, shelter, medical care, attention, exercise, training, and commitment to the animal for life, then don't do it.  If you can do all those things, and you have done all your homework, then it can work just fine.  As a rule, though, I think it's best if you fit a dog in when you have some time to start things off right.  And, consider a dog instead of a puppy if you work 9-5 or have small children (an adult dog from a rescue or shelter, that has been tested around kids, is better sometimes than a puppy that may be too nippy and frighten the really young ones).
 

I got Emma on December 17. She had parvo. Goodbye, presents. Goodbye, vacation. Hello, crazy schedule, no sleep, and puppy duty. She was an unplanned puppy, adopted on an impulse. I am *so* glad I got her that day!!! She's an awesome dog. I was wishily washily looking for a puppy, but not for what I got.

Puppies as gifts, though, that's a whole different story. A breathing, needing, thinking creature should not be given as a gift. It should be taken on only with thought and consideration about who will care for it.  

ugh, no. Housebreaking, training, and exercising a young puppy in the cold and dark of winter is NOT fun.

DH & I searched for a dog/pup around Christmas.  We wanted to adopt from our local AC, HS or a rescue group.  The AC & HS had a few dogs we were interested in, but they didn't seem to fit us, so we decided to keep looking.  The rescue didn't want to place any dogs around Christmas.  OK, we waited until after the new year.  I'm glad we waited, there were so many dogs & pups "dumped" at the AC & HS that we were overwhelmed with the selection.  But, we came across Peanut, and I fell in love with her immediately.  She was found on a busy highway, skinny and scared; probably a Christmas pup that was dumped!  We were really glad we waited, we had quite a lot of dogs & pups to choose from.

Having said that, if we adopted around Christmas, we'd still have Peanut.  But, DH & I wanted a dog and we both know that once a pet comes into our lives, it's for their entire lives.  And we know the work needed to care for our furkids, we were prepared to do whatever necessary to train, house-break, and care for our pup.  We understood the concerns the rescue had about placing a dog/pup around Christmas, and I agree.  IMO, if everyone was more cautious about adopting, selling pups around the holidays, the shelters would not be overwhelmed after the holidays.

Two Christmas puppy stories... 

1.  When I was about 8 years old my mom and dad decided to buy me a puppy for Christmas. My sister (who is 20 years older than me and had a son my age) also decided to buy a puppy for my nephew.  So I got Skipper and my nephew got Penny - two sibling beagle pups.  Christmas Eve morning there was a big box with a red bow and lots of movement - and scratching noises coming from it!  I opened it up and out popped Skipper!  I can't tell you how much I loved that dog.  He lived with us for 11 years until he passed away in his sleep. Penny lived for longer than that with my sister's family.

2. When my daughter was 17 she got an older puppy for Christmas. I had been contacted by an acquaintance who asked me if I might be interested in an abandoned, abused white boxer that desparately needed a home. He had frostbite on all 4 paws, his nose, and his ears. He had a bleeding disorder, terribly crooked teeth, he was blind in one eye, and one side of his face was partially paralyzed causing him to drool and drip when he drank water!  Bo was adorable. One look and I knew I had to get to know this dog, and I hoped he'd be a good fit for our family. After getting to know him I decided to bring him home for our daughter, and Christmas Eve morning there he was with a big red bow tied on his neck.  That was 7 years ago and Bo is now living with my daughter and her husband, as loved now as he was the day we brought him home.

Conclusion... 

So yes, I think Christmas puppies can work out beautifully IF there is a lot of forethought and planning. My parents knew I was too young to take full responsibility for a puppy when I got Skipper. At 8 years old there was no way I could be given total responsibility for that puppy. They knew how much work a young puppy would be, and they also knew that they would get the brunt of that work.  They picked a breed that they knew and enjoyed, and that made it work for us.

With Bo, I had already researched Boxers and knew that a boxer was what we wanted. I had planned on getting a young pup, but Bo so desparately needed a home that I reconsidered that idea.  He had already been in 4 homes. Had Bo not worked out for our daughter, we were prepared to keep him ourselves. We knew he had some health issues and we were committed to taking him on for the rest of his life.

I think people considering buying the kids a Christmas puppy need to do some research into the various dog breeds, talk to some knowledgable people including vets and breeders, look into the cost of not only getting the dog but for vetting, immunizations, food, bedding, crate, etc;  they need to think about vacations and what they will do with the dog, they need to think about potty training, chewing issues, barking, poop in the yard, obediance training.  There are so many things to think about beyond just that "cute little puppy". And most of all they need to realize that kids grow up and get involved in sports and dating and other things, and they aren't around much; parents need to be ready to take over the responsibilities. 

But having said all that, a Christmas puppy can be a wonderful, awesome gift for the family.  It just shouldn't be a spur-of-the-moment idea that you act on.