Why a puppy is not a good idea for christmas
It may come as a surprise to you, but that cute puppy
with a big red bow around its neck is not the perfect Christmas present.
Don't be suckered into letting the idea of a Christmas puppy solve your
shopping chores - a puppy is not an impulse purchase - it's to be part of
your family for 10 to 15 years. A puppy should not be confused with a toy or
any other material possession. It's not something to be enjoyed or used when
you want to, and then set aside until you want to play with it again.
The holiday season is a very busy time of year. For most
people, it's far too busy to take on the additional responsibility of
selecting a puppy. The selection process should not be done with haste,
emotion, or impulse. It takes time to assess exactly what type of dog you
want and how you will care for its needs, and additional time is involved in
interviewing breeders to learn about their dogs' qualities, temperaments,
and health clearances. For the ideal puppy, one often waits several months.
Remember, the selection process is extremely important since a dog is a long
term commitment. One of the worst decisions you could make is to purchase a
puppy shortly before Christmas just because it's cute and available at the
time.
a puppy's needs
When a puppy comes to a new home, his needs must be met.
He needs regular feedings (4 times a day), he needs the companionship of his
new family, and he must have time for rest. He must be taken outside
frequently and regularly. He needs constant supervision. You may not have
anticipated how much of a change in your daily routine this will be. Think
about the changes that occur in a family when a new baby comes home from the
hospital. A puppy in the home is just the same - a living creature depending
on you for all of its care. If you bring a new puppy home for Christmas,
either your Christmas festivities will be compromised to accommodate the
needs of the puppy, or the puppy's care will suffer while you celebrate
Christmas in your traditional manner. How will it hamper your Christmas fun
when "accidents" have to be cleaned up because everyone was too busy to take
the puppy outside (about twice an hour while he's awake). What about when
the puppy chews a hole in a new Christmas garment that was left under the
tree - clearly your fault for not supervising a puppy who naturally chews
everything until taught what is not acceptable. And how will it feel when
your puppy is sick because children or guests played too long and too rough
with it, or out of kindness fed it Christmas goodies? (Do you know that
chocolate is poisonous to dogs?)
christmas Puppy caution
Most reputable breeders will not have puppies available
for Christmas presents. A good breeder takes extra effort to produce healthy
happy puppies and wants these puppies to have healthy happy lives. You
should beware of any breeders advertising litters to be ready for Christmas.
It could be they care more about raising money for their own Christmas needs
than they do about raising healthy puppies.
a better idea for christmas
If you really must get your children a puppy for
Christmas, instead of having the puppy under the tree, how about wrapping up
a book on puppy care and some items for the new puppy such as a leash and
water dish. Then, when the thrill of the other Christmas toys has worn off
(as it always does), you and your children can make plans for the new puppy
and you can help your children learn how to care for a dog. You will have
had time to do your research and select the ideal puppy. And your children
will have learned that this puppy is a living creature who is becoming a
family member to share your lives...and is not just another toy.
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