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Has your child or someone in your family asked to get a puppy for Christmas? The fantasy we see in movies — running to the tree on Christmas morning and finding a puppy wrapped up with a bow — isn’t as fun in reality. Puppies shouldn’t be a surprise. Everyone in the family should be ready and prepared for the commitment of bringing a new dog home.
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So if someone you love asks for a dog this holiday season, here’s how to best approach the situation.
Puppies Don’t Make Good Christmas Gifts
It’s never a good idea to give a dog or puppy as a gift if the recipient hasn’t been actively involved in choosing them. Even with the best intentions, you could end up in a situation where the person receiving the puppy struggles to bond with the puppy. Or the particular dog might not be a good breed for that person’s lifestyle or personality.
The Christmas season is also a busy, exciting, and often stressful and overwhelming period for families, which doesn’t make it a good time to add a puppy into the mix. Although having time off from work and school can be great for helping with the adjustment, this is a time of year when many people’s schedules are in disarray. The joyful chaos of holiday festivities and visitors in the home makes it challenging for a puppy to get used to life in your home and family.
If you want to surprise your kids with a puppy for Christmas, consider gifting them a letter saying a puppy will be joining the family soon, rather than giving them the puppy on Christmas Day.
The Gift of Research
Get everyone in the family involved in researching the right dog breeds for you. Even young children should respect dogs and help care for them, especially if they aren’t used to having one around. Consider not just what a puppy looks like, but also their exercise needs, grooming needs, and temperament. Make sure to be honest about what your lifestyle is really like and how a dog or puppy will fit in. Instead of having a puppy under the tree, consider gifting your family member a book about different dog breeds.
Another option is to get tickets to attend a large local AKC show or plan a trip to a larger event like Westminster. Visiting dog shows together as a family is a great opportunity to meet and learn about different breeds in person. You’ll be able to see different breeds up close and meet breeders and other dog owners. This is a great way to develop a clearer sense of what breeds might be right for you.
Practical Gifts to Get Puppy-Ready
If someone in your life has asked to get a puppy for Christmas, a wonderful, helpful gift is to wrap up some of the supplies they’ll need when their puppy comes home. You can gift items like:
- Dog beds
- Crates
- Food and water bowls
- Dog collars
- Dog leashes
- Dog poop bags
- Poop bag holders
- Puppy training books
- Puppy-safe chews
- Dog toys
These supplies will come in handy when someone’s new puppy arrives. Plus, they’ll give that person a fun, tangible object they can unwrap on Christmas morning. Other thoughtful gift alternatives that will be useful when the new puppy comes home include gift certificates for puppy kindergarten or basic training classes, gift certificates for local groomers, or membership in a local breed club or an all-breed training club.
Finding the Right Puppy
Once you know what type of dog your family wants, it’s time to start the journey of finding a puppy. AKC Breed Pages and national breed clubs for your breed of choice are great places to start, both for learning more about the breed and for connecting with breeders and breed clubs in your local area. You can also find breed-specific rescues if you think an adult dog would be a better fit for your family.
Responsible breeders and rescues will want to get a sense of someone’s home and lifestyle before deciding to place a puppy with them. As part of determining which puppy is the best fit, most breeders and rescues will also want to meet the entire family, including children. The goal is to make sure they find the right family for each puppy. Responsible breeders may have a waiting list for upcoming litters, so you may have to wait a little while to bring that dream puppy home.
If you already know what kind of puppy your family wants, you can start talking with breeders now about waiting lists. You can possibly even put a deposit down on a puppy in an upcoming litter. Your loved one may be disappointed to wake up to puppy supplies instead of a puppy on Christmas morning. But it will be worth it for everyone in the family to be prepared for the puppy to come home.