PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS?
• Their eyes melt your heart. A puppy makes the perfect gift--right? WRONG!
• Christmas is one of the worst times to get a puppy and shelters experience buyer's remorse.
• Reputable breeders won't have puppies available for Christmas, but pet stores and puppy mills will.
WHY?
1. It's Christmas, and it's crazy. Everyone is hyped up and out of routines.
2. Puppies are a LOT of WORK! The right equipment and environment need to be ready.
3. Puppy purchases at Christmas tend to be impulse buys.
What if you've promised the kids a puppy for Christmas? Here are some things you can do on Christmas morning, without involving that lovely little furball in the excitement.
1. Work with a reputable breeder or shelter to RESERVE a puppy for pick up after the holidays. They will be happy to do so.
2. Purchase the puppy equipment for under the tree. Put the bow on the crate and not the puppy.
3. Put a photo of the puppy in the stockings. Explain that you have a special date already set to get him or her AFTER New Year's. That will be enough, believe me.
There's nothing like a dog. They enrich our lives and are loyal friends. I'm not sure how life would be without one, but like all good things, timing is everything.
• Their eyes melt your heart. A puppy makes the perfect gift--right? WRONG!
• Christmas is one of the worst times to get a puppy and shelters experience buyer's remorse.
• Reputable breeders won't have puppies available for Christmas, but pet stores and puppy mills will.
WHY?
1. It's Christmas, and it's crazy. Everyone is hyped up and out of routines.
2. Puppies are a LOT of WORK! The right equipment and environment need to be ready.
3. Puppy purchases at Christmas tend to be impulse buys.
What if you've promised the kids a puppy for Christmas? Here are some things you can do on Christmas morning, without involving that lovely little furball in the excitement.
1. Work with a reputable breeder or shelter to RESERVE a puppy for pick up after the holidays. They will be happy to do so.
2. Purchase the puppy equipment for under the tree. Put the bow on the crate and not the puppy.
3. Put a photo of the puppy in the stockings. Explain that you have a special date already set to get him or her AFTER New Year's. That will be enough, believe me.
There's nothing like a dog. They enrich our lives and are loyal friends. I'm not sure how life would be without one, but like all good things, timing is everything.