Is a Puppy a Good Christmas Present?
The holiday shopping season is here! Retailers are running sales, promotions, and other special incentives to entice us to spend money in their store. Shelters, rescue groups, and pet stores are no exception, these groups also want your hard earned cash.
There is of course one difference when we spend money at a store like Best Buy and when we spend money at a shelter or pet store. If our new software isn’t compatible with our computer, we can return it. If our television is too large for the cabinet, we can exchange it, and we can put that video game away in the closet when we get bored of playing with it. These rules don’t apply to acquiring a new pet.
Yes, there is nothing cuter then having a puppy wrapped up in a bow sitting under a Christmas tree but that small, cute, adorable puppy is still going to be around after the holidays are over and the newness wears off. So does a puppy or dog make a good Christmas present? Perhaps… I hate the word perhaps, but to say yes or no to this question is impossible. Let’s first address the yes side of this answer.
I think a puppy would make a good Christmas gift if you have considered certain things before getting that new puppy. If you are thinking about getting a playmate for your existing dog and know what to look for when choosing a second dog, a dog may be a great holiday gift. If you have discussed, thought out, and mutually come to the conclusion that bringing a dog into your life is the right thing to do, go for it! There is nothing wrong with timing your well-thought out decision to coincide with Christmas!!
But, if you think it would be a great idea to surprise your girlfriend with a Christmas puppy or just think that a puppy would be fun to have around during the holidays, a dog would not make a good Christmas present. A dog would not make a good Christmas gift if you are expecting the kids to walk, feed, and play with Skippy; no matter how many times they promise, the responsibility will ALWAYS resort back to mom or dad. If you haven’t sat down and discussed the time, money, effort, patience, and life-long commitment that comes with getting a dog or puppy, a dog will never make for a good Christmas gift.
Items purchased at Best Buy and acquiring a new dog or puppy have very little in common. While incompatibility issues, incorrect sizing, and boredom are no big deal for electronics, these issues have a major impact on the lives of our pets, and these things need to be considered BEFORE you purchase or rescue a new dog.
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