Should we get a Puppy for a Christmas gift

Everyone dreams about getting a puppy as a surprise Christmas gift. The epic Hallmark moment of walking in the door with a gift box decorated with a big red bow. The beautiful box is enthusiastically open and surprise a cute puppy jumps out and licks the lucky person all over the face! Such a special moment, just like in the movies….right?

Should we get a puppy for a Christmas gift

This Christmas could be an epic lifetime memory or a lifetime of neglect for that sweet puppy.
Things to consider before giving a puppy for a Christmas gift.
Let’s look at the things to ask yourself before you adopt that sweet puppy for your special person as their Christmas present.

Lets ask ourselves a few questions before getting that puppy as a Christmas gift

Has the person you want to buying the furbaby for been asking for a pet?

Has it been a goal of the person you are gifting to own a dog?

Is everyone in the family onboard with the responsibility of raising a puppy?

Is this a breed the family has wanted and are fully aware of all the breed traits and temperaments?

The puppy will be up at night whining and crying for several nights will that interrupt work schedules?

Does the person have a fenced in yard or will they have to walk the puppy?

Where will the Aussie stay while people are at work and school?

Are out of pocket vet bills  within their budget? Vet insurance is available to purchase. Can they afford either of those options?

If the answer is yes to all of the questions above get the puppy for Christmas!

When should we not get the puppy as a Christmas gift?

If the gift is for a child and the parents have said no please don’t go against the families wishes.

Does the gift receiver have a history of keeping a dog for its entire life or do they run through pets like out of style shoes?

If the person has just lost a pet and you want to relieve the grief of that loss this might not be the right time for them. Please have a conversation with them about where their heart is during the grief process. They might not be ready yet or prefer to get a different breed than the one that they lost.

If there has been no research done on the attributes of the breed and you “just saw a cute puppy” you might be in for more than you anticipated.

Have the parents been health tested by a responsible breeder to ensure as much as possible the long term health of the pup as it matures into adulthood? If you want Santa to visit your family see our available puppies here

My goal is to ensure that every puppy Santa brings as a Christmas gift stays under the Christmas tree until the day it goes over the rainbow bridge. Merry Christmas from all of us at Rhyse’s Toy Australian Shepherds!