The
best present ever - a Christmas puppy!
It's that
'Kodak moment' that card makers thrive
on... the kids rush down to the tree
early Christmas morning to find a basket
underneath with a sweet puppy they have
waited for ALL YEAR LONG!
Freeze the
moment and switch over to the reality
channel of life.
The puppy
has chewed through the side of the
basket, pooped on some of the presents
so carefully wrapped up and decorated
--- and is headed towards another room
as fast as they can with one of your
favorite pair shoes in their mouth!
~~~OR?~~
Boyfriend
wants to give girlfriend something
REALLY spectacular because he's SO in
love, it will erase his past trials,
tribulations, screw-ups, etc. It
will seal their love like nothing else
before! WRONG~!!! A puppy is
furever, not exchangeable after
Christmas and usually not really wanted
by the person that receives it as a
gift. When relationships end, a
dog left behind reminds someone of
things and memories they might not want
to think about... today's puppy grows
into next year's dog and then given away
to someone else or taken to the shelter.
This is
the reality of giving a puppy as a gift
for Christmas. A BAD idea no
matter how you try to convince yourself
otherwise.... and it is usually an
impulse decision based upon the human
subconscious need to 'mother' or protect
the innocent or needy.
The
puppymills know this well, for they
'gear up' their production in time for
the petshop sales they know are coming
like clockwork in November and December.
Petshops
know they will make at least 50-65% of
their TOTAL year's income between the
week before Thanksgiving and Christmas
with these impulse buys. Vets know
their January will be spent trying to
keep alive the sick puppymill puppies
bought in petshops during the Christmas
holiday season.
And the
shelters know they will be overwhelmed
in January as those Christmas presents
come dribbling in. There is only
one other period of time throughout the
year that exceeds January's impound
rates - summer - when more strays are
picked up because of increased open
doors and gates, people realize their 6
to 8-month old Christmas present is no
longer cute and still pees in their
house but they want to go on vacation,
etc.
And
remember - many Christmas puppies are
still pooping and peeing on the tax
receipts left on the floor as you're
preparing your returns in April!
It takes months to potty train a puppy!
Between
the older dogs dumped at shelters prior
to the Christmas season before the
guests arrive and the influx of dogs
after the holiday is over, more dogs are
put down in January at our nation's
shelters than any other time of year as
well.
There are
just SO many things to consider when
adding a puppy to your life. The
purchase price of a puppy (or adoption
fee) is usually only 20% of the first
year's cost, in fact. Many of us
do not consider the changes in our
future and live in the now... what
happens down the road if you lose your
job, have to move, a child unexpectingly
comes into your life? These are
all viable occurrences that have sent
young puppies to the shelters.
Petshops
sell puppymill puppies, regardless of
what the sales clerks tell you during
your moments of weakness.
Puppymill puppies are difficult to train
because they didn't learn all the right
things from their mothers (who were
probably also puppymill puppies
themselves). These puppies receive
high doses of antibotics and meds prior
to being shipped to the petshops, get
additional doses at the petshops and
once in your home, within a few days
become sick. Guarantees (if your
state requires them of petshops) are
usually either another puppy or a refund
of your purchase price. By that
time, you've fallen in love with the
puppy and your heart strings are
pulled... vet bills can rapidly escalate
many times over the purchase price you
paid at the petshop.
Most
people make their choices of a
particular dog breed based upon the
appearance and not the personality.
Some breeds are just not family- or
children-oriented (such as the
Chihuahua). They are a one-person
kind of dog by nature and don't do well
around small children. They might
be small, but even with 5 pounds of
weight, they have a 100 pounds of
attitude. Larger breeds, such as
the Lab, make great family dogs, but are
still rambunctious 'teenagers' at three
years... do you have the patience and
commitment to go through this? If
you have any doubt, remember Marley and
what that family went through as he grew
from a cute puppy to an adult.
OK, but
you ABSOLUTELY MUST give someone a
Christmas puppy. There are many
other ways to provide the feelings of
warmth and love you want to portray
without buying a live Christmas puppy to
have underneath the tree:
-
Purchase a
"Puppies
For Dummies" book at your local
bookstore, wrap it up and give it to
your loved one with a stuffed animal and
a gift certificate from your local
shelter or rescue. Emphasize that
you wanted it to be THEIR decision and
choice, not yours... earn extra brownie
points by appearing so sensitive and
aware of their needs and desires!
-
Give a
Pet Promise Certificate.
Accompany it with a gift certificate
from your local pet store (that does NOT
sell puppies), and make it a shopping
excursion between you and yours AFTER
Christmas to buy all the things you'll
need before this puppy arrives... and no
chewed shoes or presents, let alone poop
to step in during the holidays!
-
Find a
REPUTABLE breeder and meet the parents;
arrange for the puppy's delivery AFTER
Christmas. Take pictures and/or
video - surprise your loved one with
these on Christmas morning. Put a
big red 'car bow' on the TV and set up
the DVD player to watch the video
together!
-
Do a
'28 Day Puppy Countdown'
calendar, marking off the things you
need to buy or do before a puppy arrives
in your home - this gives everyone
enough time to seriously consider if
they truly want a puppy in their life!