Christmas is a little more than a month away and if you are like me, you were a bit flabbergasted at this revelation.
I adore the Christmas season. I'm the kind of person who loves seeing Christmas decorations in mid-October. It's such a lovely time of year and I've made changes in my life to ensure it is filled with the joy the holiday is supposed to bring.
This means that gifts are small, inexpensive, not trendy but thoughtful. I always purchase gifts for the dogs in my life, my own as well as my family and friend's quadrupeds.
I take the time to go to the quaint shops and purchase my gifts directly. I like to support the local businesses in my area and encourage others to do the same. But many people are finding some really fun things online and if you order now, you are pretty much guaranteed to have them to put under the tree for Christmas.
One gift that I highly discourage people from purchasing for under the tree is. .. a dog.
Bringing a puppy or rescued dog into the home Christmas morning is not in the best interest of that animal.
I'm not saying that no one should feel the joy of a puppy on Christmas. Goodness, what a fabulous present a new puppy or rescue dog would be! But the living, breathing fourlegged animal itself should not be the actual gift a child or adult receives on Christmas morning.
There are many alternatives to bringing a puppy or rescue dog into the home on Christmas morning. I often suggest the gift-giver purchase a plush stuffed dog or a dog toy, collar, leash, treats and dog bowl, or even a dog bed. Then wrap these gifts and leave them under the tree on Christmas morning. Included with that gift should be a card saying that once the holidays are over, the family can go to the selected breeder, local shelter or rescue and pick out a puppy or adult dog once everyone has returned to their normal routine.
Responsible breeders, foster homes or shelters don't allow their puppies or adoptable dogs to go to a new home over the holiday season because they know that the Christmas holidays are usually filled with shopping, visiting, parties, relatives and running around - basically a lot of instability, which is exactly what a new puppy or rescued dog does not need. Puppies are being removed from the only home they know and often feel scared, alone and unsure. Placing them in an environment filled with instability will do nothing to get them settled and feel safe. Rescued dogs come from an unstable, impermanent environment, be it the shelter or foster home, and they need a calm stable environment so that they can feel safe and trust again. Puppies or rescue dogs brought into unstable environments never reveal their true personalities and may show an unusual amount of fear or mistrust. This could in turn make the adoptive family feel as though they made a mistake and the dog or puppy needlessly gets returned.
It is also advisable to test the waters first. This means make sure that the adult or child you are buying or adopting the canine for actually wants a dog! There have been a number of homes I have gone to during the month of January where a female family member looked me in the eye and with great resentment said, "This dog was not my idea!" A woman can be unexpectedly surprised with jewelry for Christmas with a good outcome. .. but not a puppy.
Of course there are exceptions to every rule and I know that there have been puppies given on Christmas with a Disneylike happy ending. But I do think that is the exception rather than the rule so, for the dog's sake, it's best not to take your chances.
To review, ensure that the puppy or new dog is something that the recipient truly wants. Put it on Santa's list in the form of an alternative gift, stating the real gift will be coming after the holidays and then look at it this way. .. Christmas comes twice! And who doesn't like that?
Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her through her website k9kinship.com.
