During the holidays, some people think about getting their loved one a puppy. They’re cute, and most people would love having a puppy with a bow waiting under the tree, but giving a puppy as a holiday gift is not always the best idea, and here’s why.
Maybe they don’t want a dog.
There are some people who are dog lovers but simply don’t have the time or resources to take care of one on their own, and you may end up giving a gift that the recipient really doesn’t want or simply can’t afford. A puppy is not something that can be tossed in a drawer or on a shelf—it’s a gift that needs constant attention and requires responsibility.
The dog can be scared.
Giving a dog as a gift during the holidays can be stressful on the dog. Not only are you bringing the dog into a new surrounding, but you’re also putting them in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Because of this, the dog can become scared, forcing it to take on some bad behavior or to take longer than usual to adjust to its new surroundings.
The holidays can be dangerous.
Some people don’t realize that a house needs to be made safe for a dog before bringing it in, and giving a dog as a gift, especially during the holidays, can be very dangerous. There are a ton of electrical cords and wires laying across the ground, there are tons of chocolatey treats on the table that the dog can eat and there are plenty of other smaller objects that the dog can find and choke on. This is why it’s important to have a house pet-proofed, and if you give a dog as a gift without doing this, you could be putting the dog at risk.
You might get the wrong kind of dog.
Certain people have certain tastes in dogs, and if you give a dog as a gift, you may end up getting the wrong dog. For example, a person with a slight allergy to animal dander would be better off with a hypoallergenic dog, and if you didn’t know about the allergy, you could end up getting a dog that sheds, causing the recipients allergies to act up.
If the recipient rents their home, it’s also possible that there are size limitations on pets, and if you don’t know about these ahead of time, you could end up getting a dog that is too big.
They can cause an annoying mess.
Puppies need constant care and attention, and if you’re entertaining guests for the holidays or if you’re traveling, a dog can interfere. First, a puppy probably hasn’t been potty trained, which means that you will be cleaning up dog accidents all day. And if you spent all week cleaning and preparing your home for guests, this can become a disaster. If you need to travel to someone else’s house for the holidays, you will either need to board your new puppy or bring it with you, and your family may not appreciate the newly untrained animal you’re bringing into their home. This is why it’s very important to think everything through before getting a dog for the holidays.