How Much Did That Christmas Puppy Cost?
Many people seem to feel that nothing says “Christmas” better than a puppy bought as a present. The sad reality is that nothing could be further from the truth, most especially for the puppies themselves.
The Element of Surprise is a No-No
Surprises are fun, and many people love to be surprised, especially around the holidays. However, surprising someone with the gift of a living breathing being that needs attention, let alone food, shelter, and veterinary care can be less of a surprise, and much more of a burden.
Surprise! You have approximately $800 worth of veterinary bills annually, $100 worth of food to feed every month, and poop to pick up daily! Merry Christmas!
Seriously, though. It should never come as a “surprise” to someone who will function as the primary caregiver to a puppy. It is unrealistic and unfair to that individual.
Buying on a Whim
Puppies bought on a whim are most often bought at flea markets or pet stores. Not surprisingly, anyone willing to give a puppy to someone they don’t know well is probably someone who puts their wallet before the best interest of the pup.
If you’ve been living with the illusion that all puppies are created equally, let me squash it for you. There is a tremendous amount of socialization and learning that happens even before you get your puppy at eight weeks old.
If for nothing other than selfish reasons, know this: puppies raised in puppy mills and farms are already at a greater risk of having behavioral issues, due to the circumstances of their birth.
Not fair, you say? Correct. But until people wake up, and start taking the decision to own a dog with more responsibility than buying a pair of shoes, we will continue to have puppies that are given up to shelters just as easily as they are bought.
Many rescues, and any good breeder isn’t going to allow you make a dog buying decision on pure whim. This is because they know they will get that puppy back, and probably have a harder time placing him because he will be older and because of the unsettling experience of moving from place to place.
Is it ever alright to buy a puppy for Christmas?
I’ve given this some consideration, and tried to imagine a circumstance in which it would alright to give a puppy as a Christmas gift. Here a few reasonings, and my opinion on them.
- Reasoning: My kids are 6 and 8 and I promised them a puppy by this age.
- Answer: Are you prepared to by the primary care giver to a puppy? Further, are you prepared to act on the puppy’s behalf because 6 and 8 year old children should not be unsupervised with a dog? It would be a better experience to help your kids understand the responsibility of owning a dog by helping out a local rescue.
- Reasoning: I am buying my puppy from a reputable breeder.
- Answer: This is easy – no reputable breeder allows someone to purchase a puppy for someone else. Next!
- Reasoning: My family has discussed purchasing a dog for the past year, we carefully selected a breeder, and after being selected by the breeder as an appropriate family for her puppy, we decided to surprise the kids on Christmas morning by driving to the breeder to pick up our puppy, who just happens to be eight weeks old on Christmas.
- Answer: Bingo! There it is, people, the perfect scenario to purchase a Christmas puppy.
Please, before you make what should be a life altering decision to either adopt or buy a dog, take the time to be sure that you are ready for the responsibility. It being Christmastime should be the last factor in your decision.