Tis the season of giving the gifts that make or break the holiday season. Now, no pressure to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and the occasional boyfriend or girlfriend looking to save their relationship by banking on the best holiday gift of the season. No matter who you are, it’s no lie that you want your holiday gift giving skills to go most-appreciated.
While a pony is usually the gift-request of choice for birthdays from girls ages 4-11, puppies run a tight race for competition during the holiday season from boys and girls of all ages. Can we blame them? Nothing brightens your day more than coming home to see an adorable ball of fluff sitting under the Christmas lights under your tree.
Giving a puppy for Christmas rasies a number of concerns, first and foremost being safety. You can visit last year’s blog post about Why Giving a Puppy for Christmas is Mistake for why puppies make bad gifts for more about that.
However, if you are set on giving the gift of the puppy this year, here are a few things to consider to ensure that the puppy and its soon-to-be owner are happy as can be.
- Talk to the owner. Although you may want to surprise the recipient with your gift, nothing is worse than that “oh poo” moment when you they open their gift and realize they don’t have the time, money or desire to keep it. You’re giving them a gift, but you’re also making a dedication of time and money on their part, so they’re likely to appreciate being considered in the decision.
- Avoid puppy mills and beware of people selling puppies during the holidays. Puppy mills try to make a hefty sum of their money during the holidays so while you might think you’re taking a puppy out of mistreatment and giving them a home, your purchase only helps support a terrible business.
- Consider adoption certificates. These are fantastic gifts because they allow the person your gifting to choose their own puppy, the one that means the most to them. Plus, it gives them the flexibility to get a puppy when they feel they’re ready.
Our team at Dog Gone Amazing is right here when you need us to answer any other questions that come with the decision to gift a puppy during the holidays, so simply reach out and ask.
Happy Holidays!