Getting a New Puppy for Christmas?

It’s beyond heart warming to think about watching the delight on someone’s face when they receive a new puppy for Christmas! Whether it’s a child, a spouse, a family member or a close friend, there’s no doubt that getting a new puppy for Christmas brings excitement and joy!

But…

Owning a dog it not only a years-long commitment, but it also comes with a huge amount of responsibility, especially if it’s a puppy.

In this post, we’ll discuss the things you should consider BEFORE getting a new puppy for Christmas. You may still decide to get one, and that’s awesome! But only if you know that you, or the person receiving the puppy, is willing and able to handle the responsibility.

Getting a New Puppy for Christmas

In this post, we’ll cover:

- Dogs Are a 10-15 Year Commitment
- Dogs Are a Huge Financial Investment
- Don’t Put It On Your Kids to Care for the Puppy
- Dogs Require Continuous Training, Love and Attention
- Dogs are Not Disposable!
- Adopt, Don’t Shop!
- Alternatives to Getting a New Puppy for Christmas

WATCH MY VIDEO: Christmas Puppies – Are You Ready for the Responsibility?

Dogs Are a 10-15 Year Commitment

Before you get a new puppy for Christmas, realize that you can expect a dog to live anywhere from 10 to 15 years and beyond. You can get information about the average life span for certain breeds at PetCareRX.com.

Are you willing to have a dog in your home for the next decade or more? A very serious point to consider!

Read my post, How to Choose a Dog Breed: Getting the Right Dog for You (includes video) for information on what things to consider regarding your home, your lifestyle, etc., when choosing a dog.

Dogs are a Huge Financial Investment

Can you afford to get a new puppy?

The cost of a dog goes far beyond the adoption fee. There are medical bills, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, training, dog food, treats, supplies, toys, collars, leashes, flea and tick prevention products, bathing supplies, dog boarding, and for some breeds, grooming expenses.

That’s just a short list of the stuff you’ll likely pay for at some point (or over and over again) throughout the dog’s life.

Consider whether you’re financial capable of handling these expenses.

For information on getting help with vet bills, read my post, Help With Vet Bills – Ways to Pay for What Your Pet Needs (includes video).

If you’re not able to cover a large, unexpected vet bill due to an accident or illness, you should definitely get dog health insurance. My recommendation is Lemonade Pet Insurance. You can read my full review here or get a free quote here.

You can also read my post, Is Dog Health Insurance Worth the Cost? (includes video). Spoiler alert: you’ll hear me talk about my $20,000 Dachshund in that post! (I’m not kidding…)

Don’t Put it On Your Kids to Care for the Puppy

Although children will often beg for a puppy for Christmas and make promises that they’ll care for the dog, it’s just not likely that children truly understand the responsibility that comes with owning a dog.

Even if the child has good intentions, once they find themselves committed to letting the dog out several times a day, learning about puppy training, potty training a dog, daily walks, etc., it’s very possible they’ll be quite overwhelmed and regret asking for the puppy.

I personally think it’s a great thing for children to own a dog. My family got our first dog, a Poodle named Pepi, when I was around 9 years old. But you can’t put the entire responsibility for caring for a dog on children.

For help on what to do if you’re adopting a new puppy when you have children, check out Professional Dog Trainer, Doggy Dan’s free tutorial, How to Get Kids Involved With Dog Training.

Dogs Require Continuous Training, Love and Attention

This reminds me of an image I saw years ago of a Dachshund puppy and a kitten snuggled in bed together under the covers. The Dachshund puppy says to the kitten, “Do you remember when Mommy and Daddy brought us here to live?”

I wish I could find that image. Seriously. “…brought us here to live…” Still gets me all choked up even now. Please comment below this post if this effects you the same way. Am I the only one?

If you’re unsure about exactly what it takes to properly care for a new puppy, read my post, How to Take Care of a Dog – Help for New Dog Owners (includes video). That’ll be helpful especially if this is your first time getting a dog.

Christmas Puppies are Not Disposable!

It’s not ok to get a new puppy, enjoy it while it’s young and cute, then drop it off at a shelter once the cuteness wears off.

It’s also not ok to get rid of a puppy because you weren’t responsible enough to learn how to properly train the puppy.

Christmas puppies are dropped off at a local animal shelter, kept but never cared for properly, or worse, abandoned in some terrible way. Often puppies are treated harshly because the person wasn’t ready or prepared for a puppy to begin with.

Some unwanted dogs wind up abandoned in a dog house only to receive a bowl of food and water every day (if they’re lucky!) and virtually no love. No attention. No mental or physical stimulation. No joy. No happiness. No life.

Puppies aren’t a Christmas gift. They aren’t a returnable item you purchase on Amazon. They’re a living, breathing animal with needs and feelings.

Puppy Training Recommendation

I’ve been recommending a dog training website called, The Online Dog Trainer, for almost a decade. It’s run by Professional Dog Trainer and Behavioral specialist, Doggy Dan.

Doggy Dan’s training methods are easy-to-follow and effective.

He has a pretty thorough puppy training program called, The Puppy Coach. You can read my post about The Puppy Coach here.

Learning how to properly traing your new puppy is essential. The Puppy Coach is only $19. Start with that, then sign up for more if you feel your puppy needs more training.

Watch this video where Doggy Dan explains what’s included in The Puppy Coach puppy training program:

Adopt, Don’t Shop!

If you decide to go ahead and get a new puppy for Christmas, please consider adopting a puppy from a local animal shelter instead of buying a puppy from a pet store or breeder.

Check out this article from HumaneSociety.org about pet stores and breeders. You’ll be shocked!

There are so many amazing dogs and puppies who end up at animal shelters through no fault of their own. They’re perfectly loving companions! And most shelters will allow you to take the puppy home for a trial period to make sure the puppy is right for you and your family.

You can also read my post, Where to Adopt a Pet Near You (includes video) to find out where you can adopt a puppy, and also read my post, Adopting Rescue Dogs – How to Choose and Prepare (includes video).

Alternatives to Getting a New Puppy for Christmas

One alternative might be to go to your local SPCA or dog shelter and ask to pay for a dog adoption fee to give as a Christmas present in the form of a gift card or just your receipt to present to the recipient.

That way, the person (or child) can receive the gift of a new puppy for Christmas, but it also allows time for them to consider whether it’s actually a good idea, and also allows them to go to the shelter and pick out the puppy themselves.

For more alternatives to giving a puppy for Christmas, check out these two posts:

5 Alternatives to Giving Christmas Puppies

Humane Alternatives to Buying a Puppy for Christmas

Christmas Puppies

I want to let you know that the information used to create this post was provided by a free tutorial by Doggy Dan.

I always turn to him for accurate information on so many subjects having to do with the care, health and training of dogs and puppies!

Please feel free to read his tutorial as well!

I Donate to Animal Charities

Thanks so much for visiting my website! I hope the information I’ve provided has helped you to make a clear, educated decision on whether or not to get a new puppy for Christmas.

For more information, check out this article from PawTracks.com, Getting a New Puppy for Christmas.

I recommend a variety of products and services for pet owners on this website. When someone uses my link to make a purchase, I receive a small commission.

I donate 10% of my earnings to animal charities! Check out the list of animal charities I donate to.

If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family who are pet lovers. Thanks so much! Debra