Dogs and Cats are NOT Christmas presents!!!!!

[Prin]

Just thought I'd get that out before the holiday season.

Please don't give your kids animals for Christmas.

If you absolutely MUST give them an animal, give them one of these: Wildlife adoptions

Thank you.

[Roxy's_MA]

Or

Something like these:Shelter Babies

[Prin]

Those shelter baby stuffed animals are so cute! And they don't bite or need housetraining. They won't PEE in your SHOES and they won't EAT the shoes either! And they're probably machine washable! All things you don't get with a real one.

[cpietra16]

I remember a teacher and her class adopted a Killer Whale. They got a picture and a history of it. The kids were so proud to show their friends a picture of their "pet". They thought it was cool to have a killer whale for a pet.
But I agree with you, prin, animals are not gifts.

[joeysmama]

You mean my puppy is NOT machine washable ????? I may have to start washing my floors more often to keep him clean !!

I about fell in love with that polar bear adoption idea. Too cute and if the kidlets tire of polar bears no one winds up in a shelter.

I actually knew a woman, AN ADULT, who got rid of her cat because "she was so cute as a kitten but I really don't like cats---they're not as cute ." So she gave the cat to her father and told him not to tell her what he did with it. Of course he took it to the local shelter who had it euthanized.

What in the world did she think would happen? Her kitten would be the first one NOT to turn into a cat !?!?

Ok, sorry--I'm ranting a bit aren't I? But anyway, thank you for the great reminder. People get carried away and give their kids big exciting gifts without any thought of what's going to happen in January when no one wants to take the present out for a walk in the bad weather.

[Gazoo]

I disagree.

Pets are fine for Xmas presents if they are well thought out and are chosen in a responsible manner.

[Prin]

How often does that happen?

I just think it also sends the wrong message to kids. You give THINGS as presents; you don't give people as presents, you know? I wonder how many reputable breeders are expecting litters within a few days of Christmas...

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by Prin

How often does that happen?

I just think it also sends the wrong message to kids. You give THINGS as presents; you don't give people as presents, you know? I wonder how many reputable breeders are expecting litters within a few days of Christmas...

I can understand your sentiment but ... animals aren't people

[Prin]

Well, that's where we differ. To me, they are people. They're not HUMAN people, but they're people nonetheless. And they certainly are not things.

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by Prin

Well, that's where we differ. To me, they are people. They're not HUMAN people, but they're people nonetheless. And they certainly are not things.

I can respect that. I really don't see animals as on par with people OR as merely things.

I just see them as animals.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[Prin]

I guess it all depends on your definition of a person. For me, dogs fit it perfectly.

[shannonRN]

We are all animals, whether human animals, or canine animals, or feline, or reptilian or bovine or ursine...I feel that our bodies, whether human, or feline, or canine, trap a soul that can't be viewed in terms of relative value. A life is a life is a life, a soul is a soul is a soul.

That being said, I agree with what you both are saying. I don't think it is always wrong to give or get an animal as a gift, but the recipient certainly needs to 'be in on' the selection--not just 'here mom, here's a cat to keep you company' or 'the kids will love this Christmas puppy, but just until school starts up again...'

This belongs in your other thread, Prin, but if I could have anything for Christmas, I would take in another cat or dog. Mark is set against that, so that won't be happening, but it's what I would want for Christmas or any day. It takes for granted that a pet is 'property' to be given, but many other aspects of how we deal with animals addresses the issue in the same way and I don't think that will soon change.

[mona_b]

Originally Posted by Prin

How often does that happen?

Unfortunately not that often.All you have to do is check out the shelters 2-3 months after Xmas and see how many pups appear there....

But I was one of those people who gave a pup as a gift..BUT this was my sister.I talked it over with her and my BIL for quite some time.And let them think long and hard about it.They agreed.My nephews were 7,5 and 4 at the time.And they were GREAT with my first GSD Cujo,and he loved them to death..They knew how to be around dogs.That's cause their Auntie Mo taught them... ....So after the family dinner it was time to open gifts.

Ryan got the dog bowls and food.Adam got the collar and leash.And Brandon got the puppy toys.They looked up at me and said"what the heck"..We all cracked up laughing.I went to my neighbour(close friend of the family)and got the pup...I walked in the door with beautiful 9 week old female GSD pup.Their eyes all lit up and the kids cried.Even my sister.I never told her the breed.And as some of you know,we grew up with GSDs.They named her Tori.And she was great with my neice who was born 4 years later.

Poor Cujo was upset when they all went home 2 days later.His little playmate left.:sad:

Yes this is a happy story.BUT not all stories end up happy ones like this one.

[PEDPA]

umm I dont want to start a riff raff but if your beautiful, wonderfil little child wants a dog, and you want to get one too, what better way to give to the family then on Christmas...a family day? Is there any other better day in a year to give the gift of a new family member? I mean dont run out and support puppy mills but.... well i dont know.. i'm just a junior member ... lol and i do buy lots of stuffed dogs for her.. in fact she just got a pink poodle named penelope! Awwwwwwwwwwwwww :love:

[Prin]

As long as it's thought out LONG before the Christmas season, then I suppose it's ok. But like in Mona's case, the gifts were the collar and leash and the "stuff" and the doggy came after, not in wrapping paper. At least that's how I picture it in my head. People better never give me a puppy wrapped up in a box for Christmas, is all I'm saying.

If it's about somebody joining your life on a special occasion, fine. If it's about giving a thing to somebody to make them smile for 10 minutes, it's not fine.

[LavenderRott]

Originally Posted by PEDPA

umm I dont want to start a riff raff but if your beautiful, wonderfil little child wants a dog, and you want to get one too, what better way to give to the family then on Christmas...a family day? Is there any other better day in a year to give the gift of a new family member? I mean dont run out and support puppy mills but.... well i dont know.. i'm just a junior member ... lol and i do buy lots of stuffed dogs for her.. in fact she just got a pink poodle named penelope! Awwwwwwwwwwwwww :love:

The holidays are traditionally a time of year full of traveling, activity, and stress. Parents are stressed out trying to make sure that their kids get what is on the list and getting everything needed to fill those stockings. Then there are travel plans to make, food to prepare, decorations to put up. You get my point.

While puppies (and kittens) are definately cute, how in the world can anyone think that they could possibly properly introduce a new puppy to a home, start crate training and housebreaking in the midst of all of this chaos? And a stressed out pup - coming into a new home amongst screams of joy and wrapping paper and going to grandma's for dinner - is going to act out in the only way that it knows how. By biting and growling. And pooping and peeing.

If YOU want a puppy and it just so happens that your child does too, what better time to get one then in January. After the hustle and bustle of the holiday, when YOUR schedule is back to normal and you can accomodate potty training and feeding schedules better. Any breeder (or rescue group or shelter) would be more then happy to hold your choice of puppy until things settle down after the holidays.

[Prin]

And in January and February, the rescues will be full too...

[mona_b]

Originally Posted by Prin

As long as it's thought out LONG before the Christmas season,

I definately agree with this.It should not be a "spur" of the moment thing.It should be planeed out well in advance.

The holidays are traditionally a time of year full of traveling, activity, and stress. Parents are stressed out trying to make sure that their kids get what is on the list and getting everything needed to fill those stockings. Then there are travel plans to make, food to prepare, decorations to put up. You get my point.

While puppies (and kittens) are definately cute, how in the world can anyone think that they could possibly properly introduce a new puppy to a home, start crate training and housebreaking in the midst of all of this chaos? And a stressed out pup - coming into a new home amongst screams of joy and wrapping paper and going to grandma's for dinner - is going to act out in the only way that it knows how. By biting and growling. And pooping and peeing.

I totaly agree...

But this is where it was not like this in my case.My sister and her family spent Christmas at my house.I did all the cooking and stressing... ..So once they went back home,(they stayed for 3 days)there was no other travel plans.They stayed home.Her MIL and FIL and Chico(little dog) came over for a quiet dinner.And Tori had no problem adjusting to her new surroundings.Well Muffin(cat) wasn't to pleased for a while...LOL

[StaceyB]

I got my first dog for christmas, well sort of. I received a letter from santa that said that my puppy was still with her mom as she wasn't old enough yet and would arrive when she was.

[Roxy's_MA]

We got our dog December 1st last year and made her me and Jay's Christmas present. It was a christmas present we bought for ourselves and not someone else, so I think it is a bit different. Getting her was also in the works for 3 months before she came home with us.

[Rottielover]

Harley was my xmas present to myself last year after 2 years of research. Always wanted a rottie. Now I am in search for a cat this year, for myself, and my daughter. Will give him to her early with a bow. No kitten for me. So these 2 xmases will have been great.

[cathy stupak]

I think we all need to remember that our pets didn't get to chose us, rather we chose them... We owe it then to our pets to give them all the love,appropriate care and happy life that they deserve. If we can't promise that we shouldn't take them when another family can provide this for them. Just my thoughts.

Regards,
Cathy Stupak
:love:

[LM1313]

The trouble with getting a dog for Christmas is

1. it's a stressful time. Do you really want your new pet's impression of your home to be one of chaos and scary, trampling feet?

2. it's a dangerous time. If you've got an extended family coming over for the holidays, you've probably got lots of strange kids running around. Maybe YOUR kids know how to treat animals, but what about those other ones? And is someone going to be watching the new kitten every second to make sure she doesn't eat tinsel, which can spread through her intestines and saw through them? Is someone going to be watching puppy all the time to make sure he doesn't sneak potentially lethal chocolate fudge off the counter? If these people are new pet owners, do they even KNOW chocolate is dangerous for dogs? Do they know how to keep their pet safe?

3. people should choose out their own pets. Imagine giving a Great Dane puppy to someone and then finding out that they only like small dogs. Or giving them an energetic breed and finding out that no one wants to take the dog for runs. And never mind about the breed, what about the temperment? These are things that the future owners of the dog should decide on since they're the ones who will be living with the dog for up to eighteen years.

If you really want to get someone a dog or cat for Christmas, give them a fancy diploma style document and write on it in fancy lettering that you'll pay for their adoption fee after THEY choose out the animal . . . a couple weeks AFTER Christmas.

~LM~

[jessi76]

Originally Posted by cathy stupak

I think we all need to remember that our pets didn't get to chose us, rather we chose them...

actually, my dog did CHOOSE me. We could pick from 3 pups left, from a litter of 5. Tucker clearly chose us.

I agree wholeheartedly with what's been said so far, adopting an animal is a lifetime commitment, and should be taken very seriously. Unfortunately, alot of people rush into this decision, especially around the holidays, and end up buying a pup from the nearest pet store. My christmas wish? that pet stores only sold pet supplies, not animals.

[Prin]

Originally Posted by jessi76

actually, my dog did CHOOSE me. We could pick from 3 pups left, from a litter of 5. Tucker clearly chose us.

Boo chose us too. We were in the SPCA and he was the only dog not barking and when we turned around to have one more look before deciding, he started barking at us. Really AT us. Now I know that bark to be his "I'm not getting what I want" bark... It is nice to be chosen, but I'll spend the rest of his life proving to him that he wasn't wrong.

[Beaglemom]

Shandy, our late maltese x poodle, was given to me during the Christmas holidays. I had wanted a toy dog for a long time and had called some breeders up and did a lot of research but never actually purchased a pup. My parents heard of someone whose dog had had puppies (I know that this is wrong, believe me I wish they had had their dogs altered!). They got Shandy from them and surprised me with her. It just turned out that she was born in October so I got her early December. She was with us for almost 15 years. We lost her this last May to cancer and we all miss her dearly. She was the best little dog any could have asked for.

I agree that the holidays can be very chaotic for some people. We never really do a lot over the holidays. We mainly stay home and celebrate at home or we go to our cottage. When we had Shandy, we actually took her to families' houses so that we were able to socialize her with a lot of different situations/noises.

People usually research a lot before they buy a car or a house or make any other really big purchase. Pets deserve even more research. They are not a material possession that can be discarded once you get bored of them. They are a life long responsibility and if it is well thought out and planned and everyone is in agreement, the holidays can be a good as good a time as any to add one to the family, it just takes extra planning and understanding that things shouldn't be too chaotic and that you have time for your new family member. Otherwise, you should wait till after the holidays when things tend to calm down.

[Sneaky]

I totally agree that Pets are a bad gift at any time!

My mother in law went to Ontario to visit family 3 years ago.
She decided when there that the perfect gift to get for the
2 year old grandchild when she gets home, would be a puppy.
So she went to a BYB she knew, against the opinions of her sister,
who knew this ladies breeding practices were unscrupulous,
and bought a dog that was supposedly a "purebred pomeranian",
and brought it via RV back to BC.
Well sure, the granddaughter liked the dog, but did the mother of the child?
Noooo.
So first the pup was the grandparents cuz the parents didnt want a dog.
Well mother in law isnt in health enough to care for a pup, so pup 4 months later went to the granddaughters.
The pup stayed there for 4 months, during which time she spent 11 hours of every day in a 4x4 foot room, with no attention, no pee breaks, and no toys.
So then, 4 months later the dog came back to the mother in laws, untrained, no longer housetrained, and unsocialized.
Then the mother in law wanted to take her to the pound!!!
Ugh.
So it took us a whole year to 1:wean the dog off human food and cat food, 2: housetrain her and train her basic commands, and 3: get rid of the seperation anxiety and other behavioural problems.
One year later, the mother in law again bought the grandchild a dog, this time from a pet store, a bichon shih tzu cross.
He actually lasted almost a year, before he was given away.
That is why animals should not be considered objects, prizes, gifts,
or "bling bling".
And as for people who consider animals lesser than humans....
well remember, we are after all animals too.
Just funny looking naked ones who have too many complications.

[mona_b]

3. people should choose out their own pets. Imagine giving a Great Dane puppy to someone and then finding out that they only like small dogs. Or giving them an energetic breed and finding out that no one wants to take the dog for runs. And never mind about the breed, what about the temperment? These are things that the future owners of the dog should decide on since they're the ones who will be living with the dog for up to eighteen years.

Heck,my sister would have also been happy with a Dane......

If you truly know your family,then you know what type of breed they like.Be it big or small.You know if they have an active lifestyle or not.

Did I for one minute think that they wouldn't accept a GSD pup?Not at all.Why?Because I know my sista.........

[Prin]

And as for people who consider animals lesser than humans....
well remember, we are after all animals too.
Just funny looking naked ones who have too many complications.

Exactly! Only I don't think we have too many complications- we MAKE too many complications.

People always say that we're the best because we're the smartest. We're not the smartest. We just have a collective progression that other animals don't have. Throw a naked guy in the woods alone for the rest of his life and see how well he does. Do you think he can make a gun? Do you think he'll have a car? I doubt it.

A discussion deep in the woods between two bears:
Hey, Bill, look what I made! It's a gun!
What are you going to use that for?
To hunt.
You're going to shoot fish? How are you going to shoot fish? You're a dumba**.
Well, then to kill the humans that come into our territory.
That's what these razor sharp claws and teeth are for. Dumba**.

[Puppyluv]

Arrggghh!!! I was doing a Google Search for Christmas present ideas for 3 and 4 year olds (the kids I babysit on a regular basis) and this is just one of the many similar results I got: (I turned it into a word file, so that I wouldn't post the purchasing information)