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

[kayla]

Well I agree you shouldn't give someone a pet as a Christmas present unless the person is an adult and asked for one and you have talked it over with them. However, I'd say getting a dog "for your kids" would be a great suprise, as long as the parent realizes that really they are getting it for themselves, as the kids won't be looking after it! We got our little mini Scnauzer as a Christmas gift, and it was the best gift ever! Of course my mom knew she would be the one to housetrain it, raise it etc. I think as long as the giver takes complete responsibility for the "gift", and realizes that it is them adopting the dog, not anyone else, then it is fine. What better time to get a dog than when everyone is home on holiday? That being said giving your kids a dog because they begged and promised to take care of it and clean up after it and you believed them, well, that's just being ignorant!

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by kayla

What better time to get a dog than when everyone is home on holiday? !

good point

[LavenderRott]

Well, for all of you that have gotten and given pets as gifts and it worked out great - good for you.

You seem to be missing the point about the holidays though. I know, at least at my house, there is traveling, cooking, shopping, cleaning and so much more going on that the thought of starting housebreaking or teaching a puppy not to bite is the last thing I need. Yeah, the whole family is there, but they are home most weekends and the Friday after New Year's would be so much better to bring a puppy home.

Besides - check your local shelter in late January into February. You will find that they are overrun with "surprise" puppies.

[Bushfire2000]

I don't think the point is being missed.
I think that people are just saying that a puppy for a gift is a great idea providing proper care and planning are followed. I personally dream of getting a puppy given to me as a gift.
My good friends daughter is getting a puppy for a christmas present, from her husband, a beautiful Golden retriever. They will pick it up this weekend,they have visited it often, brought it a blanket to sleep with that smells like them and plan to be home at christmas and limit their travel. They've planned well and it will work out well.

A pet should never be a surprise. Gift cert. to a shelter are a great idea.

[Prin]

A pet should never be a surprise.

That's what I mean!

[joeysmama]

I think that there are cases (where you know the person well, the holidays will not be chaotic, etc.) where it's ok to give a pupppy as a gift. It's just the people who go for the "wow" factor and haven't thought it through who are going to be responsible for the overpopulation at the pound.

I can't get over the MIL who gave the puppy as a gift and then did it AGAIN after everything that went on with the first poor pup. Reminds me of my MIL who kept giving my children trinkets from the religion SHE wanted them raised in, not the one my husband and I chose. But that's a whole other OT thread.

Anyway---if anyone is interested, MY holidays are spent at home and I would LOVE another puppy !! (Well I guess I should get this one named and housebroken first.)

[kayla]

I don't think there is really a right or wrong answer to whether a Christmas puppy is a good idea. Everyone is different, has different schedules and ways of spending Christmas. Some are busy cooking and planning parties, others just relax and drink hot apple cider, it's very situational. I think that as long as the person getting the puppy knows how much work a puppy is, and is willing to put this work into the puppy from day one, then it shouldn't matter when that day one is. And if they plan on getting a puppy because it's cute and get rid of it when it's too much hassle, then they shouldn't get a puppy on any day of the year! It depends on the people more than the day, in my opinion.

[Prin]

I think the poem Shaykeija posted is fitting in this thread.
http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=21834

[poodletalk]

I agree, pups and kittens shouldn't be a "surprise"Christmas gift, they should only be given only if it was well thought out. I was five, we got a pup for Christmas, a terrier mix. We had her till I was seventeen Many people give animals as a Christmas gift out of guilt, their kids want a pup or kitten the parents don't know how to say NO! If that is the case, the parents should sponsor an animal,it could be a poloar bear or a lion from wwf. Also, the SPCA Monteregie has a sponsorship program since it's a no kill SPCA. For 10.00$ a month or 120.00$ yearly,you receive a colored picture of a dog or a cat that's in the SPCA Monteregie. At Christmas time, you recieve a Christmas card from your sponsor plus you get regular updates. If the child wants, he/she can go to the SPCA Monteregie take his/her sponsored pet for a walk, groom him/her. Through sponsoring an animal, your contribution will go directly to the care of the animal who may not get adopted into a loving home.

[Snooky'sMom]

I agree. There are so many dangers at Christmastime. All those ribbons and bows that puppies, cats, or kittens could injest. Decorations to be hurt on. Doors being opened lots with danger of them getting out when there's lots of people there. No, Christmas is not a good time to get a pet. I would think the best idea is to give the kids the stuff to go with the pet along with the promise of taking them to the shelter AFTER Christmas to pick out their own. In that way , they learn animals are not possesions and therefore cannot be gifts. Just my opinion.

[Roxy's_MA]

Friend of ours got there bulldog last March. Lola's orginal owners had bought her for a Christmas present for their son. They had to of spent a few grand on this dog. Anyway come March their son was spending no time with the dog, and the mother decided to sell him. Lola was six months old when she came to her new family. I am sure she is just one of many.

[LM1313]

Originally Posted by Snooky'sMom

I agree. There are so many dangers at Christmastime. All those ribbons and bows that puppies, cats, or kittens could injest. Decorations to be hurt on. Doors being opened lots with danger of them getting out when there's lots of people there. No, Christmas is not a good time to get a pet. I would think the best idea is to give the kids the stuff to go with the pet along with the promise of taking them to the shelter AFTER Christmas to pick out their own. In that way , they learn animals are not possesions and therefore cannot be gifts. Just my opinion.

Exactly. Even if the family is well-prepared, the pup is going to be faced with a lot of "holiday madness" and dangerous situations, not to mention guests who might not understand dogs as well as the owners do. Of course, if someone is one of the "relax in front of the fireplace with cider" people who doesn't have a horde of people coming over and dangerous gifts all over the place, that's different. But a lot of people have exciting but chaotic holidays. Think of what a scary, overwhelming introduction that is for a puppy, who doesn't understand holidays and suddenly has a million people wanted to pet him and hold him constantly.

I don't think a pet should ever be a surprise, especially not when kids are involved. Kids, especially young kids, need to be taught what to expect from the critter and how to behave with the animal BEFORE it arrives. You know--all the little rules like "don't wake up puppy when he's sleeping", "don't pick up the kitten like this, it'll hurt him", "don't touch doggy's food when he's eating, he won't like that", "when kitty's tail is poofed up and her back is arched, she wants to be left ALONE." (I read the other day that many people get hurt by cats because they think they are being friendly if they're "wagging their tail." Unreal. O___o) For older kids, you can talk to them about how they can help train the dog (taking him out frequently for potty breaks), the importance of not feeding him off the table, how not to discipline the dog (no hitting with newspapers or sticking his nose into his poop).

I'm truly glad for people who've given or received pets as a gift and had it work out, but it ends in tragedy--for the pet--all too often.

How about adopting one of those "January puppies" to celebrate the New Year instead?

~LM~

[Rottielover]

Now a days there are toys for such occasion. The fur real pets. The puppies, bark, give paw, sits, lie down, alot of stuff. I think if parents want to buy a pet for their kids out of guilt, let them buy theseones. I know my daughter would love it. An animal that does not run away from her.
Holidays are great for getting a new pup, if you are home, AND the pup is a well thought out gift. And only that reason....