It’s Black Friday, and I’m betting many of you are headed out to the stores to start {or maybe finish} your holiday shopping. Good luck as you fight those crowds! I’ll be in sunny Florida, lying on a beach somewhere. I’m not even thinking about shopping today.
But on a serious note, I want to talk about the terrible idea of giving a dog – or any pet – as a Christmas gift. This is a monumentally bad idea, and if you’re thinking about it, STOP!
A pet is a 10-15 year commitment, not a fleeting fancy that can be tossed aside when it becomes inconvenient. You can’t possibly make that kind of commitment for someone else.
A long-lasting owner/pet relationship happens because there’s a loving connection between human and animal, and you can’t possibly make that connection for someone else.
Many pets that are given as gifts end up in a shelter. Hundreds don’t make it out alive. That doesn’t sound like a very Merry Christmas, if you ask me.
So please. If the thought has even crossed your mind, let it go. Dogs are not gifts. They are living, breathing, loving companions that should be chosen carefully by the person who will be caring for them. Let your recipient make his own choice of a pet. Why don’t you give him a gift card instead?
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Duly noted! I adopted Blueberry last year around Christmas. I met her a couple weeks before and then didn’t officially adopt her until AFTER Christmas (3 days after, but still after). Christmas is such a hectic time anyway, why bring a dog into that chaos? I always cringe when I hear someone say they are getting any pet for a birthday or Christmas. Just an all around bad idea. Maybe either a gift card or a book on how to properly raise a dog! :)