It always feels great to surprise someone with the perfect Christmas gift. In many movies, dogs are depicted as a Christmas gift that bring tons of joy and excitement to those who receive them. If you’re thinking about surprising a friend or family member with a dog for Christmas, we highly advise against this plan. Although we love dogs and are firm believers that they can bring immense happiness to households, there are several important reasons why surprising someone with a dog for Christmas isn’t the right approach to take.
Since we completely understand getting wrapped up in the excitement and emotion of the holiday season, we want to go over the specific reasons why this surprise rarely works out as expected despite seeming like a wonderful Christmas plan:
1. Dogs Should Be Adopted, Not Bought
There are millions of dogs in shelters across the United States. Because there are already so many dogs who need a home, dogs are something that should never be bought. Unfortunately, far too many people are unaware of this issue and end up buying a dog from a puppy mill. This results in puppy mills continuing to operate despite caring far more about profit than the dogs they are breeding.
2. Having a Dog is a Big Responsibility
Dogs can bring a lot of joy into a home. But with that joy comes a lot of responsibility. Even if a dog is already potty trained, it’s still important to take a dog out several times a day. The daily responsibilities associated with having a dog are why this decision should never be made for someone as a Christmas surprise.
3. Kids Change Their Minds and Lose Interest All the Time
Kids are the most common recipients of dogs as Christmas gifts. While there’s no question that they’ll be very surprised and excited, kids have no trouble bouncing from one thing to the next. That’s why parents who think their kids will fully care for a dog on an ongoing basis often find themselves in a less than ideal situation within a few months or even weeks.
4. Taking Care of a Dog is An Ongoing Financial Obligation
In addition to the time involved in taking care of a dog, there’s also an ongoing financial obligation. It’s important that someone is ready to take on that obligation prior to committing to a dog. This point once again demonstrates why coming to this decision is something that an individual or family needs to do on their own instead of having it sprung on them as a surprise.
Once you take into account the four issues we covered above, it becomes clear why dogs don’t make good Christmas gifts. That being said, if you feel that your own family is ready to take on the responsibility of giving a dog a home, we encourage you to use some of the time you have off during this holiday season to visit an adoption center, animal shelter or humane society organization in the West Chester or Cincinnati, Ohio area. Taking this step will give you an opportunity to fully evaluate if you’re ready to start 2016 with a new addition to your family!