Don’t Give Puppies as a Christmas Gift!
#6118: Probably the worst time to bring a puppy into a household is during the winter holidays. There is way too much social activity at this time of year to offer a puppy a nice predictable routine and pay the close attention to a puppy that she needs in the early weeks. A puppy needs a chance to figure out where she fits into your family and blossom into her own personality, which a quieter environment makes possible. Over the holidays you can use that “puppy love” energy to volunteer at your local shelter and wait for a more “ordinary” time to incorporate a pup into your life. If you have a child to whom you want to give a puppy, putting an “I.O.U” in their stocking in an elaborate card will give them something wonderful to envision for the new year (or next summer!)
