12/10/2023
I post this every year. It is very important to me. You would not believe some of the excuses I hear when people call us to take their dog into our rescue.
Please, please, please SHARE.
🎄 Why is a Christmas Dog a Mistake?🎄
The arrival of a dog changes a household considerably—for years. Someone has to take responsibility for their daily needs—housebreaking, feeding, exercise, health care, grooming. The decision should be thought about, talked about, negotiated. A new dog, not necessarily a puppy either, should be the result of a process, not an impulse. Your family will have the responsibility for this life for 8 - 15 years, depending on the breed.
🙆 Kids can be unreliable; kids change. 🙇
The puppy melts their hearts for a few days or weeks. But then it needs to be walked every day (in the rain). It needs careful attention to its feeding and eliminating if it's going to be housebroken effectively. It needs to be taught not to jump on Grandma. The kids oohing and aahing under the tree will soon move on to Minecraft, IMing and texting their friends. The puppy will be put in a crate as your family goes off to Grandpa's and you will not be happy coming home to a p**p covered crate because the puppy isn't housebroken.
The bigger problem with the Christmas pup is that good, solid, healthy dogs are usually unavailable for holiday giving. Breeders don't want their dogs to end up in households where nobody understands the work involved in raising them. Experienced rescue group volunteers and shelter workers hate the whole idea of the Christmas dog because they know many of those dogs will be coming back to them.
The dogs that are readily available at Christmas are the kind you probably don't want. Puppy mills grind out thousands of puppies to meet holiday demand. They're the dogs you find in pet stores and malls—cute as puppies but often in**ed, poorly socialized, and more prone to genetic health problems like allergies or bad hips or to behavioral difficulties like compulsive barking or chewing. Pet shops routinely lie to customers about where their puppies come from. Many, if not all, of these puppies are taken from mom when they are 2-3 weeks old. These puppies don’t have a chance to socialized with the rest of their litter. Parvo, Distemper, and other respiratory diseases run rampant in these pups.
💡 So What is a Better Idea? 💡
🎁 Wrap up a DOG COLLAR, a LEASH, 🎁
🎁 a DOG DISH and DOG TOYS 🎁
Print out some pictures of breeds you would consider and wrap those up too. Wait to you see the understanding & excitement on their faces when they figure out, they are going to get a DOG! Tell them after Christmas they can help choose a dog that fits the family. What a fun way to make Christmas last a week or two.
Choosing a Pet
When it is time to choose a dog, do your homework, choose it carefully, and take your time. Get one from an experienced rescue group, an established animal shelter or a reputable breeder.
Ask lots of questions about the dog; expect the breeder or staff to ask you a lot, too. If they don't, be wary. A store clerk or amateur breeder who simply hands you a dog in exchange for your credit card is not your friend. Experienced dog people know the dogs they sell and the people they are selling them to. And don't worry if the dog comes to you in April instead of on Christmas morning. It will be just as adorable without the tree and the bow.
By Jon Katz via Slate
Posted by Blaze & Saddles Springer and Cavalier Rescue of Indiana
facebook.com/SpringerCavalierRescue
Know a dog in need?
317- 919- 3517
We rescue English Springer & Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in IN, KY & surrounding areas as needed
