Your Christmas Puppy

Javier Brosch / Stock.Adobe.com

Your kids have been begging for a puppy. And you’ve decided that your family is ready. You have enough time to care for your new family member, you understand that your life may become more restricted than it has been (since puppies can’t be left alone very long when they are young), and you’re ready for the potential of sleepless nights and standing outside in the cold/rain while teaching the puppy to pee in the grass instead of on your favorite rug. The kids are old enough to follow directions pretty reliably - and you’re prepared to monitor all interactions between the dog and children under about 8 years old.

If you are getting a puppy from a breeder, you have carefully researched the various breeds and picked one that will work well for your family (for instance, you probably didn’t settle on a Belgian Malinois if you have twin one-year-old children). You have already carefully vetted the breeder and you’re confident that they breed dogs which are both healthy and with good temperaments. If at all possible, you’ve met the parents of your future puppy and they were friendly with strangers. You are confident you are getting a dog from a reputable and responsible breeder instead of from a puppy mill (there are thousands of them and many have good-looking websites).

Or maybe you’ve made the admirable decision to get a dog from a shelter or rescue (there are thousands of great dogs currently waiting on a good home and many of my favorite client dogs once lived at a shelter or rescue). If so, you’ve researched the rescue/shelter to find out how they handle and train dogs in their care. You’re confident they have set the dog up for success by using force-free methods rather than just hiding behavior problems (or making them worse) by using outdated and unnecessary methods like prong or shock collars (unfortunately, many shelters and rescues do that - including some really well-known ones).

So. It’s time to bring the dog home. Maybe you’re planning on a big Christmas morning puppy surprise. We’ve all seen those adorable television ads where a puppy climbs out of a box with a big bow on it (which is likely to work only on a movie set after several takes). What can you do to make sure this works well for everyone?

Don’t do it.

No, really. Don’t. Now hear me out (and don’t worry, I’ll offer other suggestions below if you decide to ignore this first piece of advice).

There’s SO MUCH going on at the holidays. You’re going to visit family and friends. Your family and friends are coming over. There’s wrapping paper, tinsel, Lego pieces, and Barbie shoes* everywhere (which may all result in an emergency visit to the vet once swallowed by the puppy). While socialization is vitally important, it also needs to be done well. The last thing we want to do is produce a fearful dog due to the chaos of a busy holiday season. And this is a serious concern: it’s easy to install fear into puppies and difficult (and sometimes impossible) to fix.

So really. Just don’t.

But if you’re still set on this, here are a few more ideas…

Give the kids a big fancy box (or several) filled with a dog bed, leash/harness, dog toys, food/treats, and kid-friendly books on raising a dog. Then take the next two weeks to educate them about proper interactions with dogs. They will be thrilled that they are getting a puppy and your household will likely be a little less crazy when the dog arrives a few weeks later.

Or, if that’s still not sufficient…

Plan ahead. Think about where the dog’s bed/playpen will be. Educate the kids on the care of dogs in advance (telling them you’ll be getting a dog “one day” or “in January” - I think they will forgive the little white lie as soon as they see the dog). Tell your friends and family that your holiday is going to be low-key this year to keep the dog feeling happy and safe. So, smaller crowds at your house and less time away than usual.

The upside to getting a dog over the holidays might be the extra time off that you’ll have to spend at home with the dog. If so, think ahead about your return to work and school and prepare the dog by offering short absences, followed by increasingly longer ones rather than being with the dog every moment and then everyone suddenly disappearing together for a long time (imagine how confusing and scary that might be). Within a few days of the dog’s arrival, schedule a visit to your house by a qualified trainer who can answer your (and your kids) questions, observe how the dog is settling in, and offer gentle guidance about what they see. Once your puppy has had her first round of shots and dewormer, get her into a puppy socialization class that’s facilitated by a qualified professional.

Dogs are great. Bringing one home is a big deal. Doing it right is important. You’ll likely have the dog 10-15 years so getting off to a good start is important. The busiest/craziest day of the year might not be perfect timing.

Notes:
* Lego pieces and Barbie shoes aren’t worse than other small parts and pieces that you might find lying on the floor at houses with kids. Many things like these might be swallowed by a young puppy.