A dog for the holidays?

This is the time of year when a lot of people get a dog for the holidays. The holiday season makes a great time to get a dog, whether as a gift for a child, or loved one or as a companion for oneself. The problem is that some people get caught up in the idea of the gift and do not think about the responsibility of owning a dog.

We are very large proponents for dog ownership!! We love our dogs and dogs in general. Dogs are truly man’s best friend. That being said, it is very important to wait until you are ready for a dog. There is a lot of responsibility, and training that goes in to owning a dog. Not to mention the amount of time that must be committed when the dog is a puppy.  

The puppy stage, while it’s the cutest stage of a dog’s life it is the most difficult. Puppies have to be trained to go to the bathroom outside, which requires a lot of effort. They need to be let outside quite often. This means a lot of attention from you the owner!! Getting a puppy when you work 10 hours a day and have no one that can check on the dog is probably a bad idea. Puppies also have a lot of energy they need to burn off. They will become very hyper and want to run around, followed by an hour nap! If you are going to get a puppy be sure you have enough time to get them outside to run around and burn off the energy.

There is always the idea of adopting an older dog that has already been trained to go to the bathroom outside. Don’t let this idea fool you, adopting an old dog is still going to require some work from you. More often than not older dogs have had more than one owner and may be a little nervous. With an older dog, you must gain their trust and they must know you are their master. This is something that will require lots of love and attention. Also an older dog with bad habits will require a lot of work.  We are very much for adopting older dogs from local shelters, as they need love too!!! Just keep in mind that it will still require a lot of effort in the beginning.

We believe that everyone should own a dog, because you will never know unconditional love like that of a dog!! This is just a caution for those who may be thinking about getting a dog for the holidays, just make sure you are ready for the responsibility of pet ownership!! It requires a lot of work, but it is also the most rewarding work you will ever do and very much worth it. Please enjoy the holiday season, and be sure to look at your local shelters if you are in the market for a new companion. Some of the best dogs are waiting for a family this holiday season, why not yours?