Getting A Dog : The Best Time to Get a Dog

Although the holidays are often a tempting time to surprise a loved one with a dog or bring a pup into your household, you should avoid getting a dog this time of year.

There are far too many distractions and activity for dogs to properly adapt to their new lives during the holiday season, so choose to adopt a dog during a less hectic time during the year. Additionally, many people travel during the holiday season, making owning a new dog quite difficult. You will not want to put your new pooch in a kennel or delegate his care to friends, family members, or neighbors. In addition to confusing your new dog, you will lose valuable bonding time with your pup.

Instead of bringing a dog home to the hustle and bustle of the holidays, consider making the surprise for another time of the year. Furthermore, many “Christmas” dogs are abandoned or given up to an animal shelter since the original idea of adoption was not properly discussed with all members of the family or properly thought through. Additionally, you will need to take a great deal of time upon adopting your pooch to begin the house breaking process.

Far too many dogs are given up on simply because their owners did not take or did not have the proper time to devote to house breaking their dog. The dog’s accidents can become quite frustrating and make your new pooch unwelcome in your home.

The best time to get a dog is one where you and all members of your household can devote the proper amount of attention to bringing the new addition into your home. If you have children, consider adopting a dog during the summer months so that your kids will have the opportunity to spend the most time with the new dog. This is a great idea if you plan on including your children in the training process, since they will be able to attend all training sessions without being distracted by home work or other school related activities. You should be prepared to include your children into the daily responsibilities of owning and caring for a dog, so choosing to adopt a pup in a time of the year where the children be able to best participate in this process is critical.

If you still want to present a family member with a dog during the holiday season, do so after your lives have calmed down and you are experiencing the post holiday lull. This way, your dog will not be introduced to your home in the middle of the chaos that is generally associated with the holiday season and will not be apt to injure himself by eating poisonous poinsettia plants or any other potentially harmful decorations.

For the gift giving idea, provide a picture of the dog in question or a specific breed in which the recipient is interested in owning. Also, consider giving dog necessities such as a collar, toys, food and water dish, and dog bed.

Whenever you decide to adopt a dog, ensure you are at an appropriate point in your life and the life of your family to take on this great responsibility. If you are constantly on the go or traveling a great deal for business or pleasure, you may want to reconsider the idea of owning a dog.

Remember, a dog is a living, breathing being that deserves the same respect as any other member of your family. If you plan on adopting a dog only to leave him locked up during the day, you are not at a place in your life where dog ownership should be a possibility.