A while back I wrote an article about buying a puppy as a Christmas gift and why that can be a bad idea (check out that article here). But there are times when buying or adopting a puppy during the holidays can be a great thing! In this article I am going to give you five do’s and five don’ts that will help you purchase a holiday puppy the right way!
What to Do
1. Do include the person or people you are getting the puppy for in the process of picking the puppy out.
Explanation: It is extremely important that everyone in the family is involved and prepared to participate in the puppy’s life, care, and training as this will help training go smoother. Make sure that at least the main people the puppy is for are actually invested in having a pet that requires that much attention and care.
2. Do research the dog breed or how to go about integrating an adopted dog into your family long before the holiday season starts.
Explanation: Always make sure you know as much as you can about the breed and individual you are getting. If you know the breed, research that breed and make sure you understand what breed specific behaviors it will most likely come with and how to handle them properly. If you are adopting a puppy and do not know what breed it is or contains, ask the people you are adopting the puppy from to give you as much information as they have available on its parentage and life history.
3. Do educate yourself about training your puppy before you get it.
Explanation: It is important that you are prepared before you get your puppy home. Know how to use positive reinforcement, where you will do most of your training, what classes you will attend with your puppy and where, etc. I highly recommend getting “Puppy Start Right” which can be found in the H.A.T.S. Store under Dogwise books.
4. Do plan out where your puppy will sleep and how you will handle messes or unwanted behavior before you get your puppy.
Explanation: Once again, it is important that you are as prepared as you can be. Know before hand where your puppy will sleep, how you will take care of messes, and how you will handle behavior you dislike. Make sure you know what your puppy will be allowed to do and not do before you get it home, and be kind in the manner you go about enforcing those rules, but be consistent with those rules as well.
5. Do contact a trainer before you bring your puppy home to help you puppy proof and plan for your puppy’s arrival.
Explanation: This is especially helpful if you are getting your first dog. A trainer will be able to help you figure out how to be prepared and what in your house should be moved so your puppy cannot get to it and hurt itself. A trainer can also help you determine what rules might be helpful and how to enforce them using positive reinforcement.
What Not to Do
1. Don’t get a puppy at the last minute as a gift.
Explanation: Because preparedness is so important for your puppy’s wellbeing and yours, it is important that you make the decision to get a puppy in advance, rather than buying one on a whim. Many puppies who are purchased as a last-minute gift end up in the shelter because the people didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. So please do not purchase a puppy as a last-minute gift.
2. Don’t purchase puppy siblings as a last-minute decision.
Explanation: While I know people who have gone for one puppy and come home with two and it worked out wonderfully, I throw this in here because it is not always a good idea. When you buy siblings you get two puppies who are the same age, which means you will have twice as much training and twice as much of a mess, and twice as much energy to add to your life. Unless you know for sure that this is something you can handle, unless you can easily get prepared for the second puppy, please avoid purchasing a sibling as a last minute addition, especially if you have never had a dog before.
3. Don’t purchase a puppy you have never met.
Explanation: This is important especially with more and more things going online due to Covid-19. Never purchase a puppy you have never met because you will most likely be buying from a puppy mill.
4. Don’t purchase a puppy from a pet store.
Explanation: Along the same notes as the previous “Don’t”, do not purchase a puppy from a pet store. Puppies are rarely sold in pets stores where I am from, but I have seen it in other places. When I asked the store employee if I could see a list of the breeders who supplied the puppies, they said they were not allowed to release that information. Any time a business does not want you to know who they are, that is a huge red flag! Please do not purchase a puppy from a pet store, there is a much higher chance that those puppies are from a puppy mill.
5. Don’t: Purchase a puppy from someone who does not treat it as part of their family or working farm.
Explanation: In short, do not purchase a puppy from someone who claims to be a breeder but raises their puppies in dirty cages in the yard or barn. This does not mean you cannot buy a puppy from a breeder who uses their barn as the puppy house. There are many people who breed great puppies and use their barn as the main puppy location. However, you will be able to tell who are good breeders because the good ones will be honest and open with their breeding experience, information on the parents and how often they breed them, and they will make sure the living space is clean, warm, and safe for the puppies and the parents (they will have medical records for both parents and all the puppies). Good breeders will also wait to send puppies home until they are at least 8 weeks old. They will also make sure that the mother is healthy and taken care of during labor (sometimes bringing her inside the house during labor and sometimes until the puppies are able to walk) and will limit the number of litters she will have during her lifetime. They will also still raise the puppies as “part of the family”, making sure they have ample time out in the yard with people and other animals. This type of situation is common for working bred dogs as they are often breed on farms and need to be introduced to working outside and with other animals from a young age. So while I am not saying you can never buy puppies who were born in a barn, I am simply saying, be smart and buy only from people who will be honest with you and focus on the puppy and mother’s safety, comfort, and health.
Closing Thoughts
There are many great breeders available from which to purchase puppies. However, don’t forget about adoptable puppies. While I do encourage you to do your research and get as much information on the puppy as you can, adopting a puppy can be a great option! So please don’t forget to consider that as well when you are looking for a puppy. Have a wonderful holiday season and I wish you and your family the best!
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