Christmas Puppy

My Christmas puppy stock photographs have proven to be popular. Who can resist an image of this cute Westie all dressed up for Christmas with his Santa hat and Christmas bow?

Just don't get a puppy for Christmas. It just not a good idea. With all of the excitement of the toys and other inanimate distractions, its simply not a great time to introduce a living, breathing animal into your home.

Puppy's as cute as all get out, but they are a lot of work. They need to be fed, watered, housebroken and played with - and they have to get used to their new environment.

The arrival of a dog changes a household considerably—for years. Someone has to take responsibility for their daily needs—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.

And kids who promise to take care of their new pets are fickle and get bored. Chores are quickly forgotten. Walks get passed over for the newest video game. The dogs is expected to wait until the child finishes his level or games as if they had a pause button.

According to Jon Katz of Slate Magazine: "A bigger problem with the Christmas pup is that good dogs are usually unavailable for holiday giving. Hardly any ethical dog provider will support the idea of a dog as a surprise present. Good breeders have carefully constructed breeding programs that are rarely tied to the idea of seasonal gifts, unless arrangements have been made with people they know well far in advance. 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."

So wait for a quieter time of year before introducing a new friend to the family.