Why Puppies Should Not Be Given As Gifts

Puppies are cute, and you can probably think back and remember a time when you've seen one given as a gift. Maybe somebody's dog died, and a puppy was given to him or her as a present. Or, perhaps a child wants a puppy for a birthday present or for Christmas and a well-meaning family member gives the child a pet.

So why is it not such a good idea for puppies to be given as gifts? For starters, you have to remember that puppies have lives to live and are not property. While the intentions of the gift are wonderful, it may not end with a happy ending.

It is much better instead to allow owners and puppies to come together naturally. Owners and their dogs tend to be a lot alike. Owners and dogs need to have a chance to select one another. And, there are many other things that come into play as well.

For example, a puppy is given as a gift to a child. How many times has this happened, and the child ends up neglecting the dog. The family doesn't want to pick up the slack and what was a loving yet impulsive gift now turns sour. And who suffers the most? The dog does of course.

It's not like dog gifting situations haven't worked out before. When I was a child, I was given a dog as a gift by my parents, however it was something that we planned and prepared for. That dog ended up being my constant companion for many years.

As a professional dog trainer I've seen many situations were adult children give their elderly parents a puppy when an existing dog has passed away or when they felt their elderly parent needed a companion. Naturally these people love the puppy and do enjoy its companionship but it isn't always what the elderly parent needed.

In fact sometimes the dog actually ends up becoming more of a burden for the elderly family member then anybody could foresee. Of course there's always the possibility that the expenses involved in owning a dog could be a burden to an elderly person but that isn't the only problem.

I've seen situations where carrying adult children have given their 70-year-old parents a puppy Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd. Large dogs grow quickly and need some very serious training. At 70 years of age the physical requirements of having a large dog are just too much for a senior citizen.

On the other hand a small lapdog that doesn't need a tremendous amount of exercise is something that would be considered more of the proper pet.

So you may suggest that somebody needs a puppy in their life. You may even be willing to pay for the dog as a gift. But whatever you do consult with the recipient before you make the purchase so that they can pick the type of dog that they want that will meet their lifestyle. Doing this will make everybody happy including the dog.

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