The Christmas puppy

Puppies are a way to give unconditional love to someone you want to be happy, but make sure that person actually wants a dog.

At least don't before you make sure the recipient really wants a puppy. There is a huge difference between making a passing remark that a puppy would be nice (overheard by a well-meaning friend looking for gift ideas), and considering the possibility seriously, with all the time and energy implications on the lifestyle of the recipient.

And that is if you get the breed right. You may think one breed is just so cute, but the recipient may not like that type of dog at all. You may like spaniels but the recipient likes terriers; you may think a large dog is the best and will live in a kennel outdoors, but the recipient may want an indoor breed of mini-stature.

So if you MUST give a puppy, please do a heap of research on the type of dogs the recipient likes, the breed that will suit his or her lifestyle, whether it is going to be an outdoor or indoor dog (and don't under any circumstance buy an 'outdoor' dog if the outdoor premises are not already in place and are warm, dry and free of drafts), whether the breed needs lots of grooming and attention (a recipe for trouble if the recipient works full time), and how much exercise the breed needs - will the recipient take the dog for a walk daily, or does the person perhaps have difficulty walking, or back problems?

There is so much to consider, but before you make a final decision please go to visit a refuge, the SPCA, or the city dog pound, and if at all possible take with you the person you want to buy a puppy for. Note the person's reactions and ask yourself whether the puppy you buy will end up in such a depressing situation a few weeks after Christmas. Unless you are 100 percent convinced that the puppy will be well loved and a part of the family for its whole lifetime, then please do not even consider a puppy as a gift.

Another consideration is whether the recipient has any knowledge at all about how to care for a puppy and what its food and companionship requirements will be. Is the person equipped to look after a puppy? Does he or she have any knowledge about collars, leads, halters, harnesses, grooming equipment, food quality, food and water bowls and other necessary articles - what equipment should be used and what is likely to cause harm? If not, then perhaps along with the puppy you should also give a good modern book of information on canine health and care.

Finally, and most important of all, can the recipient afford to own a dog? For some countries there are yearly registration fees as well as microchip costs as well as any inocculations required by law and the cost of purchasing a collar and/or disk with the dog's name and address on it. Some countries require prospective canine homes to be inspected for fencing adequacy, and impose fines if a dog is able to roam off the property.

That takes care of the legal requirements (different countries have different combinations of those requirements), but after that there are vet fees, the cost of any inocculations that may not be a legal requirement but you will still want your dog to be protected, such as distemper or leptospirosis. Worming tablets come into this category, and if you are in a heartworm country then ongoing daily or monthly heartworm tablets are a MUST (as well as regular worm treatment - from yearly to bi-monthly, depending on the country and area).

The pup will require either a spay or neuter operation at about six months of age, which is not cheap, and any extra visits to the vet as a result of accident or illness are also not cheap. A good, basic dog health insurance plan is quite often a good investment.

If you are still convinced that a puppy is a good gift for the target person, then by all means go shopping. However, if the recipient is not insistent on pedigree papers then you can do no better than adopting a healthy rescue puppy. There can be no better feeling than giving a loving permanent home to a little dog in need.

And some tips for all dog owners at Christmas time: there is so much going on in your household over the festive season - new faces visiting, parcels arriving, trees indoors and decorating of everything in sight, more noise and more traffic - it is natural that dogs will be stressed by all the unfamiliar activity. Do everything you can to keep your dog calm (a kong filled with delicious stuff will help) and safe.

Make sure that dangerous objects such as baubles made from paper-thin glass are out of your dog's reach, and on Christmas day do not leave chocolate on low coffee tables - you could poison your dog! If you are acting as host to the family for Xmas dinner, and especially if there are to be a few young children in the house, then your dog would appreciate some quiet time in a safe area, rather than being anywhere that can be freely accessed by the children. An adjacent room that has a high child gate in the doorway is ideal, so the dog can still feel part of the family but is safe in a separate area with a stuffed kong and perhaps a new toy and an old, favourite toy.

As long as stress levels are kept low, the Christmas season should be a happy one for both humans and their pets. - EP