It’s happening! The Holidays are upon us, and once again I’m dredging up this post so we can have an honest discussion about getting a puppy for Christmas.

Beautiful memories, kids, gifts, and…giant puppy feet come to mind!!! We’ve all seen the tear-filled videos of children learning that their big present that year was a dog. It’s beautiful and warms the heart.

What could be better than introducing a new pet to the house for Christmas, right!?

RIGHT!?

For the solid majority of people, this is a really bad decision. Sorry, I’m going to be that person. I have to be Frank. Not Frank Abignail, but “frank” as in…we need to have a serious chat.

• How do I convince my spouse to get a puppy?
• Should I give a puppy as a Christmas gift?
• Are my kids ready to have a puppy?
• How can I surprise my kids with a puppy on Christmas?

We have so many things to discuss. I promise to make it fun, though!

Is Getting a Puppy for Christmas a Good Idea?

I could write an entire blog on all the amazing and beautiful things that happen when you bring a cute Dane puppy into your home. Of course, at Hello Danes we focus on giant breed dogs, but ALL puppies are cute. So this blog is for everybody!

If you haven’t caught wind yet of my opinion on this one, here goes.

If you think you want or need a Christmas puppy, chances are that you probably don’t need one. 

Hold the FORT! What are we saying here?

Sorry, not sorry, this stuff just has to be said. If you think it’s a good idea to stuff a brand-new puppy into a box and let children squeal and scream at it with excitement, think again.

If you are considering getting a new pet for Christmas, ask yourself the following questions: 

• After Christmas/New Years is over, do you still have time for this dog?
• How angry will you be if the heirloom rug in your living room is peed on?
• How much drool are you willing to wipe off of your clothes and walls?
• Can you afford a veterinary emergency of $2500 or more, immediately?
  
• Do you know how to train a puppy? Train it, properly and thoroughly?
• Are you willing to accept that even at 45 lbs a giant breed puppy is still VERY MUCH a baby and will get up in the middle of the night?
• Do you have other dogs in the home who are well cared for, well trained, and accepting of a new dog?
• If the puppy chews on the remote and shreds up the couch, could that lead to divorce?
• How upset will you be with yourself if your sweet new Dane puppy at 55 lbs runs and tackles a kid to the ground?
• Are you prepared to buy lots and lots and lots of dog food? 
• Can you pay for the vet bills, including emergent ones?
• Is your partner on board?

I say all of this with a bit of humor, but so much of it is true. 

Christmas puppies are traditionally a HUGE problem.

Once you have your moment and get your viral video of the kids squealing and hugging your now terrified puppy in a box, are you prepared for what happens next?

(Hint: you’ll have a hefty, confused, full-of-poop over-tired gremlin with needles for teeth terrorizing your peaceful Christmas house).

How Shelters & Rescues are Affected by Christmas Puppies

Every year rescues, shelters and breeders notice an increase in demand for puppies and dogs during the Holidays. People adopt and shop during this time more than any other.

This is not a coincidence; you aren’t the only person ever to have the brilliant idea of giving a dog as a gift.

The problem? MANY of those dogs end up returned or worse, surrendered. Many rescues suspend adoptions until the New Year, as a means to prevent people from making poor gifting decisions.

To meet demand, unethical breeders ramp up ‘production’ and create litters full of puppies from parents with questionable genetics. These dogs often end up with health and temperament problems that make them difficult if not impossible for the average dog owner to handle. 

The once cute, sweet Christmas puppy is hauled into a shelter when the owner claims to be “at their wit’s end!” with all of the peeing, chewing, destruction, jumping, anxiety, reactivity, and barking. Not to mention our personal favorite ‘we didn’t know he was going to get this big!!!”

Think that’s not going to happen to you?

If you are set on getting a Christmas puppy, get on top of this stuff NOW:

• Make sure you are choosing an ethical breeder and will be receiving a quality, healthy, well-tempered puppy. Learn how to choose a good breeder HERE.
• Know that you may have to be on a waitlist to get a quality Dane and that any breeder with Danes magically available and ready to go at Christmas may actually be a scam or at best, unethical (Read our Breeder Scams Blog Here). 
• Research in advance what it’s like to own a Great Dane, as well as how to raise and train them.
• Puppy-proof the house. The last thing you’ll want to do is to haul your new Christmas puppy into the ER on day one because he found and swallowed a glass ornament, three legos, and a cooked turkey bone.
• Learn about what kind of food a Great Dane puppy needs, and price it out. They eat a LOT.

If you plan to give a Great Dane puppy as a gift, do you really, truly think it’s the best idea?

Great Dane puppies are adorable and can turn into amazing dogs, but not without a lot of work. Socializing and training a puppy properly takes time, dedication, and desire.

Lacking that desire, it can be very difficult for a new Dane owner to get past some of the more common and frustrating Dane puppy behaviors (biting comes to mind…oh the biting!!!).

ALTERNATIVE IDEAS TO CHRISTMAS PUPPIES

Still want a Christmas puppy, found out that the breeder you found online was not great, or having second thoughts about the baby Gremlin you are about to spend a LOT of money on?

Try these ideas instead of getting a Christmas Puppy:

• Place your deposit with an ethical breeder and then have your people unwrap a photo, a leash & collar, a t-shirt, or a camera with a video of the puppy on it.
• Give a coupon that says ‘this coupon is good for one Great Dane‘. After they open it, share with your people how you will shop for an ethical breeder or find a rescue dog to bring into your home, and do the whole thing as a family.
• Have your family make a donation or volunteer for a Great Dane rescue. Be a ‘secret Santa’ to a rescue Dane. Volunteer to foster and bring one home that way!
• Decorate the house with all of the things needed for a Great Dane: a huge bag of food, a large bed, and some big Dane-sized toys, and see how long it takes your family to notice. Once they do, show them a photo of the puppies from the ethical breeder you are working with, or the rescue Dane that you think would be a wonderful fit.

Basic idea here, DON’T GET SCAMMED, and don’t be ‘that person’ that realizes somewhere in the Spring that the Christmas puppy was a huge mistake.

We are here for you and we are here for the Danes!