It sounds like a good idea, right?  Wait a minute, let’s look at a few things first.  Christmas morning is anything but a typical morning in almost any home. Lots of excitement, screaming, loud toys, and shuffling of gifts are just a few thing you can expect. To say the least, it can be a bit overwhelming to any new puppy or dog.  

When you decide to introduce a new dog to your home and family the most important thing is that everyone (and everything) should be CALM. First impressions are very important, and having a solid game plan should be a must.  You would be very wise to consult a professional dog trainer ahead of time and include some specific “rules” to be followed when introducing your new addition to the household.  

 Consider wrapping a picture of your soon-to-arrive new addition for your family to open.  This is a much better thing to have under the tree than a live animal!  Once the holiday excitement dies down you will still have something wonderful to look forward to – that new bundle of joy that will add to your lives forever!  

Having a plan set up ahead of time will avoid some disastrous mistakes that could affect your new dog (and his relationship with your family) for the rest of his life!  

PLEASE, please, please… before you decide it’s a great idea to give a dog as a gift, remember there are much better options!

XO,

Stacie & Ronan