Why Dogs Make Poor Gifts

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Why Dogs Make Poor Gifts

gift puppy If you’re a dog person, it’s hard to imagine why anyone, your children included, would ever be opposed to a furry new playmate. Dogs can be a joy, a loving companion, a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster life. But unfortunately, not everyone feels that way, and even if they do, there’s no guarantee that they’ll feel that way about every dog. While it may sound like a good idea to give a puppy as a present, here are a few common sense reasons that may dissuade you from making that mistake.

As previously mentioned, not everyone is eager to own a dog. While it seems that some individuals are just standoffish because they’ve never had a dog before, that isn’t a reason to test things out by getting them a puppy to suddenly care for. Starting a relationship with a pet doesn’t typically work out well when the owner views it more as a chore than a positive addition to their life, so just handing someone a pup out of the blue is inviting trouble.

Furthermore, just because someone is an admitted dog lover doesn’t mean that they’ll love every single dog indiscriminately. They may only prefer a few breeds, or even just a few pets they’ve had in the past. If you see someone with a pair of dogs and think they would love another one, keep in mind that adding another pooch to the household can have huge consequences and not every owner is looking for that level of responsibility, especially not when it’s thrust upon them.

Also, picking a puppy is a very personal experience. Part of the fun of getting a dog is getting to choose the very best dog for you and your life, the one that you can connect the most with. Again, having this connection forced upon you makes it more difficult for it to work. The connection may eventually be there, but it needs to happen naturally. Some adopters also may have very definite ideas in mind for what they’d like to adopt, such as knowing they want to find an older black dog from a rescue. Even if they’ve already told you what they’re kind of looking for, don’t just assume that you can find their perfect dog. You’ve got to let them choose.

Finally, adding that new pup can add a lot of financial stress to someone, more so when they aren’t expecting it. Puppies cost a good deal of money and some apartment complexes even require pet rent (most do, actually), meaning you aren’t necessarily giving someone a pet; you’re giving them a monthly bill. That doesn’t even take into account future vet trips, food expenses, and accommodations such as beds and food dishes. Plus, the time requirement can be rather steep, especially for a puppy. Walks should not be a chore, so don’t make a situation where they will be.

Basically, if you’ve been thinking about getting your friend of girlfriend a new dog, hold back. Let them know what you’re planning and discuss it with them. They’ll want a say in the matter. Don’t just assume you can figure out what they’d like, otherwise you’ll be sending a dog into a house where it’ll likely be sent right back, and that never helps a dog’s self esteem.