A puppy for a present on Christmas Day.

[GlitteryGracie]

Just wondering how you would feel/respond if you saw a video of a puppy being given as a gift on Christmas Day?

Small puppy presented to young children in a box on Christmas Day complete with "look what Santa brought" type comments.

All responses have been "lucky them, oh how lovely" type comments.

Made me feel quite sad and I wanted to say something about puppies not being good Christmas presents, but I don't know if I'm being a bit precious. What do you think?

[fivedogstofeed]

I'd probably ignore it but then I'm a sanctimonious old bag. If they've been living under a rock and don't know that a puppy is not a Christmas present then you're not going to change their minds now...

[KittenVsXmastree]

Christmas day is totally the wrong day to be introducing new animals to a household.
It is chaotic, noisy and often stressy.
Pets need to be introduced into a calm, quiet environment to let them get used to the new place and new people.

[Jolonglegs]

Not good.

[CakeAndGin]

It’s a recipe for disaster. If they’ve done any research into getting a dog, they will have come across how inappropriate getting a puppy as a present is, and not given a shit. If they haven’t done any research into getting a dog, then it’s probably not going to be long before the dog is rehomed anyway.

[BertieBotts]

The damage is done so saying something would achieve nothing except to make them think you are miserable. I def wouldn't be cheering and saying how nice it is though. Did the same when MIL got a puppy suspiciously fast at a really inappropriate time - just bit my tongue and stayed quiet but disapproved a bit at DH - he agreed but said his family have always got pets like that.

[Instagrump]

An ex neighbour shared a puppy video. A small breed too which makes me feel sick. It wasn't that long ago that they had a kitten which the kids dragged and snatched about and fought over, yanking it by its head and hauling it out from its hiding place under the sofa by its legs or head. It resulted in them calling me for an emergency trip to the vets because it "just collapsed". It clearly didn't. It was obvious violent trauma which they lied about while it choked on its own blood. Cunts.

[JontyDoggle37]

There is nothing wrong with getting a puppy as a present, IF it is an experienced family who know what they’re letting themselves in for. Anyone, who buys a dog at any time, who is underprepared and has unrealistic expectations is more likely to dump that dog. If we were getting a dog for my little boy I would buy it for his birthday or Christmas present, as a surprise - but we have two dogs already and I’ve owned dogs continuously since the age of 3, so nearly 40 years.

[GlitteryGracie]

@Instagrump that's terrible, that poor kitten, poor puppy too by the sound of it.

I think this is my main objection to animals being given as presents to children.... it sort of puts them on the same level as a toy so the kids think they can treat it like one.

[adaline]

If a family are going to be good owners, it shouldn't matter what time of year they bring a puppy into their lives.

BUT

Most good breeders do not release puppies at this time of year and will either avoid matings or will keep hold of puppies until January to avoid this very scenario.

Christmas Day is possibly the worst time of year to introduce a puppy into the household. Far too much noise, excitement and temptation. Over-excited children, lots of toxins lying around (chocolate, onions in food, raisins, grapes) and not enough time to devote to training a young puppy.

[Scarsthelot]

If they are responsible dog owners and know they are getting a puppy for christmas, they will have organised Christmas around getting the puppy.

I work with a breed specific rescue who avoid rehoming dogs (especially puppies) at this time of year, if possible. Unfortunately, lots of older dogs become available just before Christmas to make way for the new puppy so its busy.

They do rehome dogs and puppies to people they know if it's an emergency and on the 22nd I spent 10 hours in the car going to get a puppies as her owners threaten to abandon her. 6 weeks old. Taken from her mother at 5 weeks and already too much hard work. It kind of went against my thoughts on puppies at Christmas presents and when people have asked was she a Christmas gift they have been clearly told she isnt. And I made it clear to my kids, she isnt a christmas gift. It's just timing.

I have adopted her. Christmas was tweaked so it was quiet. Friends and family understood and there was no massive invasion of people, less risk of food being dropped.

I do agree, in general it's a piss poor idea. And honestly toilet training a dog is easier in summer imo. So not sure why people do it. But at this point you have to hope this was planned and prepped well in advance.

I dont agree that at Christmas it means the family view it as a toy. Lots of kids get lots of non toy gifts. I think good owners will be good owners at anytime of year. Bad ones will be bad ones wether they got the puppy in December or July.

I cant see the point in saying anything now.its not going to change anything.

What I do want to know is, where the hell do they hide the puppy on Christmas eve and Christmas morning until it's been given?

[labazsisgoingmad]

no no and double no its asking for trouble. too much noise and excitement risk of a pup picking up food they should not eat and little bits of toys that could cause serious internal injuries being stood on or badly injured with over enthusiastic squeeze hugs ridiculous

[TeacupRex]

Really don't like the idea of it, Christmas is possibly the worst time to bring a puppy into the home.

Unfortunately I saw a video on Facebook today - the family had filmed their young daughters' reactions to getting a Boxer puppy for Christmas. The poor thing looked about 4-5 weeks old, incredibly tiny, scrawny and looked unwell with a wormy belly. No doubt bought from a puppy farm :(

[Thesearmsofmine]

I’d think they were idiots, a dog isn't a present it’s an addition to the family.

[FatherRabulaConundrum]

Is this about the Beckhams? All over Instagram with Harper's cute Christmas present? I thought it was incredibly irresponsible - for all the reasons above.

[Iwantacookie]

Ide be more concerned about where they got the puppy from. No breeder or rescue will rehome that close to xmas. Sounds like a puppy farmed puppy so ide immediately get it to a vet.

[Echobelly]

I guess it's hard to know if you don't know the background.

They may been doing research for months and just decided to wait until Christmas, or they may have bought a puppy off some puppy farm without the slightest consideration. Though if I were doing the former, I'd probably add to the post 'Don't worry, we have thought about this long and hard but waited until Christmas', knowing that a lot of people would assume the worst. So it doesn't bode well.

One of the worst abandonments I've heard, from a friend who takes dogs in sometimes, was 'Oh we got the dog for our daughter, but she was scared of it' . I mean, FFS, maybe check if you're daughter's scared of dogs before getting one!

[Coffeeandcrumpet]

I got a puppy for Christmas when I was a teenager, best Christmas ever. But we already had a dog and was a very quiet Christmas with just my parents so we're totally focused on the puppy. But I agree it's generally not a clever idea and most good breeders shouldn't sell puppies at Christmas.

[nearlyfinished1moreyear]

Depends on the families circumstances tbh. I got a puppy as an Xmas present from OH and he's still here 8 years later.

[DrivingMsCrazy]

I loathe those videos, kids screaming and screaming "oh my god it's a PUPPEEEEE" as they drag a terrified little bundle out of a box and carry on screaming, shrieking and crying at full volume. Way to go to stress the pup out to the max. Hate it and always assume they will be shit owners if they think this is a fun way to introduce a dog to the family just to get a "cute" video on social media. Stop Screaming ffs!!!

[koshkat]

An ex neighbour shared a puppy video. A small breed too which makes me feel sick. It wasn't that long ago that they had a kitten which the kids dragged and snatched about and fought over, yanking it by its head and hauling it out from its hiding place under the sofa by its legs or head. It resulted in them calling me for an emergency trip to the vets because it "just collapsed". It clearly didn't. It was obvious violent trauma which they lied about while it choked on its own blood.

OMG.

[Instagrump]

Koshkat, I was raging inside. When I brought the mum home from the vets with the now PTS kitten in my cat carrier she told her kids, "Oh it's okay, we'll get another one" and "I'll get a refund from the breeder. It's not fair that it cost us £50 and now it's dead"
The kids weren't even upset. They were excited at the thought of another kitten. I told them they had no legal right to a refund and that getting another was a really bad idea because it would just happen again. The kids weren't even toddlers either. They were 10, 11 and 14!

I couldn't even look at that family again after that. Thankfully they moved but I still saw the new Christmas Eve puppy post on her FB though