tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196654372011-04-21T20:02:28.917-07:00Administratornoreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19665437.post-1133981353591083202005-12-07T10:02:00.000-08:002005-12-07T10:49:13.600-08:00It's The Worst Possible Time for a Puppy <br />by Hope Saidel<br /><br />Your child's nagging and the incredibly precious holiday commercials have finally broken through your defenses - you've decided to relent and get Junior a puppy for Christmas.<br /><br />Don't do it.<br /><br />Not for Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or any other occasion. Acquiring a puppy is an event on its own. Don't even try to cram it in with other celebrations.<br /><br />A wonderful holiday gift for your child is the promise of a puppy. Set a date; spring vacation, when school is out, when you get back from camp; a date when you'll have time to devote to acclimating your new family member. For the holiday, give your child some tangible puppy items with that promise: a bowl, a toy, and most important of all: some books about dogs; training dogs, caring for dogs, dog breeds.<br /><br />Finding the perfect puppy for Junior should be Junior's project. Give him the tools to research different breeds. Every breed of dog was developed for a specific task and that instinct lives on - even if most dogs' only jobs today are to be wonderful companions. Dogs come in sizes from tiny to huge, with fur from non-existent to plush. Help your child assess your situation and decide on the right dog for your family.<br /><br />If Junior isn't old enough to do the work - Junior isn't old enough to have a dog of his own.<br /><br />If the puppy is supposed to belong to Junior, then Junior should understand what's involved in caring for her dog. The cuddling and playing fetch may sound great - but is she aware that scooping poop is also part of the deal? Check with your local dog training facility - is Junior old enough to participate in a class with her puppy?<br /><br />Dogs and children can be a wonderful pairing. With the right preparation, a dog can be a child's best friend.<br /><br />About the Author<br /><br />Hope Saidel is the co-owner of GollyGear, a bricks-and-mortar and online small dog shop featuring fun, affordable and practical products for small dogs. She has trained and competed in Obedience with small dogs for over a decade and is on the Board of Directors of the North Shore Dog Training Club.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/19665437-113398135359108320?l=mini-dachshund.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Administratornoreply@blogger.com0