littlefurfamily Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Well this is it. This is the year. My daughter has had "a dog if possible" on her Christmas list for most of her 8 1/2 years. We take our decisions very seriously in our family and have been looking into all dog-ownership-responsibilities/ramifications....weighed it all out... and the whole family is now ready to take on a new family member. I'm pretty sure that "the day she got her first dog" is going to be right up there with "the day she got married" and "the day she had her first child" as far as joy goes. So I guess I am looking for suggestions on how to really make it special. We are not planning any kind of "puppy in a gift wrapped box" kind of thing. We are looking into a rescue-dog/pound-puppy ~ a young, medium, just the right dog for our family, when he comes along kind of dog. So that dog might come along before Christmas....or after.... I just wanted some idea of how to make it more memorable then "hey I was online and saw this dog at the pound, let's go get it" and that will be a new decision of its own! It could really come at any time now. It's a huge deal and I guess I want it to just be the most extra special moment for her. I'm not very good on the bright ideas portion of parenting! Also....any breeds you might suggest?? We think we want a Corgi-type...big dog in a small body kind of dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Make it special: gift wrap a leash, dog bowl, or other obvious accessory As you think about what type of dog to get, think about: what does your dd want to do with the dog - obedience, agility, just for fun, family hiking or biking, etc. shedding issues - how will you or your dh feel about dog hair - everywhere? Have fun with your new pup!! Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefurfamily Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Dog hair all over is definitely not my favorite thing....but love has its price :) which is why I am watching for a good price on a new vacuum:D. But with that said, the less shedding the better. We want a dog that wants to be loveloveloved. We're a pretty laid back family , so we don't need a high-energy/need dog. We walk in the neighborhood and local forest/park, but that's about it. Our yard is fenced, but it's a smallish city yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Just so you're aware - many shelters close their adoptions around Christmas. This is to try and avoid the "puppy under the tree" impulse adoptions that result in bigger, older, omgthisdogisWORK returns in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Good for you adopting a pound puppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Personally, I would wrap a leash, collar, etc. with a note that the real gift is a dog and put it under the tree. Then AFTER Christmas, we would go as a family to find "the" dog. That way she gets the surprise and the whole family can weigh in on the final choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Personally, I would wrap a leash, collar, etc. with a note that the real gift is a dog and put it under the tree. Then AFTER Christmas, we would go as a family to find "the" dog. That way she gets the surprise and the whole family can weigh in on the final choice. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 A dog breeder site that I was looking at had these suggestions for a "Christmas Puppy": -Do not give the actual puppy on Christmas. There's alot of hub-bub that goes on during the average family Christmas day. People in and out, the gift wrap, etc. Not only can it scare the puppy, but also it's easy to get distracted for a few minutes from the puppy. A few minutes is all it takes for a puppy to 1. have an accident, or 2. Chew someone's favorite new christmas gift they left on the floor. Instead give a gift that indicates a puppy is coming home soon, ie collar, food bowl, and even a framed picture of the puppy, if you have one. The build-up and anticipation of the "coming home day", or in your case, "going to pick one out" is often just as much fun for a child. That time in between when the child knows a puppy is coming and the day it actually comes home, can be used to let the child participate in puppy-proofing the house, going to the store pick out a few toys, food, and other necessities. If the child is old enough, they can even spend time watching puppy-training videos, etc. There are free ones on YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I have noticed that there is a real difference in shelters. The place where I just adopted our latest dog was incredible. I called and spoke to someone for over one hour on the phone about dog personalities and whether or not they had anyone compatible with our family. The first time I called, they had just adopted out the dog they swore was perfect for us but they took my number for the next one. And they did call and he is just about perfect. (Too much perfection would have been boring, right?!?!) So if I were you, I'd either call or go down to my local shelter and talk with them. The day I went to get Riker, I explained that I could not go in the back and see everyone in cages. They totally understood and brought him to us. It was a fabulous way to meet him. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 We tried to get a dog last year and I was shocked that the pound was open and allowed adoptions around christmas. But of course they had no problems with adopting out very sick older dogs, that needed extensive dental work. Finally in March we found our dream dog via a private adoption found on craigslist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaver_67579 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 A dog breeder site that I was looking at had these suggestions for a "Christmas Puppy": -Do not give the actual puppy on Christmas. There's alot of hub-bub that goes on during the average family Christmas day. People in and out, the gift wrap, etc. Not only can it scare the puppy, but also it's easy to get distracted for a few minutes from the puppy. A few minutes is all it takes for a puppy to 1. have an accident, or 2. Chew someone's favorite new christmas gift they left on the floor. Instead give a gift that indicates a puppy is coming home soon, ie collar, food bowl, and even a framed picture of the puppy, if you have one. The build-up and anticipation of the "coming home day", or in your case, "going to pick one out" is often just as much fun for a child. That time in between when the child knows a puppy is coming and the day it actually comes home, can be used to let the child participate in puppy-proofing the house, going to the store pick out a few toys, food, and other necessities. . As for breeds-I did "what is the right dog for you" type services for our local kennel club for years before we moved. My all-time favorite resource is the book " the Right Dog For You" by Daniel F. Tortora, Ph. D. I find his breed descriptions to be the most accurate I have ever seen in a book about multiple breeds and there are lots of charts in back to help you find the best match for your family-they range from activity levels to emotional stability to watch dog capability with many more. For a smallish breed I like the beagle-good all around dogs. I would recommend finding a breed that suits your family and then look based on that. There are rescue groups for every breed and some also will take in mixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefurfamily Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 Thank you for all the responses. I thought it would be funny to get her a pooper-scooper and a tennis ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I brought a rescue German Shepard home for my family for Christmas one year. It was awesome! We put a big red bow around her neck and my brothers and sisters were SO excited. It was the best gift ever. It wouldn't have been the same with just the leash wrapped. She turned out to be the best dog they ever had :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 We found our two dogs through a rescue group. The reason we did it that way is we wanted to know more about the dog's personality / safety around children before making the commitment (because we knew bringing the dog back would never be an option for us). It worked out really well. Both dogs are wonderful for our family. Best of luck choosing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 It's great to get a puppy as a homeschool family. You're home with the pup most days, all days -- as opposed to the kind of family where everyone is away from the house all day, most days. Whether you get this dog the day of Christmas or not, I don't think matters. You may have a hard time timing it for Christmas morning. You may have to wait until a litter is born or is ready. If you're going through a shelter, you may have all sorts of qualifying issues. At any rate, congratulations. I think every family and every child should have a dog. I think you've made a fabulous decision. (I recommend you consider a Sheltie.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I love animals :) Remember... YOU are adopting the animal. Seriously, hair is a HUGE issue, if you've never had an inside dog. I vacuum ALL the time and it never goes away :( I am getting a dog who at least is suppose to "not" shed, and that's for a person who just loves animals :) I also suggest "tomato staking" the dog to you for the first couple of weeks, and then doing serious dog training with it when you have had it for a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 last year, we spent months looking for a calico kitten. we finally found one, went to see it and it wasn't the one. having had an inkling that it might not work out, i had also looked at several pounds in the area. we went straight from the rescue to the pound, found our dear lizzie and brought her home..... on december 23rd. the time was right...... we did it together, it was memorable.... so in the advise category, i'd put lots of energy into finding the right breed/dog, and not too much on making it memorable. it will be.... smiling at the memories, ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 so in the advise category, i'd put lots of energy into finding the right breed/dog, and not too much on making it memorable. it will be.... smiling at the memories, ann Yes. Just so you're aware - many shelters close their adoptions around Christmas. This is to try and avoid the "puppy under the tree" impulse adoptions that result in bigger, older, omgthisdogisWORK returns in the summer. Thankfully! And reputable breeders won't sell dogs as Christmas presents, either. Personally, I would wrap a leash, collar, etc. with a note that the real gift is a dog and put it under the tree. Then AFTER Christmas, we would go as a family to find "the" dog. That way she gets the surprise and the whole family can weigh in on the final choice. I do think it's important that everyone meets the dog before you bring him home. We tried to get a dog last year and I was shocked that the pound was open and allowed adoptions around christmas. But of course they had no problems with adopting out very sick older dogs, that needed extensive dental work. Finally in March we found our dream dog via a private adoption found on craigslist. It's a shame some shelters operate like this. Our local ones only send older and sick dogs to rescues. Thank you for all the responses. I thought it would be funny to get her a pooper-scooper and a tennis ball. This is a great idea! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlefurfamily Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 Yes it will definately be an entire family decision. I told her long ago that IF she EVER got a dog that her brother and I would be the ones making the final decision because she would take ANY dog, ANY size, ANY day, ANY hour. Every time she sees a dog walking around without its person she wants to stop and pick it up. I know there is no way to time it so she wakes up to it on Christmas morning. That's just not how we roll....I'm certain it will be another long, drawn out decision and I am now waiting patiently for the right one to come along. I've been trolling petfinder and petango for years ~ I'm almost as excited as she will be. I did pick up an inexpensive little doggy gift set with a bone cookie-cutter, cookbook and rope toy. I think I will wrap that up and keep trolling the petfinder sites. When a promising pet comes along, I'll give her that to let her know it is time to start the official search. Thank you for the info on Christmas closing. I'll check into that. I'm so giddy though, it may be before the holidays if the right dog comes onto my radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I think it depends on the KIND of shelter. I worked at the city shelter for 3 years. We had contracts with animal control and regulations on when to adopt, how long animals were kept, when they were euthanized, etc. We couldn't stop adoptions during the holidays. We strongly discouraged it, but we couldn't stop it. Non-profit, private shelters have that option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisefor3 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I will tell you what we did...just in case something changes...although I realize our experience is not possible for everyone but...it worked for us. In 2005 we were ready to add a second dog. We already knew what breed we wanted (miniature Australian shepherd), sex, etc. Since we had been responsible dog owners for 16 years we knew what that entailed so nothing was new to us about that. We had just been waiting for the right time. In November I told DH that if we knew we were going to add another dog sometime soon, wouldn't it be cool to give that puppy on Christmas morning and fulfil that old vision of getting a puppy for Christmas? He agreed and we spent weeks looking for the right pup who would be ready for pick up by Christmas. Long story short, it all came together. He drove 3 hours to pick up the pup on Christmas eve eve. A friend kept him that night. We picked him up late Christmas eve and hid him in our master bathroom. I had gone to the florist and asked them to make me a big red bow. When they heard the story they gave it to me for free. I wrapped a box that a case of paper comes in, wrapping the top and bottom separately. We put him in it right before we let the kids come out of their rooms. (They were 14, 7 and 15 months.) We let them look at their stockings first and then told them to open that box first. The moment was priceless. The pictures are priceless. The day was priceless. Keep in mind that we were well prepared. We had a crate ready, had trained two previous dogs, knew that we weren't travelling any time soon, etc. That was one of our most special Christmas memories and always will be. We love to look at those pictures. The reasons for not giving a dog on Christmas morning are very valid and apply to most people. But if it is right for your family, it truly can be a great Christmas memory in spite of the fact that it is not right for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Dog hair all over is definitely not my favorite thing....but love has its price :) which is why I am watching for a good price on a new vacuum:D. But with that said, the less shedding the better. We have a poodle cross. Not all of them are low shedding, but if the coat is wooly then it should be. You do have to be sure to brush them regularly so that he fur doesn't mat and become uncomfortable. She's white and we have dark grey carpet in one room - I vacuum.... not very regularly, and the carpet looks okay. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnella Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 Personally, I would wrap a leash, collar, etc. with a note that the real gift is a dog and put it under the tree. Then AFTER Christmas, we would go as a family to find "the" dog. That way she gets the surprise and the whole family can weigh in on the final choice. I think this is a great idea. I used to work at a Humane Society, and it was routine to stop adoptions around Christmas. It prevented impulse adoptions. Also, the height of the holiday season isn't the best time to bring a new member of the family home. Visitors, decorations, unusual schedules. All these things can make the holidays an extra hard time for a new pet to settle in. I also really like the idea of making the expedition for the dog a family event. It's how we adopted out last dog from the Humane Society and our most recent cat from the pound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 We got ours before Christmas. Halloween as a matter of fact, but I had been looking for a while, and they were available then. I told the dc that they were Christmas presents for friends of ours, and we were fostering them until Christmas. Christmas Eve morning we gave them an envelope w/ a red ribbon, and a picture of the dogs inside. They were so happy they didn't have to give the puppies away! Oh, and the funny thing is, the kid we told the dc they were going to, did get a dog that Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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