A new puppy this Christmas would be the ideal gift for a lot of dog lovers, but you have to ask yourself if it is really the right thing to buy. There are increasing numbers of dogs and puppies that are bought on a whim and then the owners find they cant handle them, so they get sent to a shelter. Worse still, they might just turf it out onto the streets. Naturally, this is a harrowing thought for pet lovers out there, but it is still a reality.

It is important to remember that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas. There are boyfriends out there that will be buying their girlfriend a pet for Christmas, but you have to make sure the pet is going to have a long and happy life in the home. If this isn’t something you can be sure of, don’t buy a pet as a Christmas present. The issue is that break-ups in the home are inevitable and the pet gets dragged into it and often associated with the person who bought it, so naturally they get viewed in a bad light. They don’t want to see the animal and the pet then gets treated very badly. It is sad that this happens, but pets should never be associated with the person that bought it. Remember, the dog is part of the family too.

Better dog health care knowledge is one of the best ways to make sure the dog doesn’t get sent to a shelter in the New Year. Love your dog and learn about what it needs to stay healthy. Cuddle it, train it properly from puppy age and feed it what is vet-recommended food. Just spend a good few months getting to know your pet and how best to look after it, taking into account all good dog health care tips, and this will prevent the influx of dogs at the shelter all year round. Lets stop the number of homeless, shelterless and mistreated dogs there are, and the first step is understanding basic dog health care so you know how to look after it. Pets only make good Christmas presents when the dog health care is considered, and if not, don’t buy one.

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