With the arrival of the magical Christmas season joy, love and solidarity are in the air as well as so many feelings that you want to express through a gift to your loved ones.
Which gift could be really special this year for ourselves, for a dear friend or for a family member? What if, a little furry friend, is the right choice?
A new family member can bring warmth, sweetness and a renewed sense of positivity to our lives.
First of all, however, there are some aspects to take into consideration to avoid making a rash choice, risking realizing when it is too late that we cannot dedicate the right time and commitment to our puppy.
Giving a four-legged friend as a Christmas gift, as well as at any other time of the year, involves the awareness of a conscious choice, in addition to the extremely important responsibility towards a small living being.
In fact, we are not talking about an ordinary material gift, but about an animal to love and take care of every day and at any time!
Surprise! A truly unexpected gift for this Christmas.
Here are some tips for responsibly welcoming a pet in order to be perfectly ready for the arrival of our new furry friend.
Choosing a puppy suitable to the needs of the recipient
Before making an important decision such as getting a puppy, it is essential to think carefully about the breed, to ensure that it suits our lifestyle and needs. This choice can have a significant effect, both on our habits and on the animal’s well-being.
This is an important choice because the puppy will be the new member of our family. We will have to learn to respect and love him, and also to teach children that he’s not a toy and that it’s not allowed to get tired after just a few uses, but rather that it is a creature absolutely belonging to the family unit, with all the respective responsibilities.
So how to choose the right puppy? Some people may want the company of a dog inside the house, while others may be looking for a trusty companion for their outdoor adventures. Someone else might prefer a cat, which is definitely more independent and autonomous, there are those who might even opt for an exotic pet such as a reptile or a bird!
Why is the choice of the best puppy such important for us? The reason is quite simple: the arrival of a new life partner will not only bring a new spirit of love into our homes, but it will significantly change our daily routine. For example, we will have to devote time to our dog every day for his daily walk and to respect his eating habits as wells as his needs related to the movement and the sleep.
A new furry friend will change our lives for the better.
Our advice is to carefully evaluate the following aspects during the decision-making process about getting a new pet:
- Time availability: animals require attention, care and commitment in our lives. So it’s important to make sure you have enough time to dedicate to the new friend who joins the family;
- Domestic spaces: some dog breeds need a lot of space to run and play, others are more sedentary and prefer staying indoors. Differently, cats would rather have the possibility to have an outdoor space, but are able to easily adapt to indoor environments as well;
- Specific needs of the animal: every pet has different needs, like movement but also nutrition and medical-veterinary care.
You can delve into this topic in this article in order to find out how to choose the right animal for you.
Adopting a puppy to give him love
Why should we choose to adopt a pet at Christmas?
Adopting a pet saved from difficult situations is a wonderful opportunity to give him a second start. Many pets are abandoned when puppies and raised in poor conditions or left alone during the most complicated periods, such as the holidays.
Animal shelters, in fact, work tirelessly to recover abandoned specimens by offering them care and a new home. Precisely for this reason, before going to a breeding centre or a pet shop, we could take a look at local shelters, kennels or rescue associations. We will surely find a sweet little puppy waiting for a family that will be able to give him all the love he deserves.
How can you resist such a sweet gaze? It is impossible!
Why to choose pet adoption?
- Loyal companionship and unconditional love: pets adopted from shelters often demonstrate a special gratitude and a strong attachment to their new owners. In fact, the relationship with the pet can become incredibly deep and significant through time, so much to create memories that will remain unforgettable for his owner;
- Sustaining animal shelters: the activity of animal rescue associations is truly precious. Their activity allows the reduction of the number of abandoned furry friends by taking care of the medical-veterinary care necessary for their health, while looking for new reliable owners. By choosing puppy adoption, we are supporting their work and significantly contributing to the decrease of the problem of stray animals;
- Restraining illegal breeding centres: illegal breeding and puppies’sale is certainly not uncommon. Often their only goal is to profit from pets, without any real concern for their health or whether the buyers are trustworthy and capable of adequately maintaining a life partner. Adopting a pet from certified animal rescue centers is the only way to combat the market of unauthorized sales.
It should be taken into consideration that a puppy coming from a shelter brings with him a different background of experiences than a puppy raised in another type of context, such as breeding centres. It is important to consider this aspect to make sure you can offer your dog everything he needs. Finding out about the puppy’s history from the kennel/shelter workers is therefore important to be prepared for his arrival about his needs and habits. If need be, you can start a journey with a professional dog trainer or, in case the dog shows a strong discomfort, you can contact a vet expert in animal behavior.
If the puppy’s commitment is unsuitable for the person who will receive this gift, it is possible to opt for a beautiful gesture: long-distance adoption. There are several associations that manage this activity.
Preparing for the puppy’s arrival
After choosing your furry companion, it is essential to prepare yourself in advance to guarantee our new little friend an environment where he can immediately feel at ease. In fact, it is crucial that our new puppy has everything he needs to feel comfortable and safe, such as food and water bowls, a bed or a place to take his naps, as well as toys for both fun and motor-cognitive stimulation.
Each dog has different needs to respect and support.
With the right organization we will be able to minimize the initial stress that our animal may feel when he starts to get to know his new habitat, thus allowing him to gradually adapt to his new life.
Furthermore, it can also be useful to divide the tasks within the family by planning who will take care of the walks, who will take care of the education and who will take care of the feeding time, so that we’re sure to give the new puppy the right attention from the moment of his arrival onwards. These habits will thus allow us to build a healthy routine, not only for him but also for us.
To ensure his perfect integration into the family and social context, it is important to consider undertaking a basic education course, where the puppy will learn to socialize and communicate with his peers. This activity will also be an opportunity to learn to communicate, understand his needs and give him all the tools to deal with every situation peacefully. In short, to start off on the right paw!
To guarantee a warm welcome to our pet, preparation is essential. In fact, on our blog you can consult many articles with all the curiosities about the animal world and various practical advice. For example, you can find out what are the costs of keeping a dog or how to facilitate dog and cat cohabitation.
One of our most important advice we want to give you is to choose the right products for the care and the hygiene of your new life partner. These products need to be delicate and gentle on the skin and need to have a softening and nourishing action both on the coat and on the skin. In case of small furry friends, the Puppy Kit is specifically conceived for the first baths of dogs and cats, starting from the age of 3 months, while for the little ones it is possible washing them quickly and gently but at the same time cleansing them accurately even in depth, using the Daily No Rinse Shampoo or the Disposable 2 in 1 Wipes Shampoo & Perfume.
So this Christmas, while decorating the Christmas Tree, among the various gifts we will have the opportunity to open a real special one: a puppy, an unforgettable gift of life to take care of or to give to a loved one as a sweet and unexpected surprise.
Give an experience full of fun with animals for Christmas
Giving a puppy as a gift for Christmas can be a rash decision, especially when who will receive this present doesn’t expect it at all. If we know pretty well this person and we are sure that a new puppy will be the best choice for him, he will certainly be ready to welcome a new life partner.
But if we are not really sure about this kind of gift we could opt for an original idea, always animal-themed. Giving as a gift an experience with animals, such as a horseback ride, a visit to a farm with alpacas or a pet therapy session can be a truly appreciated gift for those who will receive it!
We wish you all a Merry Christmas, together with our beloved furry companions!
A Christmas together with our pets will be an even more beautiful day.
Article written with the consultancy of Chiara Festelli, Dog Trainer.
