Thinking of Getting a Puppy for Christmas? Here's What You Need to Know

We’ve all heard the Dog’s Trust slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ and how true it is.  Dogs Trust reveals that 102,363 stray and abandoned dogs were reported in one year as heartlessly left behind in council pounds, where they remained unclaimed by their owners.  This includes thousands of puppies bought as Christmas presents.

A puppy might sound like a great idea for a Christmas present, but in reality, bringing a dog into your life, or someone else’s life, requires a huge amount of commitment that needs to be thought through very seriously.  Buying a puppy as a surprise for someone is usually not a good idea.  We should never surprise a person with something that carries as much long term responsibility as a puppy or kitten.  As fun and exciting as a surprise can sound, always talk to a potential pet owner before deciding to give them a pet.

It’s not just about having time to spend with the dog and being able to walk him or her every day, though these are extremely important necessities.  Each breed is different and suited to different situations and environments, so the personality of a particular breed also needs careful consideration.  Many dogs are abandoned simply because they were the wrong choice of breed.

Choosing the right breed can be quite a challenge.   There is a wealth of information online about different breeds, but too much information can sometimes make things more difficult.  Through our experience working with pet owners, we at Bow Wow Meow feel a strong sense of responsibility to help potential pet owners as much as we can. 

Check out this Dog Breed Selector which can help to find the right dog breed to suit your lifestyle in only minutes.  In developing this tool, we recruited a team of specialist dog trainer with years of experience working with pet owners and their dogs, and went through the rigorous process to determine the core factors that are important when it comes to human/dog compatibility.  The result is this tool, which aims to be a fun and useful way to find the most suitable breeds.

Take our quick quiz to reveal your best breed matches or find out how compatible you are with breeds that you like.  Choosing the right breed can mean the difference between a wonderful life-changing addition to the family or a guilt-ridden life-changing decision to return the dog, or even abandon it in a panic.  Maybe you have a breed in mind that you’re convinced you’ll love.  There’s only one way to find out.  The top ten breeds which could work best for you and your lifestyle, for the long term, may not be what you expect!

Once you've chosen your breed, and you're all set to bring home the puppy you've always wanted, don't forget to choose the perfect dog name at our handy Pet Names tool.