Why A Valentine Puppy Is Not A Good Gift
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The first thing you hear is barking, howling, and whining followed by Happy Valentine’s Day! Uh oh, did he just get me a Valentine Puppy? As much as you’d like to think that getting your girlfriend a Valentine’s Day Puppy is a good idea…think again!
A while back I talked about why a Christmas puppy does not make a good gift and today I’m going to reiterate that same sentiment for that Valentine Puppy you’re thinking about getting for your GF.
Valentine Puppy…Don’t Do It!
While you might have thoughts of your girlfriend saying “this is the best gift ever”, please think again. Even though puppies are adorable, cuddly, soft, precious, and every other cute word I can think of they are a humongous responsibility. After the initial euphoria wears off you and your girlfriend will be confronted with:
- Potty accidents in the house – is your house ready for potty accidents?
- Crying, whining, barking, howling at night – not only you, but are your neighbors prepared for a noisy puppy?
- Mouthy behavior…biting! – puppy teeth are like little daggers they can be painful!
- Your favorite hat, piece of furniture, cell phone, remote control chewed into a million pieces – are you prepared for a destructive puppy?
- Sleepless nights – are your prepared to do without sleep for anywhere from a few nights to a couple months?
Puppy As A Gift
7 years ago I wanted a puppy. My girlfriend new I wanted a puppy. She came up with a very practical plan for getting me that puppy. On my birthday she took me out on a most awesome date. She told me we were going to visit several homes with litters of puppies and she wanted to get me a puppy for my birthday. However, it was up to me to choose which puppy I wanted for my b-day.
It started with a visit to a home with 5 black Labrador Retriever puppies…adorable each one of them. Then a stop at another home on over an acre of land with 7 yellow Labrador Retriever puppies…irresistable, tubby little things. Finally a litter of 12 Golden Retriever puppies all living in a tiny little condo…so cute to see them run ramped in a tiny little space.
All of these puppies were absolutely adorable, but I was given a CHOICE as to which puppy I wanted and whether or not I wanted to take a puppy home that day at all. I decided that it was to big of a responsibility to decide in such a short period of time. Instead we stopped off at the book store on the way home and ended up buying Puppies For Dummies (affiliate link). I read that book twice before we went out to look at another puppy. I was patient and looked at several more puppies, but ultimately ended up adopting a puppy about a month later from our local animal shelter rather than buying from a breeder.
A Few Alternatives To A Valentine Puppy
If you really want to get your honey a Valentine Puppy how about trying one of these alternatives:
- The awesome day I described above visiting several litters and breeders was a great way to find a puppy.
- Just get her a collar with dog tags or maybe the Puppies For Dummies (affiliate link) book and tell her this is the first step next week we’re going to look at puppies.
- How about a plush dog toy and tell her tomorrow you’re going to get her the real thing.
It’s a good idea to have an alternative game plan as your girlfriend may not be as eager as you to take the plunge of puppy ownership. It’s a lot easier to return a book or dog toy then an actual puppy. Of course you do lose the WOW factor, but I think you can live with that. A few other things to keep in mind.
- Please consider contacting your local animal shelter or rescue. These organizations often have puppies and many times they are purebred.
- I’d also recommend against purchasing a puppy from the pet store. Many pet stores get there puppies from puppy mills…make sure you do your research before buying from a pet store.
- Don’t forget to train your puppy. I highly recommend taking your puppy to a minimum of puppy kindergarten and basic dog obedience training. Puppy Training classes are fun and it also gives your puppy a chance to socialize with other puppies. If you’re looking for some general puppy training information check out our section on how to train a puppy.
The moral of the story…Do Not Buy A Valentine’s Day Puppy For Your Girlfriend! Choose one of the alternatives instead.
Do you know someone who has gotten their girlfriend a Valentine Puppy? How did it turn out? Tell us about it in the comment section below.
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Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.
