A Dog Is a Lifetime Commitment – It’s Not a Stocking Filler
A message from Big Bark News & Media on impulse buying, puppy farming and lifelong responsibility – Big Bark News & Media is calling on people to remember that a dog is for life, not just for Christmas.
Every year, dogs are bought on impulse in the run up to Christmas, only to be surrendered weeks or months later when reality sets in. A dog is not a novelty, a surprise or a seasonal gift. It is a long term responsibility that does not end when the decorations come down.
“As soon as the Christmas buzz is gone, the dog is still there and the work has only just begun,” said Darragh Bourke of Big Bark News & Media. “That’s when people realise they didn’t actually think this through.”
Giving a dog or puppy as a Christmas present is rarely a good idea. The excitement fades quickly, but the responsibility does not. Feeding, training, walking and caring for a dog is a daily commitment that lasts for years, not just the festive period.
“Christmas puppies are bought on emotion, not logic,” Bourke said. “And dogs are the ones who pay the price when that emotion wears off.”
Buying a dog or puppy for a child is especially problematic. No matter how much a child begs for one, they do not understand the responsibility involved. The excitement lasts minutes. They soon return to their games, consoles and screens, while the dog is left behind.
Puppies are messy, demanding and exhausting. Accidents in the house, chewed toys and destroyed Christmas presents are normal puppy behaviour. Children and adults alike lose patience fast, and too often that frustration is taken out on the dog through shouting, rough handling or punishment. Scolding a puppy for doing exactly what puppies are expected to do is wrong, unfair and entirely the fault of the humans involved.
“A puppy isn’t being bold, stubborn or difficult,” Darragh said. “It’s being a puppy. Punishing an animal for normal behaviour is a human failure, not a dog problem.”
Christmas is also one of the worst times of year to bring a puppy into a home. Winter weather makes walking difficult and training harder. Toilet training becomes more stressful, routines are disrupted and homes are often chaotic with visitors, noise and late nights.
“People massively underestimate how hard winter training is,” Bourke added. “Short days, bad weather and no routine is a terrible mix for a young dog.”
You might believe you are ready for a dog, and if you are, fair play. But being ready means doing proper research first. Learn about the breed, their temperament, exercise needs and common health issues. Too many dogs end up abandoned simply because the wrong breed was chosen for the wrong lifestyle.
“We see it all the time,” said Darragh. “High energy dogs in low energy homes, large breeds in tiny spaces, and then the dog is blamed for a bad human decision.”
We always recommend adopt, do not shop. Rescue centres are full of dogs waiting for their forever homes, including puppies. Adoption saves lives and gives dogs a second chance.
We know some people will still choose to buy from a breeder. If you do, do your homework. A responsible breeder will never meet you at the side of a road or hand a puppy over from a car boot. You should see the mother, ideally the father, and the conditions the dogs are raised in. If anything feels wrong, walk away and report it.
“If someone wants to meet you in a lay-by or a car park, run,” Bourke said. “That’s not a breeder, that’s a puppy farm, and people need to stop pretending they don’t know the difference.”
Do not make space for a Christmas puppy by abandoning an older dog at a rescue. If you can discard a dog who has given you years of loyalty, you will do the same to the puppy once it becomes inconvenient.
Darragh hit out at those people who dump the older dog to make room for the Christmas puppy – “A dog that’s given you a decade of loyalty deserves better than to be dumped for a newer model. “If you can do it once, you’ll do it again.”
A dog is a commitment of ten to fifteen years. Before bringing one home, do a proper budget. Food, collars, leads, beds, toys, training, grooming, vaccinations, parasite prevention, vet fees, emergency care and pet insurance all come at a cost.
“Love isn’t enough,” Bourke added. “Vet bills don’t care how good your intentions were.”
A dog is not a Christmas present. It is a living being that depends on you every single day of its life. If you cannot commit to that, do not get one.
