Nothing beats getting a new pet for Christmas! Adding a new member to your family makes the holidays magical!
Then, before you know it, the holidays will be over.
If you find you have a bad match with a new pet, the magic will wear off quickly.
Some simple strategies will keep your magical Christmas morning from turning into a New Year’s resolution of “Never again!”
First, make sure you pick a pet that really fits you.
Consider temperament, energy level, noise and time needed for training, in addition to the pet’s immediate appeal.
Consider your choice very carefully before getting a puppy for the holidays!
Everyone enjoys a puppy’s joyful exuberance on Christmas morning — but often that energy level loses its appeal during the following months.
Also, puppies need bathroom breaks throughout the night. A dog six months old or older can hold their bladder much better.
Housetraining can make the difference between a happy home and a dog being surrendered to a shelter.
Purchasing a crate with your new dog makes housetraining easy.
A crate allows you to keep your dog out of mischief when needed and works with the dog’s instinct to make a den.
Dogs instinctively avoid soiling their den! New dogs and a crate should go hand in hand.
Poor integration with other pets also causes owners to give up the newest additions to their household.
Try introducing any pets you already own to potential new pets before purchase or adoption.
The first time a new pet comes home should also be handled carefully.
A crate helps with this by allowing you to introduce your pets in stages.
Give Caring Hands Humane Society a call if you would like advice on integrating your pets.
Choosing a dog that has been in foster care can let you skip a lot of headaches.
Foster dogs come from a home environment and usually don’t need housetraining.
The foster home can tell you all about the dog’s personality.
Crate training usually has already been done. Foster dogs almost always have a head start on obedience training and socialization.
Caring Hands Humane Society has several foster dogs up for adoption.
Breed-specific rescues are another great source of foster dogs.
Instead of purchasing or adopting a pet just before Christmas morning, consider getting the crate and all your supplies first and purchasing a gift certificate for the adoption fee.
