Two fitting reminders from the American Kennel Club:

• A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas
• Puppies Are Not Stocking Stuffers

Puppies are not gifts; they are not merchandise who, if the fit is wrong, you are free to return. A puppy is a living, breathing creature who, when properly acquired, is destined to become as much a part of the family as the human members.

Puppy millers/producers gear up for the holidays forcing yet one more litter from an already over-bred female just to satisfy consumer demand. They know the impulse-buying public for whom they provide puppies, particularly pet store customers, are perfectly happy to slap down a credit card they'll still be paying whether or not the puppy works out. Back yard breeders are not much different.

The bottom line is, while it was quick and easy to obtain a puppy from one of these sources, chances are you will need much more than luck should something go wrong with your puppy.

Westies possess an extraordinary cute factor which is highly prized when casting dogs for print ads and television commercials. Don't let a few seconds of media exposure determine the breed of dog you choose as a companion, especially if you are considering a Westie as a breed for a young child.

A parent wants nothing more than to grant a child's Christmas wish but it is important that careful research go into the decision-making process before the child is promised a Westie puppy. There are pros and cons to every breed.

Sadly, not all Westies tolerate young children, in fact the majority of Westies who end up in rescue are there because they have bitten a child; serious, injurious adult dog biting. Westies are a prey-driven breed originally developed to hunt down and kill vermin. Their inherent tendency to chase and bite almost anything that makes noise and moves quickly can easily be transferred to children, cats, and small animals.

Perhaps there is a loved one who had a Westie for a number of years and is now without a canine companion, or an older friend or family member who lives alone. Before you set out to surprise that person with a puppy, keep in mind how many years have passed since a puppy was a part of that person's life. The unsuspecting recipient is that number of years older now and may not be equipped physically or financially to properly care for a young, active dog.

A puppy requires constant attention and supervision; this can rarely be achieved during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. A puppy needs a calm, structured environment with a set house training and feeding schedule, and a home that has been puppy-proofed. With the excitement of family and friends dropping by, exterior doors constantly opening and closing, packages and food items absent mindedly placed within a puppy's reach, can all spell disaster. In addition, tidbits of holiday meal trimmings or sweets are dropped or intentionally offered to the puppy, or the puppy discovers how to raid the kitchen trash bin, thus exposing the puppy to food items to which he is unaccustomed. It takes no time at all for the items to pass swiftly through the digestive tract, only to reappear from one or both ends of the puppy. In the best of circumstances, the owner will just have a lot of unpleasant mess to clean up; at worst, the event will send the new puppy owner racing to veterinary emergency clinic. ER visits are not restricted to the ingestion of inappropriate food items, toys or the stuffing from a toy, rawhide or similar chewies. Christmas wrapping, ornaments, anything at all within the puppy's reach can cause a potentially deadly intestinal blockage. The Christmas puppy could end up costing several thousand dollars more than anticipated simply due to poor timing.

Who is going to be the primary caretaker of the puppy? Who is going to be responsible for feeding, housebreaking, grooming and training the puppy? Older children can handle a few of these tasks but should not be expected to do it all. If an adult member of the family has made the choice to bring a puppy into the home, the adult needs to be prepared to take on a major portion of the responsibility. Children have more than just school to contend with, they have extracurricular activities, homework and friends to share their time with. A Christmas puppy is more likely to become a bother to the child if all the responsibilities have been dumped on the child. As happens with toys from Santa, the newness of a puppy will eventually wear off, often sooner than expected.

A puppy needs to be housebroken regardless of how inconvenient it is to the family, and will require someone to go out with the puppy, even in the wee hours of a cold winter's night. While it may seem perfectly natural to just open a door and allow puppy out on its own, it's not a good idea. Cold weather can be deadly to a young puppy, especially at night when they can quickly chill and succumb to the cold, and there are nocturnal predators to consider. Therefore it is crucial the puppy be accompanied every time it needs to go out.

Alternatively, a potty station can be set up in an area of the house where the puppy can be taken during the night. It doesn't take long before that cute Westie pup, the one identical to the well-behaved one in the commercial, is crying to go out two and three times during the night, every night. Sleep deprivation can make for very short tempers.

The new Westie puppy is going to need several visits to the veterinarian, high quality food, crate, bedding, toys, collar, lead, and training. The costs can add up, especially veterinary services, as Westies can be prone to skin problems and allergies. This type of expense may not be welcomed by someone on a tight budget or fixed income - another reason why a puppy makes a very poor surprise gift. A puppy initially given as a gift to cheer someone up at holiday time may end up leaving a broken heart in its wake if the recipient is unable to afford the care and upkeep. In the end the person may feel he/she failed the dog and wind up feeling more depressed than ever.

The best solution is to wait until the time is right. A Westie puppy needs to fit the lifestyle and activity level of the new family or individual and it needs to be brought into the home when everyone can share the responsibility and devote the proper amount of time to its care and training. This is not feasible during a short week or two holiday break from school and work, when everyone assumes life will return to normal once they return to their regular routine.

Prepare for the arrival of a puppy in advance. A Westie puppy from a reputable breeder will often require a wait, and most will not place a puppy at Christmas time for the reasons previously mentioned. However, if after careful research it is determined that a Westie will fit well into a home with older, well mannered children, the surprise aspect can still be achieved by wrapping a few puppy items, such as a bowl, a toy, a lead, and a book on the breed, as a novel way to prepare the children properly and to provide them with a puppy-related gift to open on Christmas morning. The anticipation can be just as exciting as the actual event, and the children are then part of a responsible planning process. This will teach them that adding a Westie puppy, or any animal to the family, should always be a careful and well thought-out decision, and this will go far to ensure the puppy will indeed be a family member for life.

Suggested Links for Additional Information (All links will open in a new browser window.)
	No Holiday Puppies!
	No Christmas Puppies, Please!
	Merry Christmas from Ye Olde Puppy Shoppe!
	'Twas the Night Before Christmas