A puppy as a gift?

The sentiment sounds romantic and sweet, to give a puppy as a gift. But the fact is, puppies are a lifetime commitment, a big responsibility, and a puppy is not usually an appropriate gift. Adopting a puppy is like adopting a child. It takes a lot of thought, preparation, training, and care. Puppies aren't cute when they've soiled your carpet, chewed up your furniture, and are bundles of destructive energy. Even as they mature into adults, they need ongoing training, care and a lot of time. If you believe a friend or family member would benefit from a companion, involve them in the process. They need to choose the breed that fits their needs, and be fully involved in the planning and preparation for a 12-18yr commitment to a dog. For children, the parents need to take the ultimate responsibility and even though a 13yr old child may seem very responsible, they need the support and assistance from their parents. Minors are not mature enough to take on the responsiblity of a dog. Involve the whole family in the training of the puppy to avoid dominance issues. The puppy needs to realize it ranks below all members of the family and it takes the whole family to reinforce the status of the members. So if you're thinking of a puppy as a gift, think through the process thoroughly, involve the person who is receiving the gift, and talk with your breeder to ensure that they believe it's a good placement for a puppy. The breeder ultimatley knows what is best for the puppy.