Gift a puppy? Yes, why not? It is a great idea to gift a puppy to someone as keeping a dog can be life changing. But before you gift a puppy to someone, certain factors need to be considered. Basically these factors are the same that you would consider for yourself before getting a puppy. Nevertheless it is good to revise them.
- Ensure that the intended recipient of the puppy is a true dog lover and does not have a superficial or a fleeting interest in dogs. Just because someone likes the cute look of a dog or pats a dog does not really mean that he is passionate about dogs. The intensity of fondness for dogs must be considered.
- Ensure that the recipient’s family also loves dogs and is willing to keep one. Keeping a dog is no joke and is a full time commitment of several years. Double check if anyone in the intended recipient’s family is allergic to dog fur. This is especially important if the recipient is not living alone.
- Does the intended recipient travel a lot? In that case he may not be able to look after the dog well especially if the person lives alone.
- Consider the personal habits of the person. A lazy and negligent person perhaps is not the right person for a dog even if that person is a dog lover. Sadly many dog owners do not take good care of their dogs and do not bathe them or clean their utensils or take them out on walks and so on.
- Are you willing to take the puppy back if for some reason the recipient returns it to you? If you take the puppy back, are you willing to keep it or gift it to someone else? Giving the puppy to a shelter should be the last resort!
- What is the financial condition of the intended recipient of your puppy gift. It can be expensive to keep a dog as the vet bills, dog boarding charges, dog food, vaccination, etc. can overwhelm someone who is not financially very well off. Do consider this important factor especially if you intend to gift a breed that can be expensive to maintain. You would not gift want to financially burden someone? In the worst possible scenario, the recipient of your puppy gift might even abandon the dog later or give it to a shelter if he finds it too expensive to maintain.
- Consider the body build and temperament of the recipient. A good deal of physical strength is needed to handle a Rottweiler, a Tibetan Mastiff and other big breeds. Higher degree of mental toughness is needed in handling guard dogs. Gauge the recipient’s temperament, physique and energy levels and then choose a breed. A timid person cannot handle a breed like the Rottweiler. Also, remember some people are very touchy about their physical belongings like furniture, smart phones, gadgets, etc. No matter how many precautions a dog owner takes, a growing puppy always does some damage in the household. This may not go well with overly sensitive people who fly into a rage whenever something upsetting happens to their chattels and belongings – they might even use physical force and hit the puppy instead of lovingly disciplining it. You would never want an abusive owner for your puppy! Accept the fact that some people just do not have the temperament to keep a dog.
Even if all the above factors work out, always intimate the recipient beforehand about your intention of gifting him a puppy. You never know that your recipient despite scoring favorably on all the above mentioned factors might still have some reason for not wanting a puppy. A puppy is one gift that should NEVER be given as a surprise, NEVER!
Finally, if you gift someone a puppy, make sure you point you point him to the right resources where he can learn about keeping a dog – this is especially important if the recipient is a first time dog owner. Puppies are delicate and even a slight negligence can cause it to die. Lastly make sure that you get a healthy puppy from a good breeder. Make sure you do not land up giving a sick puppy as a gift.
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash
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I am a dog lover and creator of this site. I am also the author of ‘Keep Sleeping Keep Missing- if only you knew’ (available on Amazon, Flipkart, Kobo, Google Store, etc.).
