Is It Ever Ok To Buy a Dog as a Gift?

We’ve all seen the commercials around the holidays where a family surprises a loved one with a young puppy, usually with a big red bow around its neck, or as the puppy pops out from a gift box, ready to play.

This might seem like an adorable idea, but there’s a lot more to consider in the decision to give or get a pet as a gift. Here are some important points to keep in mind before surprising someone with a puppy.

1. Your friend/loved one should be emotionally ready for a puppy.

If you’ve read the other Learning Center articles here on Good Dog, you’ve seen just how much work (time, money, effort and attention) goes into raising a puppy. By surprising someone with a puppy, you’re potentially giving them a great amount of stress with no time to prepare for it. If your friend/loved one has repeatedly mentioned that they wished they had a pet, and you know them to be responsible enough to care for another life, then it could be okay.

2. People also have to be financially ready to take on a dog.

Caring for a new puppy can cost about $1,000-$2,000 in the first year alone, without including any training expenses. While getting a pet is certainly an investment made out of love, it’s still going to cost a good amount of money along the way. So, just as your friend/loved one should have expressed interest in getting a pet, and should have proven to be a responsible person, they should also be ready to take on the financial responsibility of owning a new animal. However, what happens if your friend/loved one isn’t ready to take on a pet?

3. Puppies given as gifts can get abandoned (especially during the holidays).

The holidays can be a hectic and stressful time for folks -- so bringing in a new life to care for, clean up after, and train can often increase those stressful issues. 

4. Giving a puppy to a child might be sweet, but the parent/adult figures in their life should be prepared to take on the responsibility.

Yes, dogs are often given to kids to teach them how to be responsible -- they may be asked by their parents to walk the dog, pick up after the dog, make sure they get fed, and so on. However, kids are still kids. They won’t always think with responsibility in mind; so whoever acts as the parental figure(s) in their lives should be ready to raise that puppy when the kid, understandably, can’t keep up.

5. Consider giving them pet supplies or a pet-care book first and offer to take them through the process of getting a dog. Better yet, ask them if they want a puppy first.

Way less fun than surprising someone with a puppy, for sure, but introducing the idea to them and going with them on this journey may reduce any feelings of overwhelm or stress. This way, you can figure out exactly what they’d want in a puppy companion (size, personality, energy levels, working with a breeder vs. a rescue, etc.) and no one is disappointed.

If you start doing some investigating to determine if your friend/loved one actually wants a puppy, and can handle the financial, time and energy responsibilities, you might be able to figure out if they're ready to take on dog ownership.

A dog is a lifelong companion, and getting a dog should be treated as a serious (and wonderful) opportunity to care for another life. While it might spoil the surprise aspect of the gift, the responsible course of action is generally considered to be asking your friend/loved one ahead of time, and helping them find the puppy that is right for them and their lifestyle.