Giving a Puppy As a Gift? How to Navigate Surprising Someone With a Dog the Responsible Way

As the holiday season approaches, so too returns the familiar joy of finding the perfect gifts for our friends and family. We take a lot into consideration when picking out just the right thing for someone– their tastes and interests, their personality and lifestyle– and the same level of thoughtfulness should also apply when deciding whether or not to give someone a puppy as a holiday gift.

Unlike knitted scarves and diamond rings, puppies are living, breathing beings who require care and dedication from their owners. It’s the kind of gift that demands the recipient be prepared and excited for the commitment ahead. If they’re not, neither dog nor human will thrive. But if they are, a lifetime of sweet winter snuggles and “gotcha day” celebrations amidst twinkling lights and the smell of spruce await.

From the inside perspective of responsible breeders, shelter and rescue organizations, and a holiday-dog owner, here are all the things to consider before getting someone a puppy as a gift. 

What do breeders think?

“No gifts. No surprises,” said Tracy Graziano, the Good Dog breeder behind Hathorne Tamaskan. “All family members must be aware and on board about a pup. Someone once lied to me about this and the pup was then returned after the spouse found out how much was spent on the pup,” she continued. “These are living beings. It’s not fair to them to get bounced around. Each pup is a fit for the family. With part of the family missing from the equation how can we select the best pup for them?”

Many breeders agree. A tenant of responsible breeding is being diligent about finding ideal matches between puppies and people– caring breeders want their pups to thrive and are eager for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their dogs are entering into families who are well prepared for the responsibilities ahead. Many responsible breeders are committed to establishing long-term relationships with the people who adopt their puppies, checking in throughout the years for updates and photos. This sense of connection and legacy can be complicated when a puppy is given away to a third party outside the initial adoption contract.

“It needs to be a careful, thought-out decision,” said Aleka Shih Tzu’s Renee Lewis. She continued, saying, “It's the breeder’s responsibility to get all the information and make an educated decision to proceed or not.” Many breeders admit to avoiding the decision all together by purposefully not having available puppies during the holiday season. But sometimes, surprise litters and timing miscalculations occur, and breeders still have to make the best possible arrangements they can. 

“I just ask a TON more questions,” Australian Shepherd breeder Lindy Yoder said of people eager to get puppies around the holidays. “How dedicated are they? How long have they wanted a puppy? Do they want this breed specifically and why? Then I go off of judgment. I also explain that I want to ensure they are going to be properly trained and cared for and because I can’t talk to the new owner directly, I will be asking more questions than usual.” 

Good Dog’s breeder community identified another potential pitfall for puppies going home at the holidays: chaos. Decorations, food, loud music, bright lights, new people coming in and out, heightened emotions, excited children, and mad scrambles to meet gifting deadlines and departure times and to get the pies baked before dinner. And – depending on where you live – cold weather and snow are not always the ideal conditions for puppy potty training. 

“It’s a completely unfair thing to do to a puppy in most cases,” declared Jamie Ranck, a Standard Poodle breeder and dog trainer. Many Good Breeders agree, seeing things like strewn wrapping paper and ribbons, trays of accessible food and sweets, and left-open doors as potential dangers for new puppies. “Before becoming a nurse, I was a vet tech for many years. The incidences of pancreatitis, blockages, missing dogs/pups and injuries always increased significantly around the holidays,” warned Stephany Carter, the breeder behind Della Serra Pekingese in Maryland. 

Of course, not everyone’s home turns into a den of mayhem as soon as the calendar strikes December 1st. In fact, some breeders see the holidays as an ideal opportunity to introduce a puppy into the family because people tend to be off from school and work. With the family home and engaged, those precious early days with a new puppy can really be dedicated to diligent training. “I have had several teachers purposely wait for a Christmas or summer litter, so they have the time off work to help adjust a new puppy,” said Mini Aussie breeder Christy Cheny. “That being said,” she continued, “I don’t allow gift puppies unless it’s for their children.”

This is a popular sentiment among breeders. In the majority of cases, gifting puppies is a no-go, unless it’s a parent planning to give a puppy to their child with the understanding that they will assume responsibilities when needed. And even in those ideal circumstances, breeders still mostly advise waiting to bring the puppy home until the dust of the holidays has settled. Instead, they suggest wrapping up a dog-related item to be opened on the big day, with the promise that a living, breathing bundle of puppy joy will soon follow. 

Jamie Ranck and German Shepherd breeder Caroyln Fluhart have some recommendations on this front: “I typically suggest that families locate their breeder, put their deposit down or whatever that breeder’s protocol is, and wrap up puppy supplies or an envelope with a picture of a puppy, or print out a “gift certificate” type thing. Even a puppy ornament to hang in the tree. Anything to represent the gift that will be coming home at a more appropriate time,” said Ranck.

“That's exactly what I have done for years,” Fluhart replied. “It allows the coming puppy to be an exciting part of Christmas, but doesn't put the puppy in danger. Whenever I have talked to people about this, they have always agreed it was a good idea. They can be excited seeing the pictures or supplies, and can enjoy the rest of the holiday without a crying puppy underfoot. Once Christmas is over and all the dangerous things are put away, they can give the puppy their full focus. It works out better for everyone, especially the puppy.”

What do shelters think?  

In many ways, the shelter and rescue perspective for gifting dogs during the holidays is not so different from a responsible breeder’s point of view. As the main goal of shelters and rescues are to find immediate families for their dogs, they are not always as inclined to forbid the gifting of dogs during the holidays, but do recommend going about it in a thoughtful, responsible way.

Hearts and Bones, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organization based in Dallas, TX and New York City, provided the following guidelines for adopting a dog from a rescue with the intention to give it as a gift:

1. The recipient should always be aware of and prepared for the responsibility of caring for a dog.
2. If a parent or guardian is thinking of adopting a dog as a gift for their children, they should be prepared to be the responsible
party in ensuring the dog is well cared for, whether they or their children are expected to be the primary caregiver. 
3. If you’re considering gifting a dog to someone outside your immediate family, we recommend that the recipient is involved in
the selection process so that they can connect with the dog and ensure the dog is a good fit for their lifestyle.

The advice of Muddy Paws Rescue, another NYC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, echoed these guidelines, and also gave recommendations to anyone bringing an animal into their life during the holidays. “Give your new pup the time they need to settle in, '' a representative told Good Dog. “We all can get stressed and overwhelmed during this time of year and those vibes can rub off on your new pup, when it's already a big upheaval for them! They're still learning about you, and you're still learning about them - you both need the time to do that. Take the time to bond, snuggle, learn their favorite toy - the first few weeks with your new pup are so special.”

Muddy Paws also suggested alternative gifting methods that include the recipient in the process. “We've found that giving someone a 'coupon' that says, ‘Hey! Let's go pick out a pup together,’ and perhaps covering the adoption fee is the perfect way to not only give a dog a home, but start the adopter off on the best foot.”

Breeders, shelters, and responsible owners all agree that it’s best that anyone who is receiving a puppy or dog as a gift should not be totally surprised by it, and that involving them in the selection process can still be fun and festive!

Both Hearts and Bones and Muddy Paws disputed the popular myth that relinquishments and surrenders increase post-holidays, but reported that they receive less applications during this time of year. “We struggle during the holidays when it comes to adoptions and fostering,” said Muddy Paws. “The season is just so busy, and not everyone has the time to dedicate to bringing a new pet into the family. Between travel, hosting out-of-town visitors, and the general financial strain that can occur during this time of year– adoptions for us tend to dip.”

Knowing that shelters and rescues struggle to place dogs during the holiday months may lead you to consider an alternate option to gifting a puppy: helping someone foster one! If there’s a person in your life who you’d like to get a puppy for this year, fostering can be a rewarding and revealing step in that future owner’s journey. It helps out shelters, gives a dog in need a comfortable home, and allows someone to really get a feel for what it’s like to be a dog owner. 

“Anyone thinking of bringing a dog into their life - whether it’s during the holidays or the rest of the year - should be mindful of the commitment and responsibility to care for the dog,” said a representative for Hearts and Bones. “It’s also important to give thought to what type of dog will be best for your family and lifestyle. That’s no less true when a gift."

What is it actually like to receive a dog as a gift?

You always remember the moment you met the puppy who made you a dog owner for the first time– an event so supercharged with anticipation, joy, and love is hard to forget. One joyful, loving owner was made over twelve years ago when Maxlily Hartenstein, then a 10-year-old living in the Bay Area, received two puppies as a Hanukkah gift.

Growing up Jewish and Catholic, Hartenstein and their family celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. Christmas, as they described to Good Dog, entailed a “big event with my maternal grandparents, where we would get the fun stuff,” whereas Hanukkah was quieter and came with gifts like, “socks and pajamas and little things for the house we just needed anyways.”

“One year,” Hartenstein recounted, “my dad had enough of the narrative of Hanukkah being boring and Christmas being fun, so on the final day he and my mom gifted us a collar and leash and told us they would finally be letting us adopt a puppy.”

“We weren't gifted an actual dog on the actual holiday, rather, that's when the search for our new family member began,” said Hartenstein. “I'm really glad they did it that way,” she continued. “It shows how intentional they were with the decision to care for a living, breathing animal. They didn't just buy a puppy to have a puppy on some special day, but they waited for all of us to find the right dog together. It was still so exciting to receive those collars."

"My dad definitely earned Judaism some points over Catholicism that year, that's for sure,” Hartenstein admitted. “It would have been special to have them at any point of the year, I'm sure, but the excitement of that gift felt so aligned with the childhood wonder of the holidays.”

Hartenstein and her younger sister had been asking for a dog for years. Their parents were small business owners who worked full-time running a taproom in Santa Clara, so the idea of adding a puppy into the mix of their busy schedules seemed out of reach. The perceived implausibility of a new addition made that faithful Hanukkah gift all the more astonishing. 

“It was a total surprise,” Hartenstein maintained. “I was a pretty intuitive kid and was excellent at ruining most surprises, but this one caught me totally off guard.” 

When the promise of a puppy was made through the gifted collar, Hartenstein and their sister in turn had to make a promise to contribute to the hard work of raising, training, and caring for their furry new family member. “We of course enthusiastically agreed,” Hartenstein remembered, and the siblings were soon “skipping back to our bedroom to brainstorm names for a puppy.”

The Hartensteins visited a rescue first, where they met a mastiff mix who quickly proved too big and strong for the two young, slight children who’d been tasked with future dog walking. Their next stop was at the home of a co-worker of Hartenstein’s father, who had become the guardian of a litter of puppies found abandoned at a nearby ranch. The wayward pups had been given care and shelter while arrangements were made for them with other families. By the time the Hartensteins arrived, there were only two puppies left without forever homes. 

These two puppies, who would eventually be named Quincy and Sierra, immediately endeared themselves to the family. “When we got there,” Hartenstein recalled, “Quincy charmed everyone. He was incredibly friendly and kept flopping over for belly rubs. Sierra, on the other hand, was clearly very shy of people, and wouldn't interact with anyone.” Hartenstein, who described themselves as quiet and bookish, reported feeling an “instant kinship” with Sierra. “I related to Sierra over her extroverted brother,” she said, “though Quincy was clearly the perfect family dog.”

In the end, the Hartensteins left with both dogs– the calm, measured Sierra and the charismatic, energetic Quincy. “I remember my parents laughing to themselves about how crazy it was to get TWO puppies as we pulled away from the coworker's house, Sierra in my lap.” As the family drove home with the two Hanukkah gifts tucked safely away, so began the raucous, rewarding first days of life with puppies.

Maxlily Hartenstein recalls many wild moments growing up with the two canine siblings. Quincy and Sierra made their fair share of messes, had a few grand escape attempts, and didn’t take to potty training as swiftly as a new puppy owner would hope. But she reported that they “mellowed out after a while, of course” and have become especially calm in their older age. “He's the biggest baby,” Hartenstein said of Quincy. “He's as gentle as ever. He sticks his tongue out whenever you scratch his butt. He really likes nesting, so in the backyard or in a closet left open he'll build himself a little nest with whatever is around to sleep in. I think it's so cute.” 

Sierra, described as “very playful and very smart,” played an important role in Hartenstein’s adolescent life. “When I was a teenager,” they began, “I struggled a lot with depression, and on the really bad nights she could always tell, and she would sleep with her head on my chest or even lay her chin on my neck. We never taught her how to be a ‘therapy dog’ but she's always been one."

Sierra and Quincy were puppies given as Hanukkah presents, but were not placed in a gift box or brought straight into the fray of the holiday season. They were a surprise to their child recipients, but had the support of two responsible adults who were ready for the commitment. Opening up a collar and a leash on the last day of Hanukkah proved to be festive and exciting, and gave the entire family the chance to be involved in the process. In the end, the gifted pups became life-long family members who have continued to bring joy and happiness to Maxlily Hartenstein and her family for the last dozen years. 

“My advice would be to do what my parents did,'' Hartenstein said, “which is to deliver a collar as a surprise and then let the whole family unit, or whoever will be in the household with the animal, find the right fit.”

Of Quincy and Sierra, the two Hanukkah puppies, Hartenstein told Good Dog, “I love them so much and can't imagine my childhood without these two chaotic mutts with big personalities. I'm forever thankful for them as a gift.”