I’ve given a few private lessons to a client who received an 8-week-old Golden Retriever puppy as a Christmas present. This man is retired, a recent graduate of cancer treatments, and lives alone. His young adult children apparently thought he needed a companion and bought him the puppy as a gift.
Fortunately, the puppy is absolutely lovely—a cupcake of a sweet puppy who learns quickly and already has the ability to settle down quickly after moments of play or training. Even so, she has typical baby canine needs to chew, explore, potty frequently, interact with others, and play—and that can be exhausting for anyone to deal with alone, and 24/7!
Now add in doctor’s appointments, shopping and home-maintenance tasks, social visits—you know, a real life—and fit all of that in around meeting the puppy’s needs. My client loves the puppy, and loves the thought behind what his children were trying to do for him, but is finding himself exhausted and overwhelmed by the puppy’s needs. He told me, “I did want to get a dog again at some point—but I imagined that I might adopt an adult or older dog. I did not think I’d be raising a puppy again at my age, and especially without a wife to help!”
Already, this “gift” puppy has cost my client a small fortune. He’s bought a crate, beds, bowls, toys, chews, treats, collars, a harness, leashes, a car seat cover, and a large covered pen for the puppy to stay in outdoors while he’s busy with yard chores and can’t actively supervise her. He’s taken her to the vet for vaccines and a fecal exam, hired me to help make sure he’s training and handling the puppy properly, and arranged for her to stay with her breeder for 10 days when he takes a long-scheduled vacation out of the country later this month. And he’s signed up for a puppy kindergarten class to start when he gets back from his trip. In all, he’s likely spent several thousand dollars on a puppy he didn’t ask for—but doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by sending her back to the breeder. Plus, she’s sweet, and he likes dogs and figured he’d want a dog again someday.
This might all work out. The puppy is absolutely a peach, and her owner is doing everything he can think of to manage her properly. But it’s not without risks; I can see that my client is exhausted—and he admits he’s lost his patience and temper with the puppy a few times, which could hurt his relationship with the sweet, sensitive young dog.
I thought that as a culture, we were more or less past the times when it seemed like a good idea to select and buy a dog as a gift for someone else. Shouldn’t they have the option of choosing their own dog, and bringing the dog into their home at a time of their own choosing? The responsibilities and the investment of time and money are a lot to inflict on someone!
Are you aware of a “gift puppy” situation that worked out extraordinarily well? What contributed to the success of the puppy’s placement?
