No Christmas Puppies Please and Mistletoe

THE TIMING TEACHES CHILDREN THE WRONG VALUES.

"Many families who value pet ownership do so at least partly because of what children can learn from the family pets in terms of care and responsibility, love and loyalty, and respect for other living beings. But think of what happens to the rest of the toys and gifts that start out under the Christmas tree. By Valentine’s Day, most of them have been shelved or broken or traded or forgotten. The excitement inevitably wears off, and the once compelling toy becomes something to use, use up, and then discard in favor of something newer.

A living puppy should not be thought of in the same category as a Christmas toy. Children need to learn that a living puppy is being adopted into the family – as a living family member who will contribute much, but who will also have needs of its own, which the rest of the family is making a commitment to try to meet.

 A puppy who makes its first appearance as a gift item under the Christmas tree is more likely to be thought of by children as an object, as a thing-like toy rather than as a family member. This will not teach one of the most valuable lessons there is to learn from a puppy, which is respect for living beings and concern for others in the form of attention to their needs."

The rest of this excellent article, written 20 years ago, "No Christmas Puppies Please" can be found here:
http://www.petrescue.com/petlibrary/pet-rescue/no-christmas-puppies-please/

Teach your children well....

Then there is the lighter side of a Vizsla Christmas: