It doesn’t take sitting through too many commercials around the holidays to see the ads where an adorable little pup scrambles out of a gift box to surprise someone on Christmas morning. But are puppies (or any animals) a good gift idea for Christmas (or any other occasion)? The sad reality is that puppies are not ideal for everyone. Lots of people see them as adorable little fuzzballs and then lose interest once they start to grow out of that cute little stage.

In fact, choosing to buy a puppy, whether for yourself or someone else, is something that should be done with a lot of time and care in the decision making process. Certain breeds are better than others for people – for instance, some are more demanding and some require more space than others. For instance, you wouldn’t want a husky puppy for someone who lives in a studio apartment or tiny condo.

What’s sad about puppies being given as Christmas gifts is that buyer’s remorse sets in and those pups end up at the shelter. That’s a lose-lose right there.

It is also important to remember that puppies take a lot of work and even more attention. If the little guy is going to be kept in the house, then potty training needs to be a priority. Just training a puppy in general takes a lot of time and work. On top of that, you have to walk the pup regularly. And these are just a few of the new responsibilities that come with being the new owner of a dog.

So, if your loved one has been hinting around at wanting a new puppy for Christmas, do both of you a favor and visit some local shelters and breeders to look at available pets and discuss what it takes to offer a good home for a new dog. You might discover that it’s the perfect gift choice or you may decide that it would be a disaster for everyone – including Fido – if you bought a puppy as a holiday gift.