by Melissa Grosjean

Thinking of that perfect “Kodak Moment” kind of gift this season? It’s so tempting to give that special someone an adorable little ball of fur with a bow around its neck as a heartwarming holiday gift. Sound lovely? The pet stores know how charming this sounds and they are prepared – with plenty of cute fuzzy puppies and soft furry kittens vying for your attention as you walk past the shop windows. Let’s do a reality check here. Pets are not an impulse purchase!

Who is ultimately going to be caring for this pet? Are they ready for and willing to take on the responsibility? This is a 10 to 15 or more year commitment to a living breathing being with many needs – not to mention costs. Has this person ever shown the ability to make this kind of commitment? (Just because you wish he would doesn’t mean he can!) Who is going to pay for veterinary bills, spaying or neutering, and food? Are you sure you know what kind of pet is the best fit for this person’s lifestyle and personality? Just because that adorable puppy is small, cute and fuzzy now doesn’t mean your girlfriend is going to love it when it grows into a big galumping, slobbering, shedding creature that just chewed up her favorite stilettos.

Many an unwanted pet is dumped at the local shelter during the months following Christmas. Puppies are A LOT of work. Not everyone is ready to devote the time and effort required for raising a puppy into well-behaved dog. And most poorly behaved dogs end up at the shelter before their first birthday. Kittens are cute but they can be hard on furniture and carpet if you are not cat-educated and well prepared to guide appropriate scratching behavior. Giving pets as gifts is not fair to the animal or the person – even if they are pleased initially, it is far too often a set up for failure in the long run.

Adding a pet to the family is a serious, long-term commitment. It’s a decision that needs input from everyone who would be involved in caring for the animal. If you are determined to give someone a pet as a present, then WAIT until after the holidays. Give a gift of a collar and leash or pet bed and toys along with a book about choosing a pet and pet care. Only Natural Pet’s Puppy and Kitten gift boxes make a perfect gift. You can even give a gift certificate from a local shelter. The key is to let your special someone choose the pet for themselves – after they have had the chance to research the best fit for them, and after they have given plenty of thought to the commitment they are making.

So when you walk past that pet store in the mall and are tempted by those wagging tails and purring puffballs, look but don’t buy! Just take the accessories, not the pet.

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Thursday, September 25th 2007, was a great day. That day we could take Quincy Onix, our third Chihuahua home.

A few months ago we had to say goodbye to our second Chihuahua, Chicco. He had a heart disease, that was so serious, that there was no quality of life anymore and we had to let him pass away. It was a very sad day and he will always be in our remembrance.

We were very lucky that we found a breeder with a nest of Chihuahua puppies, who had still some of them available. We chose Onix, as the breeder named him, and we were allowed to visit the puppy when he was 5 days old! It was a two hours drive through the Netherlands, but is was worth it! On our way home, we could think about the name we would like to give the new doggy and we had to do this the same day for the registration of the puppy. We decided for Quincy, so his name is now officially: “Quiny Onix from Crosita”

After five weeks, we did visit Quincy again and made some nice pictures. And later, on Thursday 25th, we could take Quincy home! Of course, the breeder had a hard time, she had taken care of a nest of seven puppies very intensively and had to let go most of them, but we were very happy.
On the way home, Quincy was very relaxed, not upset at all! After one hour driving he started to whine a bit. So we stopped the car and put him on a puppytrainer and YES he did pee! Great isn’t it? We came home in the evening, so Quincy had not much time to grow accustomed to us and our house, but nevertheless he was very quiet that night. He only started whining twice to go on the puppytrainer! It is a great job, the breeder did, Quincy is a very easy dog, that adjusts very quick and easy.

Now after one week, he feels completely at home, is a very happy dog, learning very quick to do his business on the puppytrainer. He sleeps a lot, including the whole night, has tons of toys to bite in, but his favorits are our socks and hands! Who cares! It is our dog and we are very HAPPY!

Dogs love to be included in family activities, which includes take rides in the car and traveling. They love attention, and love for you to treat them just like they are a member of your family. When you first get your puppy, you’ll have to teach him how to enjoy car rides and traveling, so he can come to appreciate it more as he gets older.

When you decide to take your dog on travel for the first time, you should always give him food in small amounts throughout the day, while he adjusts to traveling. If you feed him a lot of food before you head out, he may get sick in the car and have an accident. By reducing the amount of food that he consumes, your dog will be much more in control of his bladder and himself.

When you are traveling, always plan to make frequent rest stops and allow your dog time to relieve himself. You should also take some time to exercise as well, this is not only good for your dog but will do you good too. Stop every few hours for bathroom breaks and exercise. Dogs will hold themselves if they need to, although it isn’t good for them. No matter how far you travel, you should always be kind to your dog and stop every so often to let him have some time.

A common mistake that many have made, and one you should avoid at all costs, is letting your dog ride in a moving vehicle with his head out the window. Although you may think this is a good idea, your dog can easily get an eye, ear, or nose injury. Cars and trucks move at very fast speeds, and something can pop up when you least expect it and do serious damage to your dog.

When you stop for a break or to fill up your car, you should never allow your dog to be alone in the car with the windows up. Even though you may crack the windows for him, the heat of summer can result in a heat stroke if you aren’t careful. If your dog does get a heatstroke from being locked up in a hot car, he can easily die before you are able to return to the car. If you simply must leave your dog in the car, make sure that you park in the shade and give him plenty of air.

As long as you do your part and take good care of your best friend when you travel, he will love to travel with you. Traveling is something that your dog needs to get used to, although most dogs adapt to it fairly quick. Once you have taken your dog traveling with you, he will know when it’s time to travel and eventually learn to tell you when you need to stop so he can use the bathroom.

Isabella Vreeken
Dogs Gifts and Care