If you’ve ever thought about, or considered giving a dog as a gift to a friend, family member or girlfriend/boyfriend; you have to take into consideration whether or not that person is capable of taking care of a dog. While there may be good intentions, the thought of thrusting an animal on someone who isn’t ready for that responsibility, nor wants it could be devastating. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of giving away a dog.
When is it a good time to give a dog as a gift?
Dogs are gifts when the other person knows about them, but either can’t afford to pay for initial medical treatments or adoption fees. We’d never suggest giving a dog as a surprise. You may be surprised that the person receiving the dog will not be as thrilled a couple of weeks down the road when they realize that taking care of and training a dog is not as fun as what is led to believe.
Recently, I saw an ad on Craigslist where a person wished to buy a puppy for their son who was entering university. They wanted to give them a dog to keep their son connected to home, teach them to be responsible, all while living off campus with a house full of other young men. Not only was this a bad idea, but it’s a horrible idea. Taking into account that a young guy on his own for the first time, in a house full of other young guys, you can bet that the dog may not be as welcome by the other roommates.
For example: What if the dog is left untrained, pottywise; and soils common areas of the house? Or chews on items belonging to the sons roommates? I can tell you this dog, through no fault of its own, will not be looked at favorably and will certainly cause tension in the house. As well, your child is now “burdened” by having to care for something they may not want to care for. It’s the start of a new chapter in their life and they may want to go hang out with friends, go camping, have house parties; etc. Imagine your younger self back at school; would caring for a dog have hindered or helped you?