The Holidays are Coming!

It's that time of year again.  The stores are streaming holiday music throughout, posting sales that can't be beat and the spirit of Christmas is swirling around us.

It's a wonderful time of the year to get together with friends and family, sit down to exquisite meals, and exchange thoughtful and fun gifts.

One thing that often happens during this time of year is impulse buying.  While this may not be great for bank account, it's often considered harmless.

There is one particular instance where impulse buying IS a life and death situation: Adoption of animals.

Without fail, during this time of year, the pet stores are full of adorable cats, dogs, bunnies—and other adorable animals— that are simply irresistible. That is not by accident.  During the holidays, people seem to be immune to bringing out the old pro and con list.  Instead they look at these adorable balls of fur and sign their names on the dotted line.

What you may not realize is that it is not all fun and games.  While opening your home to a pet is a wonderful idea, it HAS to be right for you.  Remember, that cute little puppy with the big paws may grow to be bigger than you and may want to voice his opinion more often than you'd like to hear.  That little kitten’s litter box is going to need to be cleaned daily. 

Not to mention, the holidays, while fun, are a very busy and stressful time of year.

In my book, “Finally Home,” I made this list as some general points to think about while adopting a dog, but it can really be used with regard to any animal.  Similar rules apply.  Please take a moment to think about these things before adopting a pet.  There will always be pets to adopt, so don’t feel like you need to rush into it now if the timing and situation is NOT right for you. 

The new year can prove to be one of the saddest times of year for these animals as after the holidays are over, pets often get returned and some may never get the chance to be adopted again.

Please think it through before adopting a pet.

1.       Puppies get big. Make sure you have the adequate space to handle your dog’s expected size.
2.      Dogs bark.
3.       Dogs drool.
4.       Dogs sometimes do not have manners.
5.       They may have an accident on your rug. They may also have one if they get excited.
6.       They may jump on the furniture.
7.       They shed.
8.       They do have waste that needs to be disposed of—by you.
9.        They may have behavioral issues that you have to deal with.
10.    Vet bills may get very high.
11.    Some dogs need very expensive food as their stomachs can’t handle regular food.
12.   They may live to be eighteen!!
13.   Dogs chew things. Sometimes it is things that they should not chew.
14.   Dogs steal.
15.   Dogs need to be groomed.
16.   They may get sick at inopportune moments.
17.   They may counter surf. This means they may steal things of importance off of your counter.
18.   Taking care of a dog is a lot of work.
19.   Some do need to be exercised constantly, depending on the breed.
20.   There are many other surprises that are too numerous to list.

Wishing you the very best healthy and happy Holiday Season for you and yours. 

Copyright 2011 Elizabeth Parker

Elizabeth Parker, Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That!, Bark Out Loud, Unwanted Dreams, Phobia, Evil's Door and coming soon, Faces of Deception