“A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas”

In 1978 Clarissa Baldwin, the then Chief Executive of the National Canine Defence League, coined this well known phrase.  This phrase has fronted the Dogs Trust Christmas awareness campaign for over 30 years.

The sad truth is that rescue centres experience a shocking rise in numbers of dogs between January and March, when the people who have bought dogs for Christmas get sick of them and abandon them.  Quite often puppies purchased from puppy farms, will begin to get sick at this time and are therefore not be wanted anymore.

Dogs that are abandoned may end up in a council dog pound first.  Once here they have seven days to be claimed or for a space to become available in a rehoming centre.  Unfortunately, due to exceptionally high demand on resources, these spaces often don’t become available.  Sadly, for many dogs, this means that they are destroyed; approximately 9,ooo dogs are put down in council pounds each year.

So if you are considering a dog as a Christmas present, here are the facts to consider;

• Expense – Dog food may not be particularly expensive, but over a dog’s lifetime they will rack up a living cost of approximately £8k.

• Commitment – A dog is a long term commitment, with the average dog living for 13 years.

• Exercise – Dogs will need daily exercise, for their physical health and their mental well being.

• Companionship – Dogs will need time and company, especially if they are an only dog.

• Play – Will you have enough time to play with your dog to stimulate them?

• Insurance – Make sure your dog is insured.  Insurance will give you peace of mind, should your dog fall ill.  Companies such as Argos Pet Insurance offer  a range of policies to cover your pet.  Policies can be around £10 for a single dog per month, compared to vets bills which could run into thousands.

If you still feel you can offer a dog a good home, then please consider waiting until after the festive period.  Christmas is a time when routine goes out of the window and there may be upheaval. When a dog moves to a new environment they will settle better if the surroundings are calm and there is a good routine in place.

Consider rehoming a dog from your local rescue centre and if you decide to buy from a breeder please ensure you see the mother with the puppy before you agree to a purchase.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.