Anyone thinking about buying a dog this Christmas should take the time to think about what exactly they’re letting themselves in for. It is unfortunate that there are so many dogs in the shelters, but this is often because people cant cope after they bought the dog as a Christmas present, thinking it would be ‘fun’ without realising the hard work that goes into owning a dog. Worse still, they might just turf it out onto the streets. This is the harsh reality, but thankfully there are many pet lovers that wouldn’t dream of hurting an animal like this.

The moral of this day really is that a dog is for life and not purely for Christmas. Boyfriends buying a puppy for a girlfriend should carefully consider it to make sure the dog will be brought up in a suitable environment and that it is going to get enough attention. If this isn’t something you can be sure of, don’t buy a pet as a Christmas present. The problem is that when boyfriends and girlfriends break up, the dog gets brought into it and often ends up without a home. There are some people that will mistreat the dog and it can be rescued in very bad condition. Buying pets as gifts often ends in tears, so its best not to risk it. Remember, the dog is part of the family too.

Many people would agree that what we need is a better dog health care advice, so fewer dogs end up in shelters by the New Year. The dog should be loved like everyone else in the family too, and its health is important. Cuddle it, train it properly from puppy age and feed it what is vet-recommended food. Just spend a good few months getting to know your pet and how best to look after it, taking into account all good dog health care tips, and this will prevent the influx of dogs at the shelter all year round. There are so many abandoned pets in the country that its time people started to learn about what it takes to raise a dog, so more end up with loving homes rather than no home at all. A pet only makes a lovely Christmas present if it is cared for properly and the dog health care is top of your priority list.