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Puppies and Christmas

© Nancy McMillan

What an exciting time; puppies have become the focus at my house. Everything revolves around them — my work schedule, my sleep schedule and my social schedule. Luckily, I planned for this occurrence, warning friends, family and employer that my time would not be my own for the next eight weeks.

Watching for growth and changes occupies much of my time. Friends drop by to visit the puppies regularly. Their eyes have yet to open but clearly their sense of smell is highly developed as they can target Mom from three feet away. Speaking of mom, Maggie has been developing parenting skills since her puppies' arrival. Originally a little reluctant to spend time with these little squiggly things, Maggie is now quick to respond to their cries for attention (read milk).

Having waxed enthusiastically about the arrival of the puppies, I feel I must give equal time to expressing caution to those who may be considering the idea of giving a puppy as a Christmas present this year. Reading between the lines, you should be able to see that I have had time for little else than puppy raising and I have had to turn down several attractive holiday engagements. It is important to note that to date, Maggie has been the caregiver and my role will only expand in the weeks to come.

Dr. William Fortney, professor of veterinary medicine at Kansas State University, strongly discourages giving pets as presents whether for Christmas or any holiday. "With all the wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and gifts, there's just too much temptation," Fortney said. "The new pet could eat something or just get lost and forgotten in the shuffle." Instead of giving a new pet, Fortney suggests giving a stuffed puppy and a gift certificate. This would allow the recipient to consider the responsibilities entailed and save any potential mismatch. Read the whole article on Pet Tips for the Holidays for additional pointers .

The message to dog owners is that the approaching holiday period requires increased vigilance in overseeing the safety of your canine companions. This is a season that brings colder weather, attractive decorations and extra visitors. You may want to review an earlier article Danger which covers some of the common hazards you could guard against.

To get a good sense of just what your pets could get up to, check out the stories at Bad Dog Chronicles. Two that caught my eye were Twas The Knife Before Christmas Story and Chocolate Covered Cherries...My Favorite :o) . Both these stories have happy endings!

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