Thinking About a Puppy for the Holidays? What Most Families Don’t Consider
Updated for Kansas City Dog Owners
This article was originally written years ago when I was collecting ideas and resources from trainers and writers around the country. Since then, I’ve worked hands-on with hundreds of dogs and families throughout the Kansas City metro area, and few decisions create more long-term challenges than impulse puppy adoptions tied to holidays and gift-giving.
Every year, I see well-meaning Kansas City families bring home puppies during Christmas or other holidays without fully considering the time, structure, and consistency a young dog actually needs. Puppies don’t understand schedules, vacations, guests, or chaos — and when their early weeks are overwhelming or inconsistent, behavior problems often show up months later, not immediately. Thoughtful planning matters far more than good intentions.
If you’d like help deciding whether now is the right time to add a dog to your family — or how to set a new puppy up for success from day one — you can learn more about my local services here:
Dog Trainer in Kansas City — https://kissdogtraining.com/dog-trainer-kansas-city/
Dog Trainer in Shawnee — https://kissdogtraining.com/dog-trainer-in-shawnee/
In-Home Dog Training in Shawnee — https://kissdogtraining.com/in-home-dog-training-in-shawnee/
The following section contains the original article and/or other resource that inspired this post and is preserved here for historical context. My current perspective, based on years of in-home training across Kansas City and Shawnee, is reflected in the introduction above.
As Santa said, “You had better think twice.” Great article about whether or not to get a puppy or dog for Christmas or The Holidays? Please share this info, it really is important! Preparing to put a puppy under the tree – CNN.com
