Guide: Christmas puppy
Christmas Puppy: Is It a Good Idea? What the Research Says
A Christmas puppy is not the mistake it is often said to be, provided the person receiving it truly wants a dog and can care for one. Research has found that pets received as gifts are no more likely to be given up than other pets. The risk is not the date on the calendar. Instead, it is a surprise puppy landing in a home that was not ready.
What research says about a Christmas puppy
For years, shelters refused adoptions that were meant as gifts. Then researchers checked the assumption. A survey published in the journal Animals found that receiving a dog or cat as a gift made no difference to how attached owners felt, or to whether the pet was still in the home (Weiss and colleagues).
As a result, the ASPCA now supports giving pets as gifts, with conditions. The recipient should have shown a sustained interest in owning a pet and be able to care for it. In addition, if the recipient is under 12, the parents should be ready and eager to take on the care (ASPCA).
When a Christmas puppy is a bad idea
- It is a total surprise. The recipient never asked for a dog.
- A child is expected to do all the work. Children help, but adults are responsible.
- The house will be chaos. Guests, travel and late nights are hard on an eight-week-old.
- The source is unknown. The ASPCA advises getting pets from shelters, rescues or responsible breeders, and not from untrusted sellers. See our guide to puppy scams.
How to give a Christmas puppy the right way
- Involve the adult who will care for the dog. Let them choose the breed, the breeder and the puppy.
- Wrap a promise, not a puppy. A collar, a leash and a photo under the tree work beautifully.
- Bring the puppy home after the rush. A quiet week in early January is far easier than Christmas morning.
- Set up first. Crate, food, vet appointment and house rules should be ready. See the cost of owning a puppy.
Holiday hazards for a new puppy
If the puppy does arrive during the holidays, puppy-proof for the season. Keep chocolate and sugar-free sweets out of reach, tape down light cords, hang ornaments high and watch the front door when guests arrive. Above all, give the puppy a quiet room to retreat to.
Timing a Christmas puppy with a breeder
Puppies go home when they are ready, at about eight weeks, and litters cannot be timed to a holiday. So plan early. With us, a deposit holds a puppy, and every litter announcement shows the expected go-home date. See upcoming litters and how a puppy deposit works.
If the dates do not line up, that is fine. A puppy that comes home on January 10 is loved just as much.
Questions to ask before choosing a Christmas puppy
- Has the recipient asked for a dog more than once, over months?
- Who will get up at night for the first few weeks?
- Is the budget in place for food, vet care and grooming?
- Will someone be home in January, when the holidays are over?
- Have you checked the breeder? See how to choose a puppy breeder.
If every answer is yes, a Christmas puppy can be the best gift your family ever gets.
Related guides
- How to Choose a Puppy Breeder: 12 Things to Check Before You Pay a Deposit
- Flying With a Puppy in the Cabin: A Step-by-Step Checklist
- First Time Dog Owner: What to Know Before You Get a Puppy
- Home Raised vs Kennel Raised Puppies: What Is the Difference?
- Therapy Dog vs Service Dog vs Emotional Support Animal
See all our puppy guides, or meet our Havapoo puppies for sale and Goldendoodle puppies for sale.
Sources
- Weiss E, Dolan ED, Garrison L, Hong J, Slater M. Animals, 2013. Should Dogs and Cats be Given as Gifts?. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- ASPCA. Position Statement on Pets as Gifts. aspca.org
Sources were checked on October 7, 2026.
Planning ahead for a puppy?
We raise every litter inside our family home in Eagle Mountain, Utah. See who is available now, or check which litters are planned.