Happy Pet Headquarters

 
                 
 

 

      

This cute pup lives with Kelley in MS.

 

2008 Merry Christmas from Happy Pet Headquarters!

 

No  


  Christmas Puppies!

 

More than once, you have probably heard the statement, "No Christmas puppies." The Westie Club of America as well as AKC promote this on their websites. Why? The reasons are as follows:

  • A dog is for life, not just Christmas
  • Puppies are not stocking stuffers

I remember years ago, right after my dad died, my two sisters and I thought it to be a good idea to give my mom a puppy for Christmas.

 

 

We felt a puppy would offer companionship that my mom needed. Well, it did work out alright and my mom loved that dog and it became a big part of her life. But what if it had not worked? What if my mom had absolutely said, "I do not want a puppy to care for". That purchase was not like one from Wal-mart. We could not return it and get a refund. Looking back, it was a really bad idea, even though in our case it worked out fine.

 Just like every Christmas, in the past few weeks, I have had numbers of people email us asking if we can refer them to a reputable breeder for a Christmas puppy for their 7 year old, fiancé, wife, etc. I always remind them of the importance of being sure they do their homework and be sure a Westie is right for them. Westie puppies are so cute, you just have to have one! But they are also one of the most mischievous of all dogs and you have to love Westies in order to cope with their curiosity, hunter instinct, stubbornness, etc.

A Westie puppy requires constant attention and care as you continue the process of housetraining, etc. This is very hard to do during the hustle and bustle of Christmas. Everyone gets so sidetracked with all the activities that a puppy can easily get overlooked and get into trouble. We heard just this week about a puppy that chewed the Christmas tree light cord into. Thankfully it was not plugged in! Another puppy swallowed a Christmas ornament hook and did not pass it. This of course, meant $$$SURGERY$$$. 
    

 

 

 
 
 
 Merriam-Webster's
(2) Words of the Year 2008
1. bailout (noun)
a rescue from financial distress
2. vet (transitive verb)
a. to provide veterinary care for an animal
b. to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance <vet the candidates for a position.>

*These two words received the highest intensity of lookups on Merriam-Webster Online over the shortest period of time.