Before a New Dog Comes Home for the Holidays, Ask These Questions
Nov 11, 2026
Picture the scene. It is a December morning, there is a box under the tree with holes punched in the lid, and something inside it is whimpering. Everyone in the room is crying, in the good way.
Now picture the same house in March. The puppy is chewing the baseboards, the long walks have shrunk to a lap around the block, and the person who got the dog is quietly wondering what they signed up for.
We are not here to talk you out of a holiday dog. We are dog people, and we think a dog is about the best thing that can happen to a household. We just want the March version of that story to be as good as the December one.
What the ASPCA Says About Dogs as Gifts
The common advice is that you should never give a pet as a gift. The ASPCA looked at the question and came back with a more useful answer.
In an ASPCA survey of people who had received a pet as a gift, 96 percent said it either increased their love for the animal or made no difference. Eighty six percent of those pets were still in the home.
So the gift part is fine. The ASPCA's condition is the part that matters: give a pet only to someone who has shown a sustained interest in having one and the ability to care for it. If the recipient is under 12, the parents need to be ready to do the caring themselves. And the dog should come from a shelter, a rescue group or a responsible breeder.
Match the Dog to the Life You Actually Live
The American Kennel Club calls matching a dog's energy to your own the most important part of choosing one. Most of the trouble starts when that match is off.
Start with your real week, not the week you plan to have once the new year kicks in. Here are the questions the AKC suggests working through first.
How much time do you have? Every dog needs daily exercise and something to do with its brain. Count your work hours, your commute and your travel.
What is your energy level, really? If your walks are short and your weekends are quiet, a dog bred to work all day will find ways to entertain itself. Your couch cushions will know about it.
How long can you commit? The AKC notes that some breeds live 15 years or more. That is three or four apartments, a job change or two, maybe a new kid.
Who trains the dog? The AKC calls training a lifelong process. Decide now whether that means a class, a private trainer or you and a bag of treats.
Does your home fit? Yard or no yard, stairs, roommates, a landlord's breed rules. Check all of it before you fall for a face online.
Puppy or Grown Dog
A puppy is adorable and a lot of work. Potty training, chewing and the middle of the night crying arrive in the same weeks as the holiday travel and the house guests.
An adult dog from a shelter or rescue group often comes with a known personality. The foster family or staff can tell you whether the dog likes cats, how they do alone and how much exercise they need. That information is worth a lot when you are trying to make a match.
If the holidays at your house are loud, consider waiting until January to bring a dog home. A calm week is a better welcome than a crowded one.
The Gear for Day One
You do not need a cart full of stuff. You need a collar with your phone number on it, a sturdy leash, and a harness if your new dog pulls. Get the collar on before the dog ever walks through your front door. New dogs do not know which house is theirs yet.
We make all three to order here in Austin, so they arrive sized for your dog. If you are giving a dog this season, a collar and leash make a good thing to put under the tree in the dog's place, with the real introduction to follow.
Start With the Dogs Already Waiting
Your next dog might be sleeping on your couch by New Year's. Somewhere, a shelter dog is spending the holidays waiting for someone to come say hello.
A portion of every LUCKY+DOG sale goes to no kill shelters and rescue groups. So if a dog is in your plans this winter, visit one of the shelters or rescue groups here in Austin, tell them about your real week, and let them help you find the dog who fits it.