Hey!

So, I just came back from a walk with my favorite walking buddy. Yeah, my Labrador retriever, Ralph. He’s an awesome dog, and everyone who meets him knows it. (Not to brag or anything!)

The thing is, we passed this little girl and her dad, and she patted Ralph, asked what his name was, and said how much she wants a dog for Christmas. The dad looked like he was thinking about it.

So I said to them, “Ralph is so nice, because we spend lots of time with him. He takes me for lots of walks.” The girl laughed. The dad was really nice, and said, “He looks like a great dog.”
So I told him, “My whole family has spent a lot of time training him and we keep him really active, and hang out with him.”

(I’ve seen a few people get dogs and then not really give them much attention.)

He nodded like he got it.

This time of year, sometimes people think it’ll be cute to get a pet for Christmas. And that can be cool. But you have to be ready for a big commitment. It’s like adopting a furry kid.

Having a cool dog like Ralph doesn’t just happen. But if you’re ready for a big commitment, you’re gonna get back the best gift ever! (Oh yeah, you’ll also get a few ‘gifts’ when you’re housetraining them, so be ready, haha.)

Here are my tips for getting a new dog:

• What kind of dog will fit into your life? Are you active? How much space do you have? That kind of stuff. Some dogs are better with kids. Some are happy to be lapdogs… (not Ralph).
• Make sure to talk about (okay, Mom’s looking over my shoulder and said ‘really talk about’) the commitment that will go along with a furry ‘gift’.
• If you get a dog over the holiday, make sure you have time for him or her. Don’t be going out to lots of parties and leaving your new family member behind, or have too much craziness in your house.
• My number 1 tip: Check out the ASPCA (in Canada, it’s the SPCA) and see if your perfect friend is there. You’ll give a dog the best gift ever: a great home.
• If you’re not sure if you’re ready for a dog, you can help friends or neighbours take care of their dogs. Or volunteer (with your parents’ permission). There’s lots of dog love out there to go around!

Whether you have a new pet this holiday season, or one that’s been in the family for a while, here are some great tips from the ASPCA, on taking care of your dog (or cat).

Speaking of taking care of your dog, I promised Ralph a treat, and he’s drooling on my knee, so…

Bye for now!

Finn