Give a New Puppy Care Package (NOT a puppy!) for a Gift!

Last Updated on December 13, 2018 by Diane Hoffmaster

If you are considering adding a dog to your family, PLEASE give a new puppy care package on Christmas day and not the actual puppy. The holidays are a stressful time and chaos is not healthy for raising puppies.  A puppy care package, with a sweet 'puppy IOU' and a new pet gift or two is a much better plan! I thought I would share a few puppy supplies you might want to include in your pet gift basket. 

 New Puppy Care Package Ideas

Christmas is actually not a very good time to bring a puppy into your home.  There are new presents to chew, Christmas cookies to steal, and strangers coming and going who may or may not understand how to properly interact with a puppy.  It is a much smarter idea to put together a new puppy gift box.  Wrap it up for Christmas morning and don't put a puppy into a situation where it is doomed to be naughty and stressed out.

I would highly recommend putting an IOU for a puppy under the tree.  Invest in a basket full of high quality puppy items this Christmas like the ones listed below.  Your puppy care package will be a hit and caring for your puppy can wait til after the holidays are over. 

Puppy Care and Training Book: 

I used to work with German shepherd rescue in Houston. Almost every dog that was given up by it's family was surrendered due to poor training.  After spending 10 years in the dog training world I can honestly tell you that dogs NEED to be trained. Even if all you do is teach them the basic sit and stay commands. 

Dogs are incredibly smart so get creative.  Teach them to turn off lights and fetch your slippers.  They will love every minute of their time training if it is done properly! I highly recommend the book  The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete.

Grooming supplies: 

Even if you are getting a low maintenance breed like a German shepherd, they still need to be groomed.  And puppies get into a LOT of stinky stuff!  Be prepared to wash, brush, clip nails and clean ears. 

Start bathing them when they are young. That way, they will get used to it and not freak out when you put them in the tub as an adult.  Unless they are like my slightly psychotic Dutch shepherd who hated bathing from day one and still does 4 years later.  Getting HER in the tub requires multiple people and strong doors! Check out the selection of dog grooming supplies on Amazon to get started.

More Pet Care Posts You Should Read

• 17 DIY Dog Treat Recipes Make Great Gifts for Dog Lovers and Pets!
• Tips for Choosing the Right Pet for Your Family
• Frugal Dog Care Tips for a Happy, Healthy Dog  

Dog Toys: 

Puppies are inquisitive, energetic and tirelessly playful.  Invest in high quality toys that will keep their mind busy as well as their bodies.   Our dog's favorite toy was always a Buster Food Cube .  It keeps them busy for hours trying to figure out how to get the food to come out!  Choose the puppy toys you put in your new puppy care package wisely.  Cheap doesn't mean good!

Make sure toys are tough, well made and look nothing like your personal items.  Stuffed animals made for dogs look remarkably like stuffed animals made for children.  They may not always be able to tell the difference.  Buy the fleece stuffed toys for dogs to discourage them from eating the children's lovies.

High Quality Dog Food: 

You may be tempted to feed grocery store brand food because it is cheap and easy to find.  Unfortunately, you get what you pay for, I promise.  High quality dog foods are easier to digest and much more nutritious.  You will have a healthier, more energetic dog that poops a LOT less if you splurge on good food.  We usually choose either a grain free or rice/barley/oats based food.  We switch occasionally just to give our pup something new to try.

Treats: 

Put a few varieties of puppy treats in your new puppy care package. Training should always include a positive reward for good behavior. Food rewards are popular with puppies.  Make sure your treats are made in the USA and contain real food ingredients and not artificial flavors and colors.  Neon green treats or things that are shaped like bacon are not great for dogs. 

Read the ingredient label just like you would when buying  your own food.  If you don't recognize the word or it contains lots of numbers, skip it! Choose healthy puppy treats and make sure you only give small amounts during training.

 Are you getting a new puppy soon? 

What sort of things would you add to the puppy care package?

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Have a new puppy coming home?  Make this DIY Dog Treat Jar!

Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.