It is coming into the Holiday Season and the airwaves are filled with cute puppies under Christmas trees, peeking out of stockings, romping in the snow and rolling around in front of blazing fireplaces. All this puts people in the mood to think that a Newf puppy would be perfect under their tree!
The frustration of not finding puppies readily available at this time of year shows up in all the social media groups, in the inquiries to Ambassadors and to Breeders. The rate of inquiries soars from Halloween onward.
So why do most Breeders avoid having puppies at the Holiday Season if they can?
It comes down to so many things but mostly to wanting the puppies they place to have the best possible chance of living a long, healthy, happy life in the homes they are placed in. The chaos of the Holiday Season with visitors, out of town travel, Holiday meals, decorations and unusual schedules is not a great situation to introduce a rambunctious, untrained, unmannered, wildly growing puppy.
Despite their size at 10-12 weeks, puppies are fragile, still growing, sensitive creatures who need quiet, rest, routine, and support. Family life is wonderful for them, but it needs to be family life that can be organized around the needs of the puppy in meaningful ways.
Breeders are not being mean or insensitive to the desire to have a puppy be an exciting addition to a family. They are being careful to put the needs of their dogs first and foremost. The very last thing that any breeder wants is to have to rehome a puppy because the family was overwhelmed by them in the midst of so much else that is going on.
What can you do with all that desire for a puppy? First consider what you are doing to find a great dog. Have you joined and begun to volunteer with a local All-Breed Dog Club? Have you joined your Regional Newfoundland Club? Have you explored the puppy resources of the Newfoundland Club of America and talked to a Newfoundland Ambassador?
All of these will bring you into contact with people who are the way to find a great dog! Puppies are puppies for about the blink of an eye in the life of your dog. What you want is a great relationship with a Breeder and a community who will help you to connect with the breed, with other dogs and ultimately with your own
Your family can get to know dogs by being a foster family to a Newf if there is that available but to any dog that needs the helping hands of a family to get ready for its best life. Plan how a puppy will fit into your family schedule. Practice who will get up early to walk, play with and feed the pup before the daily demands begin.
Give your kids some books on Newfoundlands , on dog training, on grooming. Plan to go to some dog events. This might be an All-Breed Show, a Specialty devoted to Newfs and other working dogs or an Obedience Trial.
Reach out to people in your community who are active with dogs and start to develop relationships so that your family will have resources to help when you do take on a puppy or an older dog. Volunteer to socialize some puppies or to walk dogs in need.
Give your family the gift of proper planning, research and devotion to ensure that the puppy you take into your family will grow into a wonderful, loyal and delightful companion.
