I want to get my 9 yr old nephew a dog for christmas, what breed should i get him?

Question

ok guys i live with him and the family knows... lol

Answer 1

Not the best idea to get kids especially not your own kids dogs for Holiday presents. The first reason is Christmas is so chaotic the new dog might get frighted. Also like I said he is not your own kid and most likely his parents are going to be the ones taking the most care of the dog, would they want to do that? Also vet bills will they be able to pay them?? These are all things to think about before you give this kid a dog. But if you really want to get him one get him a dog from the pound and let him go with you to pick it out so he doesn't end up with a dog that doesn't like him or he doesn't like.

Answer 2

I suggest buying a gift certificate for a puppy or dog from an animal shelter. This way your nephew's parents can decide when the right time is, and take their son to pick out a puppy. By giving the gift certificate instead of the puppy, your nephew still gets a present from you on Christmas, but his parents can wait a month or two for the Christmas excitement to die down so that more attention and money can be focused on the puppy. Of course, I agree with the others....make sure you have a long talk with your nephews parents prior to doing this. They will have to be the ultimate decision makers for something like this. You don't want the poor pup to be unwanted and end up in a shelter or worse.

Answer 3

I'm sure you have, but have you checked with his parents first? Firstly, go to a rescue or a dog pound. That way you are saving a life, and the dog will be more grateful and appreciative. It sounds stupid, but I have the most loving dog I know out of all of my friends. They were all bred by breeders, mine came from Sri Lanka, she lived under a bridge. Look on Home and Abroad Animal Welfares site. Picture 134. Bridget.

Anyway, more to the point. If he is at school during the day, try a greyhound. people think that because they race they need a lot of walking, but this is far from the truth. A twenty-30 minute walk once or twice a day suits them fine, and a good run once a week. The rest of the day, they usually will spend curled up in a bed. They are gentle and soft, especially once neutered, and do not usually pull on a lead. Not my favourite breed, but they suit the busiet of lifestyles.

Answer 4

How to Buy a Puppy as a Gift

Experts say you should not buy a puppy as a gift. Puppies should be picked out by the people who are going to raise them, to maximize the bond between dog and owner.

Steps:
1. Consider why you are buying a puppy as a gift. If a responsible adult has been talking about getting a dog for months, ask yourself why that person never has actually made the purchase. Perhaps he really doesn't want a puppy as much as he says he does. Perhaps he is not ready for the responsibility. Perhaps he is away from home too much.

2. Avoid buying a puppy as a gift for a child. The best way to bring a puppy into the family is for the family to pick out the puppy together.

3. Think before buying a puppy around the holidays or birthdays. There is so much going on and so much commotion that a new puppy is apt to get lost in the hubbub.

4. Understand that puppies are lovable and adorable, but they need daily exercise, regular veterinary care, and lots of attention.

5. Consider what your recipient would do if he had a puppy and wanted to take a vacation. Does your recipient love to travel? Does he take a lot of trips? Is he gone overnight a good bit? If so, he is not a good candidate for owning a puppy.

6. Give a gift certificate for a puppy. Let the recipient pick out his own puppy when he feels ready for the responsibility.

7. Opt for buying a dog video or dog book for someone who wants a puppy. Give him an online link so he can play with a virtual dog at virtualdog.com. Or, buy her a Tamagotchi or Giga Pet toy to test their willingness to take care of a new puppy.

Tips:
Most animal shelters and humane societies do not permit people to adopt puppies two to three weeks prior to Christmas.

Do some research before buying a puppy from a pet store. Many pet stores buy puppies from puppy mills, where puppies are abused and exploited.


Warnings:
Local humane officers say that puppies do not make good gifts.

Answer 5

There are several factors to consider....
1) Do they have a fenced in yard, or will it be an indoor dog?
2) What do the parents want?
3) How responsible is the kid, if the dog needs to be walked, brushed etc. Will he be nice to the dog?
4) Money is also a factor, how much will the dog eat? Is the breed prone to health problems? Will this breed need groomed? Are you going to have it spayed or neutered for them?

There aren't too many dogs I do not like, one is chiuahuas, they are just psychotic, the other is the Doberman, I have just seen them be too unpredictable. Other than that I love them all. I am partial to larger breeds, but have a Jack Russell Terrier now. She doesnt know she isnt big...and she is smart & sturdy. Small enough to stay indoors, but she sheds a great deal. And all JRTs aren't created equal, many of them dig & can be agressive, but thankfully mine isn't that way. A snauzer would be a good breed for almost anyone.

Answer 6

That's a very nice present for a boy. Boys and dogs seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Plan a little holiday trip with him to the local animal shelter and have him pick out his dog. Animals and people seem to bond magically when they meet. The dog will pick him out and he will love the dog. Then you can pay the adoption fee and maybe have an adoption counselor inform you both of the dog's breed tendencies, needs for exercise, tendency to be dominant or easily trained, etc.

Of course all of your nephew's family must be willing to accept the dog into the family, the financial reposibilities of owning a pet, that the dog is trained properly, etc. At nine your nephew is not mature enough to fulfill these needs.

Answer 7

First, you should check with his parent(s) to see if it's OK, because they are the ones who are going to have to pay for feeding the dog, the vet bills, and then there's the fun thing's like; cleaning up after the dog and walking it in all kinds of weather.

If they approve, then they will probably want some say in what kind/size of dog you get for him.

My wife and I have a Labrador/Shepherd mix and she weighs only 65 lbs. She has all the mild tempered behaviors of a Lab, where she's great with kids and other pets, but she makes a great watch dog too.

We had a problem where she would pull real hard on her leash every time we walked her, but we found that a pinch collar solved that problem pretty quick. It doesn't injure the dogs, but they do learn pretty quick not to pull on the leash too hard.

Anyway, we also have four cats and our cats often sleep right next to our dog, and she loves when the kids nextdoor come to visit her.

Answer 8

Don't give a kid a dog for Christmas... there are to many distractions (toys, parties, ect.) If you want him to have a dog... wait until spring or give him one now... the holidays are never a good time to get a pet... but when you do get him a dog try going to a shelter... most mixed breed dogs do not require as much maintenace because they are less likely to have genetic problems, plus you will be saving a life... a mixed breed is great for a little boy... but If you want a full breed dog, go for a lab or a hound, they make good pets and are typically gentle. Good Luck!

Answer 9

better check with his mom and dad first. a 9 year old may be too young for that responsibility. If they say ok and have a good place for the dog, a big yard, and you know a lot of patience because a puppy may be cute but can also cause stress and havoc in a household, peeing on the floor and pooing also until trained, xmas is in the winter harder to train an animal then, if you are going pure bread I recommend Lhasa Apso, or She Tzu tey are very loyal and fun loving animals. I have a miniature pincher and is very yappy I love her to death though. Poodles are very yappy too. Good luck

Answer 10

Take him to the humane society and let him pick out the one he likes. Set some limits, like size, age, hair coat, etc and let him pick. If it's going to be his dog, he should choose, plus he can feel good about saving a life. Dogs from legit rescues are also neutered, and have their first shots and heartworm treatment. Also, whenever the dog goes to the vet, make sure he goes along and gets involved. It's a great way for him to learn and feel that the dog is truly his. You can also see how the dog reacts to the boy. Is it jumpy and rambunctious or does it just want to cuddle up? Is it fearful of children or licky? It's good to see how he and the dog interact before adopting.