Unique ideas to give kids a new puppy?

[cl1067]

Friday we get to go get our new puppy!!! The kids know that we have been talking about getting one (we have 3 DD's ages 1, 6, and 11), but we had told them we were going to wait a couple of more months.

Well, we really get to go pick her up on Friday! I'm so excited (sometimes I think more so than the kids). DH and I are going just the two of us to get her and bring her home to the girls...so does anyone have any neat or unique ways we can give her to the girls.

We are getting a Shih Tzu and she is only about 3-4 pounds right now.

TIA!
Christina

 

[daisax]

A puppy is plenty special enough to not have to "add" excitement.

Personally, I would stress that the puppy is not a toy or a gift, but a new member of the family that has very specific needs of its own (a certain amount of privacy and freedom from being yanked and picked up, etc.).

You have a relatively new baby in the house, so stressing that this newcomer is ALSO a baby who needs lots of sleep and delicate handling will go a long way to helping it fit in as a new member of the family.

I'd definitely play down the "fun" aspect and play up the "new responsibility" aspect. If the older kids are going to be regarded as higher up in the pup's hierarchy than mere littermates, they need to start their relationship off by calmly taking charge (which will require lots of parental supervision!)

 

[Toby'sFriend]

awww, it's your very first DIS pet responsibility lecture.


don't bring the puppy in right away. Wrap up one of those itsy bitsy puppy collars with cubic zircona stones in a jewelry box and give it to the girls as a present. After they open that -- then bring the little puppy in.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I have no idea but we want to see pictures! How cute is that little thing going to be or what?

Maybe you can have a naming contest with the kids?

 

[stinkerbelle's mom]

When my dad brought home a chihuahua/dauschand mix she was really really tiny too. In fact he was holding her in the palm of his hand.

He told my mom that he brought her home a little puppy then like "yelled" at her to watch out so she didn't step on the puppy all the while he was holding her. It was funny.

Enjoy your new addition! Our new addition is a 5 1/2 mo old German Sheperd.

 

[laurajetter]

Maybe you can have a naming contest with the kids?

Yeah, you could do the naming contest with them before they know you got a dog for them (maybe have DH outside with it shortly after you pick it up?). Sit them all down and say you think it's time to pick out the name for the dog they'll all have one day. Hopefully, at some point one of them will mention that it's too hard to choose a name without seeing what their future dog will look like... then say, "Well why don't we take a look at her right now?" and open the door for DH to come in with the puppy.

If you do this but no one mentions about needing to be able to look at the puppy, then after you all come up with some ideas you can say "You know what? This is too hard. It's just too hard to pick a name for a dog without even being about to see what it looks like!" then go get DH in the same manner as the first scenario.

I also agree with the previous poster who said they need to understand the responsibility of being dog owners, and that it's a member of the family, not a toy. But I think that can wait until after the initial burst of excitement!

Please let us know how it all turns out and how you decided to tell them, their reactions, etc.!

 

[cl1067]

Thanks for the ideas...I really like the naming contest since we don't have a name yet.

As for the talk on responsibility...we have been talking about a puppy for over a year (I've wanted one since we go married, and that's been 8 years!)...and they were told we had to wait until the baby was older...and she is almost 17 months now...and have had that responsibility/the puppy is like another person since she really isn't a toy that can be put away several times now...so the day we bring the puppy home, I just want them to relish in the fun of it....because it is fun. Its the same as having a baby...its a huge undertaking work/responsibility wise...but is also one of the most fun things anyone experiences.

And I promise to post pictures once we get her home!

 

[Tazicket]

I'd do what a PP suggested and give them a tiny collar or a puppy toy as a present before bringing out the puppy. My family did something similar when they gave me my cat a few years ago (they put a scratching post in a gift bag and had me unwrap it- after I was good and puzzled, they brought in the kitten. )

 

[jama]

We did a little scavenger hunt for our kids. We had arrows printed that led them to little clues.. such as a dog toy, then to a collar, a food bowl, then dog bones, then to the crate with a picture of the puppy in it. They were so excited! We then went and picked up the puppy!

Since you will already have the puppy, you could do the same thing but at the end of the clues would be the puppy waiting for them!

 

[ChristmasElf]

We did a little scavenger hunt for our kids. We had arrows printed that led them to little clues.. such as a dog toy, then to a collar, a food bowl, then dog bones, then to the crate with a picture of the puppy in it. They were so excited! We then went and picked up the puppy!

Since you will already have the puppy, you could do the same thing but at the end of the clues would be the puppy waiting for them!

This is a cute idea! Also make sure to mention to the toddler that "Puppy is not a PONY" One of my good friends son was only 2 at the time and was always trying to sit on the puppy. One day the puppy was sleeping and her son sat on the puppy which scared the dog and it bit her son on the arm. Just a quick little snap but he did end up getting stitches.

Not the dogs fault, but still scary. She also had a 6 year old that witnessed the dog bite and then would not go near the dog out of fear of also getting bitten.

 

[christineann]

I wrapped up a new dog bowl, leash and collar and gave it to my kids. We then made a quick trip to Walmart to pick up other necessities before we went to the SPCA to pick up our pup, who was a little groggy from his, um, "operation". They slept in sleeping bags on the floor in the den that night with Jake between them.

How exciting! Please post a picture when you get your new family member

 

[simba928]

Congratulations! I love the idea about wrapping up the collar.

When we got our golden retriever/lab, Jake, it was planned at all. Me and my brother were at my aunt's house and my parents went to Petsmart to get something for our other dog. While they were there, my parents fell in love with Jake and brought her home. They put her in a small cage in the living room, right around the corner from the basement stairs. My aunt, her family, and us met my mom at a restaurant for dinner. When we got home, we went in through the basement, which is where my other dog was, in her cage. I let her out of and she ran up to the top of the stairs and waited for me to open the door. When I got there, I heard this high pitched puppy-type barking. I asked my parents what that was and they said "Oh, it was probably Nakita" (our old dog). I was just like yeah, whatever, because A) Nakita didn't bark like that, if anything she howled and B) she was standing right next to me so I knew it wasn't her. So I opened the door and so this cage around the corner and went and looked and saw our little Jakey in there. That isn't really "fun", but I really don't think it matters how you do it. Your kids will probably remember it no matter what you do, especially if its their first dog. I still remember the day my dad brought Nakita home (she was my uncle's dog and his yard/house was too small for her, so he gave her to us and my dad surprised me with her) and I was only 3-ish at the time.

Have fun and definitely post pics!