Hello, Fellow Dog Lovers!

'Tis the season for delicious food, gifts under the tree, and hopefully lots of quality time spent with loved ones. I look forward to Christmas every year because I get to spend some much-needed downtime with my husband and daughter. I wish you all a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year as well!    

For this special holiday edition of the Positively Newsletter, we're focusing on everything Christmas and holiday-related, so that the next week is as stress-free as possible for you and your pets.  

As always, throughout this newsletter you'll find exclusive content and training tips that you won't find anywhere else. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to check out my blog for more articles from me! 

Christina Berry of The Lazy Pit Bull shares a fun and simple DIY holiday project you can do with your pet. 

After losing our precious Sadie Mae earlier this year, the importance of having keepsakes and little reminders has never been more clear to me. I treasure every tiny memory of my sweet girl, and I stop and smile every time I happen upon something that makes me think of her.

This adorable DIY paw print ornament is one of those things. At the time we did this little project together, I never stopped to imagine the joy it would someday bring me when she was no longer by my side.

VSPDT Abigail Witthauer of Roverchase talks about the responsible way to bring home a Christmas puppy or dog. 

I’ll admit it. I start to get a little giddy around the beginning of December. One of the great joys of my career is that I know, come January, I will have oodles and oodles of puppies at my dog training facility in Birmingham, Alabama. Here are a few tips for bringing a new dog home for the holidays. If each and every one of my clients followed these tips, we would all have a much more peaceful New Year!

Holidays are generally a wonderful time for both people and pets but also may bring unanticipated situations. By abiding by the following “Do’s” and “Don’ts,” you and your exotic pet will hopefully have a happy, safe, and enjoyable time!

1. Don't give a bird or other exotic pet as a holiday gift!

Birds and other exotic pets should not be purchased or adopted on a whim but require research and planning to ensure that they’re a good match to your family, schedule and lifestyle. All potential exotic pet owners should educate themselves before getting the animal about what it takes to keep that particular species happy and healthy. No one wants a holiday gift that results in disappointment and frustration.

Surprising an adult friend or family member with a dog may cause them to run the other way. Raising a puppy is not an endeavor that should be taken lightly. They need to be trained, walked frequently, require almost constant attention and, oh yes, be potty trained. 

It's best to let friends or family members decide for themselves whether or not they can handle the obligation and commitment that it takes to handle a puppy’s needs, and not surprise them with a decades-long commitment that they may or may not be ready for. Countless dogs are returned to breeders and shelters all over the world after the holidays because they were given as gifts to families who weren't prepared for them. It's a tragedy that's entirely preventable. Many rescue groups have policies against giving their animals as gifts for this very reason.