Xmas puppy ***Picture Update***

Can't comment on the breed choice, but can say that as a child Santa left us a puppy for Christmas (Barney, black lab). He was the best present ever! Agnes

Do some research. Blood Hounds definitely require a special owner.

At the risk of being negative, Christmas puppies aren't always a good idea. With young children (and I don't know how old your daughter is) sometimes the newness wears quickly. It's also a very chaotic time of year to bring a new pup into a household. If she's older that may be a moot point.

RESEARCH breeds THOROUGHLY. Do you know anything about bloodhounds? They are slimey, drooley, big, VERY stubborn, difficult, and often stupid. If it doesn't have anything to do with their nose, they aren't interested. They wheedle their way into your heart then only live an average of 6 years or so (although with some newer breeding they have increased longevity). Bloodhounds are not lazy. They are moderate-to-high activity dogs depending on breeding and require a lot of exercise. They LOVE to eat! A lot! They are prone to doing stupid things, illness, and conditions like bloat. We had one for 9 years (got lucky on the lifespan), loved him more than you can imagine, but it's a breed I wouldn't recommend to very many people.

There are pros and cons to each breed. The so called "agressive breeds" can make life more difficult when it comed to RV travel. Whereas some of the large non agressive breeds are just fine. The park we are in has both a weight, 75 pounds, and breed restrictions. What ever breed you choose, make it a rescue dog please.

Crowe wrote:
At the risk of being negative, Christmas puppies aren't always a good idea. With young children (and I don't know how old your daughter is) sometimes the newness wears quickly. It's also a very chaotic time of year to bring a new pup into a household. If she's older that may be a moot point.

RESEARCH breeds THOROUGHLY. Do you know anything about bloodhounds? They are slimey, drooley, big, VERY stubborn, difficult, and often stupid. If it doesn't have anything to do with their nose, they aren't interested. They wheedle their way into your heart then only live an average of 6 years or so (although with some newer breeding they have increased longevity). Bloodhounds are not lazy. They are moderate-to-high activity dogs depending on breeding and require a lot of exercise. They LOVE to eat! A lot! They are prone to doing stupid things, illness, and conditions like bloat. We had one for 9 years (got lucky on the lifespan), loved him more than you can imagine, but it's a breed I wouldn't recommend to very many people.

I agree with the above completely! A bloodhound needs a job; hence their work in tracking. Also, they STINK!! My niece had one for awhile, and she complained that even after a thorough bath, the dog had a bad odor - the hound factor. It was so bad, that she and her husband rehomed the dog to someone who needed it for tracking.

I might suggest an adult (2-3 years old) lab from a rescue. Once an adult (lab puppies are evil, IMO - been there, done that!) labs make amazing family pets!! :) We've had two (RIP Bluto and Chipper) when our children were still at home - loved them both!!

Crowe wrote:
At the risk of being negative, Christmas puppies aren't always a good idea. With young children (and I don't know how old your daughter is) sometimes the newness wears quickly. It's also a very chaotic time of year to bring a new pup into a household. If she's older that may be a moot point.

X2. I will be negative. Christmas IS a bad time to introduce a new puppy because of the reasons above. You can give a leash, collar, food bowl, etc at Christmas to signify that a puppy is coming, and then a few weeks later, when things calm down get the actual puppy.

As noted, please do your research to choose the right breed for your home. Then find a rescue dog that has some of that breed in them. overall, IMHO, they are better than a full breed. The gene mix tends to lead towards a healthier dog overall.

Now, if you want a hound... try a beagle, they are really a nice dog.
We had 2 that where great. Our last one passed this year at 15 years.
I think we may go dogless now to make travel easier. We have had a dog
for the last 40 years.
Brian

I will not comment on the Christmas gift as that is your decision. I will say that rescued dogs make for a wonderful companion. Our large dog was rescued by us when he was 8 months old. He is a rot/chow mix. I would swear to you that he knows he was rescued and is loved. I use to raise full blooded German Shepard's and while I love them dearly, Lucky is more intelligent and was much easier to train. I do admit that the small dog was not rescued as DW wanted a Shih Tzu Maltese mix and we could not find a rescue in our area that clicked with us. That being said Merry Christmas.

I agree, wait till after the holidays to find a new family member.Give a gift of a leash or toy so then your daughter can help in the decision if she is old enough. We have a beagle mix once in awhile we get the annoying beagle howl, but we don't mind it.

Maybe a daughter-sized dog? Like a cocker spaniel?