Holiday Puppy Ponderings

Happy Holidays from All of us at Second Chance Humane Society!!  My name is Petey and I am the cutest ever little homeless Chihuahua puppy here at Second Chance Humane Society.  While waiting, with my four siblings, for my new family to arrive (could it be you???) I restored The Twelve Days of Christmas to its original version of a few centuries ago as written by my distant relative St. Bern.  Due to space limitations I am only including the final verses of the song:

On the eleventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Eleven unwrapped presents
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
A dozen puppy kisses
And I forgot about the other eleven days.

I hope this reminds you that, although pets should not be given as presents to those who are unprepared to care for them, if you have been thinking about bringing a furry family member into your household – I would make a great addition.  Yes puppies are a challenge (see days 1-11 above) but we always compensate for it (see day 12).

In closing I penned a few words of advice I researched for pets that are lucky enough to be in homes this holiday season – to help assure that you get to remain there.  I call it…Holiday Etiquette for Dogs:

1. Your parents may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.

2. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These “parties” call for discretion on your part: not all strangers appreciate kisses and lapdogs, eat scraps under (not on) the buffet table, and use sad puppy eyes to gain more scraps.

3. Your people may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may be, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: don't pee on it , don't drink the water in its container,  mind your tail when near the tree,  don't rip open the packages under it even if they smell interesting, don't chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree.

4. A big man with a white beard, red suit, and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON'T BITE HIM!!


Call the Second Chance Helpline at 626-2273 to report a lost pet, learn about adopting a homeless pet, or about the SCHS Spay/Neuter Financial Assistance, Volunteer & Foster Care, or other Programs.  Visit our shelter pets online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.  Direct Pet Column questions to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Photos by Real Life Photographs.