A Dog is for Life

WHERE DID THE SLOGAN ‘A DOG IS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS’ COME FROM?

Do you know where the slogan ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ comes from? It has been around a really long time. Nearly 40 years, in fact. Launched by animal charity the Dogs Trust in 1978, the campaign and slogan that encapsulated it will be 40 years old in 2028. The average lifespan of a dog is 12 years of age, with some dogs living to the ripe old age of 20, making owning and caring for dogs a huge responsibility. Buying a puppy or dog is a decision that should never ever be made on a whim, but especially at Christmas time.

The origins of the slogan, and what it means

We’re sure that we don’t need to tell any of you reading this that ‘a dog [really] is for life, not just for Christmas’, but where did the slogan actually come from? Who originated it, and why? The Campaign that the slogan encapsulates was first launched by the animal charity the Dogs Trust in 1978, meaning that the campaign and slogan itself will be 40 years old in 2028.

The saying, or slogan, ‘A dog is for life not just for Christmas’ was first coined in 1978 by Clarissa Baldwin, the then Chief Executive of The National Canine Defence League (which later became the Dogs Trust). At that time, with pet shops on every high street, thousands of people were giving puppies as gifts at Christmas, and dog rescues were overrun with the unwanted dogs once the novelty of the present had worn off and the reality of having one in the home had set in. 

Now, again - as we’re sure you know, the average lifespan of a dog is 12 years of age, but some breeds can live to 20 years old, which means that owning and caring for a dog is a huge responsibility. A responsibility that you should consider and think wisely about before deciding to buy one for yourself or as a present for a loved one, family member or friend. It’s a decision that should never be made on a whim or taken lightly, especially at Christmas time.

Why getting a dog at Christmas is a bad idea

A dog is a sentient being, not a toy or plaything. As Nova Magazine says, in their article on ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ (https://www.novamagazine.co.uk/a-dog-is-for-life-not-just-for-christmas/), “when the [Festive] sparkle starts to wear off and the Christmas lights fade, many who have been gifted puppies and dogs realise the huge commitment looking after an animal actually takes. As a result, many unwanted canines end up in animal shelters hoping for a second chance with another family.”

As an article by ZigZag (https://zigzag.dog/blog/new-puppy/getting-your-puppy/dogs-are-for-life-not-for-christmas/) says, “let’s be honest. Getting a puppy at one of the busiest times in our social calendars is usually a recipe for disaster.” 

The article makes several valid points, including:

• “You’re too busy to get a dog at Christmas: Young puppies need almost constant supervision when they’re little. If you bring a puppy home at Christmas time, you need to be there for them constantly.”
• “Puppies need a calm environment: Christmas isn’t the quietest of times. It’s understandable – otherwise, it would be quite boring, wouldn’t it? But adding a new puppy to the mix can just be chaotic. Your puppy will likely become overwhelmed by the many noisy visitors you’ll have coming over.”
• “Puppies need routines: Puppies do best when they have a routine. Getting them used to their new home and into a toilet training routine, a nighttime routine (so that they learn how to sleep through the night) will become rather difficult when you’re not on your usual schedule. It’s hard enough already – you don’t want to make it harder.” 
• “Christmas foods can carry a lot of risk for puppies: The usual Christmas treats like chocolate decorations, cakes and puddings contain dried fruit and nuts that can be potentially lethal to puppies. Because of their charming personality and glittery eyes, your puppy can end up being given a lot of titbits by well-meaning friends – which can be quite dangerous.”
• “Puppies and Christmas decorations don’t mix well: [baubles] tinsel, [tree lights with] electric cables and [real or artificial] pine needles [from a Christmas Tree] are all potential hazards to a new puppy.”

So, all-in-all, and all things considered, “Christmas is not the right time to give a puppy as a gift”.

Too right. And, giving a puppy or dog as a gift is highly contentious, at any time of year. Especially as a surprise gift.

“What have dogs got to do with Christmas anyway?”

Besides being a potential ill-advised Xmas present option, you may well ask “what have dogs got to do with Christmas anyway”? Psychology Today has an opinion on this. In an article from 2013 called ‘The Dogs of Christmas’ (https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/canine-corner/201312/the-dogs-of-christmas), Stanley Coren PhD., DSc, FRSC says:

“For some reason there has always been a link between dogs and Christmas. Perhaps it's because the Christian account of the birth of Jesus has him surrounded by shepherds. Since shepherds require dogs, it has become traditional to show dogs with the people gathered around the manger in nativity scenes. In Grenada, Spain, the tale is told about three dogs that followed the three shepherds into Bethlehem. When they found the infant Jesus, the dogs were given the opportunity to gaze upon him and they were blessed by the holy infant's smile. The dog's names were "Cubilon," "Lubina" and "Melampo". It is for this reason that many people in Grenada still give their dogs these names in—sort of a good luck charm.”

And:

“While there is a link between dogs and Christmas, it has always been a puzzle to me as to why our conception of Santa Claus is totally bereft of dogs. After all, the North Pole, which is supposedly Santa's home, is claimed by Canada. The traditional mode of transport in the Canadian Arctic involves dog sleds; therefore, one might expect that Santa would travel the world in a sleigh pulled by a pack of flying Huskies.”

So, there you go.

Whilst Christmas is undoubtedly a busy time for rescues, in fact it is isn’t the busiest time of year

Did you know that, whilst Christmas is undoubtedly a very busy time for rescues, in fact it is isn’t the busiest time of year? That’s later on in the year, when the impact of having the Christmas canine in the household is fully felt...

Undoubtedly, large numbers of unwanted dogs are abandoned or taken to animal charities during the festive period, including on Christmas Day itself! However, as a statement from Dogs Trust mentions, in actual fact, their busiest time of the year for puppies and dogs to get handed over for rehoming is the first school holidays of the new year. This might be February Half Term or the Easter Holidays. The puppy or older dog has been bought as a present for Christmas, but the owner hasn’t succeeded in getting the dog trained or some other incident has occurred. Plus, they may want to go on holiday, and boarding kennels and pet sitters cost money. So, they make the decision to give up the dog that they have only had for a few weeks or months.

By 2003, the problem gets so bad that MPs become involved

The problem got so bad that, by late 2003, with over 100,000 stray, abandoned and given up for adoption dogs taken in by local authorities and animal charities annually, a Motion (EDM 202) was tabled on the 3rd of December in the Houses of Parliament.

63 Members of Parliament put their name to the Motion, in support of it, which read:

“That this House notes that the [Dogs Trust] famous slogan, ‘A Dog is for Life, Not Just for Christmas’, was created in 1978 by the charity's Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, at a time when thousands of people were buying puppies to give to family and friends as Christmas presents, resulting in animals being abandoned in the New Year; recognises that despite many years of campaigning by the National Canine Defence League, now called [Dogs Trust], a serious problem still exists of dogs being given as Christmas presents; further recognises that the [Dogs Trust] has established that the most popular time of year for puppies to be abandoned is the start of the Easter holidays, when dogs who were given as Christmas presents have grown up to be big boisterous dogs; further recognises that the problem of dogs being given as Christmas presents continues to be a major concern, in a country where there were at least 117,000 strays and abandoned dogs taken in by local authorities last year; and wholeheartedly supports the [Dogs Trust] in its determination to ensure that one day, all dogs are cared for by responsible owners, and have a home for life.”

2019 and the problem still hasn’t gone away

Fast-forward another 16 years and the problem still hasn’t gone away.

In 2019, as the Dogs Trust’s Christmas Campaign reaches its thirty-first year, the charity released a TV and cinema advert that reinforced the message behind their famous slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’. Made by the And Rising agency and directed by Vaughan Arnell, Sam Smith does the music for it.

As The Drum says in their article on the Dogs Trust and the advert (https://www.thedrum.com/creative-works/project/and-rising-dogs-trust-dog-life-not-just-christmas):

“The charity’s slogan [was] brought to life in the ad through a little puppet dog made of cork, who arrives on Christmas Day. After lapping up attention during the Christmas festivities, the puppet dog is then unceremoniously dumped outside with the rubbish the next day where he turns into a real dog and is rescued by Dogs Trust.”

The article goes on to say:

“The 60-second TVC [featured] vocals by Academy Award winning songwriter Sam Smith, in a cover of the Christmas classic ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ and [launched] on ITV1 on 9 November. 40, 20 and 10-second versions [then followed] in cinemas, on social media and in digital adverts in shopping centres and on high streets.”

And:

“The advert [was] supported by a through the line campaign which [reminded] people of the ease with which dogs can get caught up in [Festive Period] rush buying and how the charity’s vital message can be shared to make a difference in the lead up to Christmas.”

You can watch the advert on the Drum website, or on You Tube (https://youtu.be/jiFFzFSKIxk)

Five years later, in 2024 (at time of writing) and it’s still a message that needs to be repeated and reinforced. As the Dogs Trust themselves say: 

“If you're thinking of getting a dog for a loved one this Christmas, think again. Please consider exactly what the responsibility entails. Many dogs are given to shelters after the festive season because their owners claim they don't have the time to take care of them. If you're not sure, it's best to wait until after Christmas. That way, you'll be taking some of the emotion out of your decision. Rather give yourself time to think about whether a dog is the right fit for your family.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Gifts for dogs, including rescue dogs

Christmas is a time for giving gifts, and that includes to your own dogs, naturally.

According to an Evening Standard website article from 2022 (https://www.standard.co.uk/business/money/dog-owners-set-to-spend-10-more-on-their-pets-this-christmas-than-last-year-b1040333.html), “Dog owners expect to spend around £100 on average on gifts for their pets [at] Christmas”. Wow.

And:

“A further quarter (26%) of dog owners said they would ditch “secret santas” with friends and decline Christmas party invitations to prioritise their pets.”

OK, we admit that we encourage you to pamper your pets at Christmas time – we sell seasonal dog products after all – but, here at Maisey Daisey, we are dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and their owners alike. We source and supply high-quality dog products that enhance the bond between pets and their families, not only at Christmas time, but all year round. But, don’t forget rescue dogs as well.

Naturally, the run up to Christmas is a busy time for us too, with seasonal gifts for your pup being a big seller. But, one of the things that make us different is that we donate 10% of our profits to dog rescue organisations.

So, by buying your Christmas presents for dogs from us, you help support rescue centres and charities doing great work to rescue and rehome puppies and dogs. And not just in the UK but abroad too.

Other ways you can help rescue centres and animal charities at Christmas

Besides your purchases and donations to our chosen rescues through Maisey Daisey (https://maiseydaisey.com/collections/our-choosen-rescues), there are plenty of ways and things you can do to help your local rescue centre this Xmas and during the festive season, such as:

• Make a donation of suitable warm bedding
• Make a donation of dog food and other dog consumables (healthy dog treats etc.)
• Sponsor a rescue dog
• Make a one-off donation of money (which could go towards a Christmas present for the rescue dogs in their care)
• Nominate your own rescue charity as your charity of choice – and support them by getting involved in your own charity and fundraising events in your local area, such as collections, tombolas, and raffles, for example) or take on a challenge where you raise sponsorship money for the rescue charity

Anything you do to help – however big or small – is greatly appreciated.

And, whatever else you do, make sure you spread the message that ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’. Thank you, and Merry Christmas.