It’s an age-old scenario: Kid asks parents for puppy. Over and over again. Parents say: Not now, but maybe one day.
The little girl in the viral video below had made peace with holding off, before acquiring the dog she dreamed of. After her family went to visit an adorable litter of puppies, her mom said, “Next year, about a year from now ... ” And her eldest daughter confidently told the owners, “Yes, we will be puppy-ready, OK?”
Watch the sweet video below to see the moment the parents revealed that Honey was coming home forever:
And then came the best parental prank ever: The owner held up one of the pups, Honey, and asked her, “Who do you want to go home with?”
The eldest daughter squeaked “Us! Us!” as a joke, in the background.
“Do you like Honey?” asked the pup’s owner.
“Honey is my favourite,” said the girl.
“Would you love her forever and ever?” the owner continued.
“Yes!”
“Well, OK, I think you should have her.”
“Oooh, thank you,” said the girl, rolling her eyes and laughing as she played along with what she believed to be a joke, and took the puppy in her arms. Her sisters laughed. And then the parents revealed that all the “maybe-next-year comments” had been a ruse.
“He’s serious,” said the girls’ mother.
“I’m serious, take her home,” confirmed the owner.
“She’s ours,” added Dad.
“We’re keeping Honey,” said Mom.
As it all started to sink in, the girl’s reaction was adorable: a rollercoaster of tears, giggles, disbelief and astonished smiles. Once the big emotions had subsided, her mom ― who had barely slept the night before because of her excitement about picking up the puppy ― shared that it was the biggest secret she’d ever kept in her life.
In these pandemic times, dogs are in high demand, as more people are staying home, and able to give a young pup the training and attention it needs, and also, we all need extra cuddles these days.
This video shows how much joy it can bring to kids, to have their puppy dreams come true, but there’s lots lot think about before taking such a huge step. As the eldest daughter in this video has clearly learned from her parents, a family really needs to be “puppy-ready.” Here’s some advice, if you’re thinking of adding a dog to your family:
Match the breed (or mix of breeds) with your family’s specific needs
You need to take into consideration things like the dog’s energy level, size, friendliness with kids and people in general and how easy it will be to train. Learn more here.
Do not buy from puppy mills
Irresponsible, profit-hungry people who overbreed dogs in deplorable conditions should not be enabled, however long the puppy waiting lists are right now. Learn more here.
Adopt a dog and save a life
There are many great dogs in need of a loving home. And one of the benefits of getting an older dog is that you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night for toilet training. Learn more here.
Make sure the whole family is on board
You need to have conversations about everything from dog-sitting when the family is away to responsibility for dog-related chores to the size and strength of dog your kids can handle to the costs that come with pet ownership. Learn more here.
Have a training plan for your dog
Trainers are in high demand as puppy sales spike, so find out what the virtual options are before you commit to dog ownership, unless you’re already experienced in training a pup. Your kids may also enjoy teaching their dog fun tricks, and the more they engage in this role, the more they’ll bond with the dog and it will come to respect their leadership. Learn more here.
If, after considering these things, you feel like your family is not quite ready yet, just remember, the internet will always be full of adorable puppy videos that can be enjoyed virtually ― cost- and responsibility-free!
WATCH: Golden retriever puppy discovers ice cubes on a hot day.