Ask the dog shrink: we know you mean well, but let her pick out her own dog ... he just loves decorations!

Q My mother has always said she wants a dog, and I want to surprise her with a puppy for Christmas. Any recommendations?

A JUST ONE. DON'T. Besides Christmas being one of the most chaotic times on the calendar, the fact that your mother isn't going to be in on the decision--one that she'll have to live with for the next ten or more years of her life--makes your gift a potential nightmare. I've heard hundreds of stories about people who were positive that someone in their life would love to have a dog as a gift, only to find out after the dog was bought that they were wrong. The ...

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