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While the thought of becoming a dog owner is a very exciting notion, it is also one that requires commitment and responsibility. Choosing a dog is an important decision, and there are questions you should ask yourself before you commit to caring for a dog. Read on to learn a few tips that will help you choose the best dog to compliment your family, as well as ways you can help your furry addition make a smooth settlement in your home.

You have probably already asked yourself this question, but I’m tossing it in here just in case: Do you have what it takes to care for a living, breathing, thinking, feeling creature? Caring for a dog means fulfilling both its physical and emotional needs. If you don’t have any spare time or are away from home a lot, you might want to consider another pet. I recommend a fish. If you believe you’ve got what it takes to raise a dog, then you need to ask yourself what characteristics you want in your future pet. All dogs are different, of course, but I’m talking about things like: patience with children, trainability, size, level of activity, etc.

Your lifestyle will have a huge impact upon what kind of dog is best for you, so you should really give this a lot of thought. If you have kids, research the breeds that are best known for making good family pets. German Shepherds, most any breed of Spaniel, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, and Beagles are a few breeds that are famous for their way with children. I’ve always had the best results by doing research based on a breed’s temperament. Some of the best dogs I’ve ever had were of breeds I had done thorough research of prior to bringing home. This is a great way to prepare yourself for anything that might crop up, including stubbornness (harder to train!), proneness to certain medical issues, and exercise requirements. So remember, do lots of research among different breeds of dog  before making your decision.

After you’ve decided on the dog that you want, arrange a meeting with the dog’s owner or breeder so that everyone in your family can meet the new addition. Let the dog sniff everyone thoroughly so he can remember their scent later on. When you finally bring your dog home, he should be able to recall the scent of each family member quite easily, which will work to reduce his stress and help him settle. One thing I personally did to help my pup settle was to purchase a baby blanket (just the plain cloth kind) and gave it to the breeder a few weeks before we were due to bring our puppy home. We asked the breeder to place the blanket in our dog’s bed (which was shared by the litter and the mother) so the blanket would collect familiar scents on it. When we picked our puppy up, we also brought the blanket with us and put it in our dog’s bed.  If your future dog isn’t a puppy, see if he has any toys or a blanket of his own that can come with him. Familiar scents and objects are always a good idea.

The more time you spend with your dog, the quicker you will begin to form a bond, which is very important! Try spending special play time with your dog or go for walks together. Training is an excellent way to let your dog know that you’re the boss, which gains his respect and obedience. You can get pet steps and teach our dog to walk up and down them. It’s a great source of indoor exercise and proves a health benefit when used to get onto furniture, as opposed to jumping. As long as you put thought and effort into choosing a dog you feel will fit your lifestyle the best, you can look forward to having many wonderful experiences with your pet!

If you’d like to read more about caring for dogs or purchasing dog stairs, visit HelpYourPets.com.

Poodles are generally fun-loving dogs that have a pretty reserved temperament, so if you're looking for an agreeable pet that your family will love, you may want to consider a miniature poodle. Here is some general information about these dogs that will help you to make the right decision, as well as some things you can expect once you bring your pet home.

The Concerns

One of the things you may be concerned about when it comes to your miniature poodle is grooming. Poodle hair tends to be thick and curly, so you'll need to make sure that your puppy is groomed as often as possible. The standard grooming cut for puppies is relatively short hair all over the body, and you may need to do this about once a month or so to keep your pet looking great. Colors of miniature poodles include brown, cafe-au-lait, white or black varieties will be featured in pet stores across the country, and you can also have your pet grooming professional apply temporary dye to your poodle's coat for a special occasion; red, apricot, blue, silver, or gray are acceptable colors, and won't damage your dog's coat.

Learning about your dog's temperament is also ideal before you buy your miniature poodle. You may have to socialize your dog as a puppy, since poodles tend to be very reserved when dealing with strangers. Miniature poodles tend to bark a lot as well, which means that will do a good job of alerting you if something goes wrong in the home. In most cases, your dog will like to play with children, but some poodle varieties can be a little high-strung, so try to see the parents or even grandparents of the puppies you are considering before taking them home. Your miniature poodle will also be great at learning tricks in most cases, which means you can entertain family and friends.

The life span of a miniature poodle is relatively long compared to other dogs, so it will be essential for you to look out for any genetic issues that could possibly arise. Cataracts are common problems that occur in all varieties of poodles, and blindness could be caused by retinal atrophy, so you need to regularly take your miniature poodle to the vet to be checked up for vision and nervous system problems. Often it may also be necessary for your pet to be checked for you ear infections and runny eyes. Finally, the poodle's skin tend to be very sensitive, for example skin rashes and allergies may occur with the use of certain shampoo or dyes, and in addition the use of clippers may also cause skin conditions to occur.

For more great information on how to care for your miniature poodle, visit www.poodle-lovers.com.