It is so easy to fall in love with a puppy that is giving you its puppy eyes and begging for adoption. People have different personalities, so have dogs. Since dogs change your lifestyle and will stay with you for a very long while, it is best to have a list of dog traits that will best compliment your personality because when adopting a dog, love at first sight may not be very good enough. A puppy that has a swollen belly is a good indication that it is harboring worms. Chronic sickness - Be warned with puppies that have chronic sickness. No amount of medical attention can help if the puppy is chronically sick. Also, a sick puppy often grows with major health problems into adulthood. Check if the puppy is socialized. Indeed dogs by their friendly nature are good companion dogs. In the strict sense though and for differentiation, dogs that do not work and do not particularly excel at any task other than companionship is a companion dog. When the decision for adopting a dog is to have a companion, the choices will be limited generally to smaller dog breeds that are expected to serve no particular task other than as a pet and as a comforter. They do not possess the intelligence that we would often believe that they have in fact their brains are 10% smaller than that of wolves, but they are attentive or on many occasions pretend to comprehend. With the comprehension comes the obedience. Dogs unlike other animals do not have the capability to premeditate its actions to solve a problem or a situation although it learns by constant observation and repetitive instructions and examples. It demands maintenance, ample attention and plenty of time. Having a busy schedule does not work very well alongside taking care of a dog. If you think you don t have enough time for yourself, you probably shouldn t adopt a dog. Most dogs, even puppies, end up in animal shelters because their owners lack the time to take care of them. The new member of the household has to be potty trained as soon as the first day. It is important to note that dogs could hold their bladder up to five hours, not more than that. In fact, dogs being territorial animals will mark the territory by urinating every few feet or so. When the dog is new to a particular place that has not yet been marked by other dogs, expect the dog itching to mark every nook and cranny of the house, worse, that include the rugs and carpets.