Don’t you love puppies? You know there’s something especially adorable about a poodle puppy. Like most purebred dogs, poodles have a few medical conditions to watch out for, so be sure to take your poodle puppy to the vet for a complete health examination as soon as you pick it up from the breeder.

When picking out a Poodle puppy, different people look for different personalities. Some select the Poodle puppy that’s the strongest, most aggressive dog in the litter, while others are drawn to the runt of the litter. Whatever Poodle personality you prefer, look for a healthy dog. Choose a dog that walks and trots briskly, without limping. Base your decision on your head, not your heart. Decide what factors are important to you before you expose yourself to a litter of adorable poodle puppies, all begging you to take them home.

The Poodle breed’s health problems make it vital for you to choose a reputable breeder who is trying to breed these problems out of the dog’s bloodlines. Toy and Miniature Poodles have the potential to have one or more of these disorders: urolithiasis, trichiasis, cryptorchidism, patella subluxation, and leg and calve perthes.

Standard Poodles may have one of these conditions: gastric torsion, Addison’s disease, sebaceous adenitis, and cancer. Toy, Miniature, and Standard poodles are susceptible to conditions like hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and other eye disorders, seizures, Von Willebrand’s disease, Cushing’s disease mammary tumors, hypothyroidism, and epilepsy.

Most of these problems are treatable, and many can be cured. Your Poodle puppy should see your veterinarian often so any health problems can be spotted early, diagnosed and treated. Buying your Poodle puppy from a breeder with a good reputation will reduce the likelihood of your puppy having one or more of these disorders.

Poodle puppies need a lot of grooming. If you haven’t owned a Poodle puppy before, you may not realize how much care their curly coats need. Poodle pups need to be bathed every four weeks, clipped every four to six weeks, and brushed every single day. Don’t get a Poodle if you can’t commit to giving the dog this kind of care.

To keep your dog healthy, don’t make any sudden changes to your Poodle puppy’s diet. Get a sample of puppy food from the breeder, enough to feed the puppy for a few days, until you can buy some of the same food. Consult your veterinarian about food your puppy should eat as it develops into a grown dog.

If getting a Poodle puppy seems like too much trouble for you right now, consider getting an older dog through Poodle rescue. Dozens of homeless purebred Poodles – Toys, Miniatures and Standards – are just waiting to be matched with someone who loves Poodles.