Everyone loves puppies, and there's something especially appealing about a poodle puppy. Like most purebred dogs, poodles do have a few medical conditions and disorders that are particular to the poodle breed, so it is important that you have your poodle puppy checked by a veterinarian - before you take delivery of the puppy, if possible.

Some people, when picking out a Poodle puppy, select the puppy that is the strongest, most aggressive dog in the litter (the bully) while others are drawn to the runt of the litter (the underdog). But whatever Poodle personality you prefer, choose a dog that walks and trots briskly, without limping. Don't choose a dog that has a discharge around the eyes. How you choose the right poodle puppy is a decision that must be based 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 or curable if they are caught early, before the condition progresses too far. That's why you should take your Poodle puppy to the veterinarian for regular health exams. 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.

Before you get a Poodle puppy, consider how much grooming the dog will need. Poodle puppies need to be brushed at least once a day, and clipped every four to six weeks. You can clip your Poodle puppy yourself, but if you don't have experience grooming a Poodle, you should have you dog professionally clipped and ask the groomer to teach you how to do a basic clip.

Don't make any sudden changes to your Poodle puppy's diet. Ask your breeder to give you a sample of the dog food that he or she has been feeding the puppies since they were weaned. Feed the puppy the same food until you have a chance to consult your veterinarian about what kind of food your Poodle puppy should eat as it grows older.

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.