Owning a dog can mean everything from a rite of passage to a finding a wonderful friend. For new dog owners, it can also mean a lot of frustration. One of the best ways to avoid this frustration is to research several dog breeds before you pick the one that is right for you. This step can help you find a companion who will be more compatible to your lifestyle. For example, an apartment dweller with little extra time would not be well suited for a high-energy breed like a border collie.

You will also need to consider the age of the dog that is right for you. While puppies are adorable, they also require a lot of care. This typically means getting up in the middle of the night, housebreaking, training and working with your puppy on a regular basis.

If you don't have the time to devote to a new puppy, consider getting a rescue dog that is older, and already trained. In many cases, rescued dogs make the best pets, since they have been through many situations and will appreciate stability and love in their new home.

Dog nutrition is another important consideration in making life with your dog easier to take. In fact, poor nutrition can lead to behavioral problems. Before purchasing your dog, do some research into the different types of dog foods that are available and make sure that you are giving your dog the right amount of nutrition.

Puppies have different needs than older dogs, and will require more fat, more vitamins and a proper balance of calcium to ensure proper growth. Too much calcium can in fact lead to bone development problems in certain breeds of dogs.

Your new dog or puppy will also require some sort of training when they first arrive. If a dog is already housebroken, you've already won half the battle. Housebreaking a puppy can be difficult, but the key to success is consistency. Never allow your puppy to get away with making a mistake, and praise them effusively when they go outside.

Avoid rubbing your puppy's nose in their mistake, as this is counter active and may actually compound the problem. Rather, change your facial expression to indicate your displeasure. Dogs and puppies learn how to interpret our facial expressions very quickly and they will not want to displease you. Remove the mistake, take it and your puppy outside and place it on the ground, and then praise the puppy. They will begin to make the connection quickly.

Other training issues may include staying off of the furniture, chewing behaviors and barking. Again, avoid aggressive training methods, as they will usually backfire, particularly with certain breeds and personality types.

Consistency is once again the key to successfully training your dog or puppy. Clicker training has become quite popular for fixing these behaviors and works on the principle of positive reinforcement when a dog or puppy does something right, instead of negative reinforcement.

Once you begin to settle into life with your new dog or puppy, you can begin to enjoy one another's company and begin forging a friendship that will last for the life of your friend.

Posted by John.