The loyalty that dogs show is a trait that they have while still in the wild where they have to learn to stick together and take care of its other to survive longer. Human sees this devotion and treats dogs as family members. Dogs on the other hand see humans as pack leaders although members of their pack nonetheless. Unless you are adopting a puppy that has been sheltered by a rescue group or one that can be taken directly from its original owner, you should be wary about adopting a very young dog. Only rescue groups keep tab of their dogs' sources, observe their temperament, and investigate into their dogs' history. This is more important when you have an outdoor dog breed. There are many choices for roofing but often, a wooden roof is sufficiently cool. For flooring you may want vinyl or lumber as these are easily cleaned. For health reasons, the doghouse is usually constructed a few inches from the ground. This also wards off insects and other small animals from entering aside from insuring that the place remains dry. On occasions such as these, the owner will attempt at stopping the dog from continuing, but when the dog is not trained, all the dog hears from its owners is just another bark, an important bark maybe but incomprehensible. It is also a natural instinct among us to not create "fences" among those we love but if the dog is allowed full run off the house, sooner, even those characteristics in a dog that charmed us will be an irritant. If you lead an active lifestyle for example, do not adopt a dog with a phlegmatic character that will be content to hang around the house much of the time, eating, and sleeping. To select the right dog, select those that closely resemble your lifestyle. Listed are characteristics and traits of dogs that you may want to consider. 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. This tradition of having small dogs for decoration dates back thousands of years to Chinese nobility where the Pug and the Pekingese where favorites.