You’ve made up your mind. You want a cute and furry companion. Maybe you’ve even decided to adopt a dog from a shelter in an effort to make the world a better place. Or perhaps, your neighbour’s dog has just given birth to 8 little puppies, and you can’t resist their gorgeous little faces. Regardless of what inspires you to adopt a dog, it’s fair to say that you need to understand what it means to look after an animal that relies entirely on you to stay healthy, happy and protected. The basics requirements are obvious and don’t deserve to be discussed. But you need to find the appropriate answer to each of the following questions:

Do you know everything you need about your beloved pooch? Don’t say yes too quickly. A DNA test, such as one from these trusted brands https://www.certapet.com/dog-dna-test-brands/, can reveal the breed(s) of a mixed breed puppy, for instance. More importantly, it can highlight genetic markers for potential health conditions, going back up to three generations. This kind of knowledge can give you the chance to be best prepared and know what to look out for. Additionally, you can take preventive measures to avoid the development of diseases, saving money and a lot of stress too!

How do you best take care of a dog? Keeping your dog healthy is your number one requirement as a dog owner, and consequently, it’s a duty you need to take seriously. Aside from the appropriate food and exercise, you should consider an insurance cover from the day you adopt your furry friend. In the long term, it will avoid expensive bills for vet services and necessary surgery. You need to understand that, contrary to the NHS, the veterinary practice doesn’t provide any health treatment for free.

A dog is not just for Christmas. You’ve probably heard the saying before, and it’s still very relevant. When you decide to adopt a dog, your entire lifestyle needs to change. Are you happy putting your dog first- this means doing things you might not necessarily want to do. It's getting up in the night to let your puppy outside while they're learning their toilet training. It's walking your dog after work when you're tired, it's cold and all you want to do is sit down. From spontaneous weekend getaways to sophisticated furniture, there are several elements of your current life that you might have to give up for your dog. Additionally, a dog isn’t like a Tamagotchi – a reminder of the 1990s – you can forget about and reset at wish.

Having a dog can set you back up to £33,000 during its lifetime. Food and day-to-day care only can cost anything from around £94 to £154 per month, depending on size and breed. But ultimately most dog owners spend a lot more, especially in urban areas where you might have to pay for doggy daycare. Additionally, you need to plan for toys and bedding; coats, collars and harnesses are essential additions too. As most owners tend to buy treats and gifts for their dogs when they go shopping, it’s best to prepare a dog only budget!

From knowing potential health risks to being able to afford to look after your dog, you need to clarify things as you embark in this new adventure. Being a dog owner is not as easy as films might make it look. It’s an emotional and financial commitment for a lifetime.

Bike riding is great fun for kids, there’s no getting away from that fact, and it’s really good for their health too, but after a while of biking here, there and everywhere, kids can begin to get bored. That’s why, if you want to encourage your children to remain active despite being slightly bored with their bikes, it’s essential that you think outside of the box and get creative. Wondering what other ways there are for your kids to get about independently and have fun while doing so? Below is a guide to some fantastic alternatives to bikes for kids that can offer many of the same health benefits and are just as fun as cycling.

Rollerblading can be an excellent mode of transport for kids to travel shorter distances, providing they know how to keep themselves safe, that is and are reasonably competent rollerbladers. Most kids have rollerskates at one point or another, and if a child can rollerskate with confidence, with a bit of practice, they can usually rollerblade too. If you’re worried about your child rollerblading, you can always get them some lessons first. These cover techniques and general safety tips, giving you and them peace of mind when they're out and about.
Skateboarding is another option that could be great for your children. It’s a fun and exciting hobby and one that can burn a lot of calories and energy. Of course, as with any sport, skateboarding can be dangerous if the proper safety precautions aren’t taken. A helmet and elbow and knee pads are a must for all new skateboards, as are a few lessons to help them find their feet. As for their skateboard, don’t buy them a children’s skateboard from a toy shop as these are not designed to work as well or as safely as adult skateboards. Instead, pick them a small-sized adult skateboard like a mini cruiser so that they can ride more safely.

Another fantastic alternative to bike travel is scootering. Scooters are easy to use meaning if they've not quite mastered biking or aren't confident with it then these are a useful alternative. They come in a wide range of different styles and there are lots of models designed for kids. There are traditional scooters and a range of more modern designs to choose from; there are even scooters with rechargeable motors built in for a different experience. However if you're wanting them to keep fit and burn energy, a regular foot powered model is the way to go.

When you work at home, it is so helpful to have a dedicated space in which to spread out and concentrate on the day's tasks. In fact, it can help you get into the right state of mind, and keep all your work-related clutter from spreading all over the house if you have an office or an office area within the home. With that in mind check out the advice on creating the perfect home workspace below. Find a space to dedicate to work, in your home.

Sometimes the hardest thing about creating an office or workspace in your home can be deciding where to locate it. The reason for this is because each different person will have different priorities. For example, a working mum may want to be close to the playroom so she can keep an eye and ear out for what the little ones are up to. Alternatively, those working in a house that is deserted in the day may have more choice as to where to place their workspace and can decide to locate it in term of where would be most conducive to work. With some folks choosing a summer house in the garden during the warmer months for this, or even an attic space that allows them a clear delineation between work and their home life.

Once you have found the space in which to locate your office area, it's time to consider the basic decorations. The two issues that come to mind here are the colours that you will use and making the best use of light. First of all, don't think that picking colours is an arbitrary thing, because they can have a massive effect on your mood, motivation, and focus. In fact, you can choose bright and warm colours like red and orange which are better for motivation and enthusiasm to decorate your area. Of course, if you don't want to go the whole hog and have everything painted in such bright colours, you can always use bright white walls which are great for light and can be calming, and then add in colourful accents like these red roller blinds, or even orange ornaments on the walls. Then you will still get the benefit of such intense colours without it feeling too much in your home.

Once you have decided on the decoration, it's time to consider the furniture in your workspace. Most folks go for a desk and chair, especially if they spend a lot of time at their computer because of it much better for their posture and backs.  It's also vital that you pick out some storage that not only fit in the space you have but also is aesthetically pleasing as well. Then you will be able to file away all the accoutrements of your business once the day is over and stop it from spreading all over your house. This is something that can be bad for your work-life balance, as well as making it difficult to keep your home neat, tidy and organised in the way you would like.