One of the best ways to monitor your poodle's health and identify any problems early on is to give your poodle regular, at-home health checks. Luckily, this is easy for you to do. It's also easy on your poodle, particularly if you start the monitoring while he's a puppy. Make it a habit to go through the following simple checks each day:

• Body: Rub your hands over your poodle's body and feel for any unusual lumps or bumps or areas of the body that are tender to the touch. Monitor for weight gain or loss by keeping track of how hard you need to press to feel the ribs.

• Eyes: Look for bright eyes surrounded by white whites, with little (if any) discharge.

• Ears: Pick up the ears and take a look inside. Look for any sign of redness or swelling. Also watch for brown, waxy gunk or bad odors, which can be signs of ear infection.

• Mouth: Your poodle's teeth should be pearly white and clear of tartar. Also take note of the color of his gums. Pale gums can be a sign of serious problems, so be sure and know what your poodle's normal gum color is.

If you encounter anything out of the ordinary when doing this check, contact your veterinarian to see if an exam is in order.