Thinking of getting a “toy” or miniature dog as your next household pet? Sure, it might be something of a guilty pleasure, but the fact is, there’s nothing more adorable than tucking your toy dog inside a designer dog tote, or even carrying her on your hip in a tiny PuppyPurse.

Not only are they sweet as can be, toy dogs have been bred for generations to be companions, pure and simple. As a result, the bond can be exceptionally strong between a toy dog and her owner.

But they also come with some special precautions. For one thing, it’s usually a bad idea to add a toy dog to a household with children. Why? Because children lack the hyper-awareness you need to avoid stepping on, sitting on, or otherwise accidentally crushing and injuring your tiny pet. Many toy dog owners develop a special way of shuffling around the house to protect their pups, but this is just too much to ask of kids.

What’s more, a miniature dog really looks and feels exactly like a toy to children, and it can be very dangerous for the dog if the kids treat her like a toy, or even like a larger dog. It’s not uncommon for a toy dog to break a leg just by jumping off a too-high couch or bed, so you can imagine what well-meaning but uninformed kids could do. If you do have children and still want a toy dog as your pet, then you’re really going to have to study up on the best way to protect her.

Fortunately, there are plenty of books in your local store that can give you all you need to know about raising, training and caring for your new toy dog (and yes, training is just as important as it would be for any other dog). But it’s also worth looking online, since you can find some of the most specific and up-to-date e-books there.