It's important for a family to know what type of dog fits its lifestyle best.

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Inauguration Day means moving day for the Obama family. While the new president takes the oath of office, movers will quickly haul the family's belongings into the White House.

Another moving day has been scheduled for spring. This time, a dog will be moving into the White House as the family pet.

Obama's daughters, Malia and Sasha, campaigned for years to adopt a dog. On Election Day, Obama conceded during his acceptance speech that the girls had won.

At the same time, many kids began their own campaign for a pet. Except they won't have White House staff to walk the dog on cold days. And they also won't have a presidential budget to cover vet and food bills.

Adopting an animal can be a lot of work, said Mollie Lesser, 18, of Chicago, who recently adopted a standard poodle named Bart.

Bart is not Lesser's first dog. The family had another poodle that passed away over the summer. They adopted Bart last fall at the age of 6 months.

"We forgot how much energy a puppy has," Lesser said. "It can be very time-consuming. My parents compare it to having a baby. We were eating dinner and my parents were like, 'Where is Bart? What is he doing?' "

Bart needs to be walked or let into the backyard several times a day. His trainer, Lisa Collins of Collins Canine in Chicago, said a small puppy actually needs to be let outdoors every two hours.

New puppy parents should expect their puppy to bite and jump until the behavior is corrected through proper training. Collins said that animals can learn to obey commands from both adults and kids.

Having a pet also means providing fresh food, water and attention every day. Animals should also be vaccinated and spayed or neutered, said Kim Intrino of the Humane Society of the United States.

Adopting an older animal can be a good option for families who do not have the time or desire to train a puppy. Intrino said an older animal would be a great fit for the White House and the Obama girls.

Every animal has its own personality, and Intrino said there are counselors at animal shelters who work with families to decide what type of animal fits their lifestyle best.

A busy family, for example, might have their heart set on a border collie. But these dogs are bred to work all day, not lounge around the couch.

Heading to a shelter and working with a counselor also prevents a homeless animal from being euthanized. Intrino said about 8 million to 10 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year and half are euthanized.

The overpopulation problem is one reason why many animal advocates want the Obama family to adopt a shelter dog. Vice President-elect Joe Biden adopted a German shepherd puppy in December from a breeder but promised to bring home a shelter dog also.

Pet-care cost is one reason some pets are taken to shelters. Intrino said families must be prepared to buy food and pay for medical care.

Kids not sure whether they are ready for the responsibility can practice having a pet. Collins said one of her clients altered her schedule for a month and pretended she had a dog.

"I thought this would be great for kids," Collins said. "Pretend you're going to feed the dog. Go outside and stand in the snow and wait for the dog to go potty."