care

Diet: There are many good dog foods on the market, but few are
sold in grocery stores. Do your homework and find the best
high-protein food that you can afford for your pet. Because of
their small size, Yorkshire terriers do not eat much. High-quality
food is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your
loved one. Although they adore human food, I recommend this in
moderation and not as an everyday treat. Puppies are quite
sensitive to what you feed them and may experience vomiting or
diarrhea with new or excessive food intake. We recommend Purina
1, Science diet formulas, and of course, any veterinarian
recommended food formulations.

Also note Hypoglycemia below.
Make sure Yorkie Puppies and other small breeds are
feed three times a day, with at least two meals being
of the dry ration. If you're giving your puppy milk
bone treats, one of them is like a meal so you can't
expect them to also eat a full ration of dry at the
same time. Keep treats to a minimal, remember that
a tablespoon of something is to them a good-sized
treat. My dogs love vegetables of all types, carrots,
squash, green beans and also many fresh fruits. Even
those are kept at a minimal, a bite or two will keep
them happy. Too many treats will also throw off the
balanced diet they need and should be getting from
their regular diet.

Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar
can be caused by stress, improper diet or a missed
meal, being chilled, or too much energy being used
during the day playing too long at one time. Puppies
that usually are affected are the toy breeds at six
weeks to 12 weeks old. The liver stores energy, but in
a small puppy it can not store enough for long
periods, especially with additional stress factors.
Signs of this can be as slight as a depressed attitude
or as serious to finding your puppy in a coma.
Treatment can be as simple as giving a small amount
of Karo Syrup for a mild case to a Dextrose Solution
intravenously by your Veterinarian. If you suspect
this condition, consult your Veterinarian for even a
mild case. Repeated episodes can lead to further
more severe complications.

Treats: A word of caution about Chew Treats. Make
sure if you do give them rawhide that you replace
them often. Many dogs have gotten them caught in
their throats, which means a fast trip to the Vet or
worse. As a puppy or dog chews them, they soften
and the dog is able to get small pieces off. As they
wear down in size, the possibility of an accident is
more likely. I know that dogs love them, but are they
worth the risk?

Naps: Young Yorkies can not play all day long
without a break, or shouldn't. Yorkies do have a
mind of their own and may cry, whimper, and/or
bark at first. But there will be times when you'll have
to confine them for various reasons, so this is the
best time to "train" them to be confined. You can
either purchase a cage, or just use a Kennel.

Travel: A store bought kennel is the best thing I've
found for traveling with my dogs. A sudden stop or
an accident isn't the way you want to lose your new
addition to the family. Mine will actually fight over
who gets to go in it. At home there are always a
couple of them setting on the floor opened, and
someone is usually sleeping in them. Dogs love the
protective feeling they get from kennels, so start
using them when they are still young and take
advantage of it.

Vaccines: There are so many changes going on with
regards to Vaccination shedules, it's hard to keep up.
A puppy is born with a natural immunity from the
Dam that lasts only for a short period, 6-8 weeks
average, but this also depends on the Titer levels and
condition of the Dam during Gestation. Another
factor is the amount of Collistum the puppy received
right after birth. This is the very first milk the Dam
produces, and if it was a weak puppy that didn't
receive the very important first milk, the immunity
level could very well be lower than his sibling's.
Yorkie pups usually start their Vaccine series at about
6-8 weeks, and are given boosters (repeated shots)
every 2-3 weeks. This is done until they have reached
the age of 4 months, so if you didn't purchase your
Yorkie Pup until at least 3 months old, as you
should, you'll only need to re-vaccinate once or
twice. Then re-vaccinate on a yearly schedule, or to
your Veterinarian's beliefs. The type of vaccine your
puppy receives may be determined by your life style
and area you reside. It's also possible for a dog to
come down with a condition it has been vaccinated
for, the Immune System is at different levels in all
living things. Proper Vitimin/Mineral content
reflects on overall health, including the Immunity
System, which is another reason to feed quality pet
foods to your puppy.
Some states have revised their recommendations
from a yearly booster to every three years. You must
talk with your Vet with any concerns you have
regarding the well being of your Yorkie.

Teething: Yorkies and toy dogs in general have a
tendency to retain their puppy teeth, especially the
canines. At around 5 months of age you should start
to watch the teeth closely, a perfect bite may go off
in a matter of days. You may feel it's not important
for a correct scissors bite, but this is the first step of
the digestion process, proper chewing is important.
The other importance is that the proper bite stays
cleaner, over lapping misaligned teeth are a good
source for bacteria and tartar to build rapidly.

Spay/Neuter: There are a dozen excellent reasons for
pets to be altered, and not one good one I can think
of for not having it done. Leaving a pet intact can
cause serious live threatening conditions to arise,
such as Mammary Tumors and Pyometra. Speak with
your Vet about the benefits of alterations; you may
have your Pet for additional years because you did.
It's also wise to have this performed at the same time
any puppy teeth need to be extracted, there's no
sense in putting the puppy though Anesthesia twice.

House Training: Yorkies can be very difficult to
pottytrain to say the least. It seems like they are
either a breeze or as difficult as can be.
The kidneys are not fully developed in a young dog,
so don't get too upset about accidents. It's going to
depend largely on the time of year and the age of the
puppy as to how serious your going to be about
training. I usually say not to expect to much from
them until they are around 5-6 months of age. They
can be trained prior, but it will take constant
supervision.
It's important not to let the new puppy have full
range of the house at first. Gate off the kitchen or
other small area, if at all possible, and pick up any
rugs. In the area you are keeping your puppy, you
should either place papers in a small area or the
plastic-backed pads. Training dogs to use both the
outdoors and pads has advantages if you travel with
your pets.
I have always told people to use the reward system
for training. You need to take them out often
especially right after eating, don't wait over five to
ten minutes. After they have relieved him or herself,
reward them with a bite (one bite) of something they
love and praise them.
There's also a crate method of training. But most
people cannot stand leaving the puppy in a crate,
coming out only for short periods of time to go
outdoors. The method you use will depend on your
life style, schedule, and of course the puppy.

Sickness: A healthy Puppy is usually full of energy
and always willing to get in trouble. Learn what signs
to look for that something is amiss before your pup
is in real trouble.
The eyes and ears are sometimes the first thing to
give you a sign something is wrong. The eyes won't
be bright and alert, and the ears may drop or held
back closer to the Head.
Yorkie's can just have an off day, not much energy
and out of sorts. But you should watch a puppy
extremely close at the first sign that they are just not
themselves. It could be something as simple as
teething, or as serious as Parvo or worse. Toy dogs
and especially puppies can go down really fast, a sick
pup isn't something to take lightly.
At the first visit to your Vet, it would be wise of you
to ask how to check for dehydration. The skin will
stand on the back when picked up, and the Gums will
look dry. Also learn to check the Temperature
properly and know your dogs normal temperature.
Most dogs are 101 to 101.5; 102-103 isn't that
abnormal and can actually be caused by stress such as
driving if they don't care for traveling. A low
temperature can be just as or more serious than a
high one, and still be associated with dehydration.
There's many things you can observe to help your
Vet diagnosis a condition in a Puppy and Adults. If it
has Diarrhea note the consistency, color and smell.
Same goes for Vomiting color and amount should be
noted. Is it Yellow or Green Bile, foamy Mucus, solid
undigested food? Have you been traveling with the
Puppy causing Stress or possible exposure to
something at the Park or Obedience Classes? Some
things to observe for or check are Temperature,
Water Intake, Urination, Cough, Lethargia,
Disorientation, Chilled, Appetite, Skin and Coat
condition. Also check the color of the Gums, are
they bright pink, gray, or almost white? Look at the
Eyes pulling down the lower lid slightly and check
the Color and condition. Are they a healthy pink
shade, white, or swollen and inflamed?
Allergies: Dogs can have or develop Allergies to
contact materials, foods, and insect bites just as
people do. If you change foods it can cause an upset
because of certain ingredients and Insect Bites can be
deadly. If your dog is experiencing Labored
Breathing, uncontrolable rubbing, and Reddened Skin
or Swelling it may be having a reaction. It's
important to get your Dog in for attention
immediately.
Shampoos and Conditioners can also cause reactions,
if this is the case re-shampoo them with a different
product and Rinse them well. If this doesn't correct
the situation you may need to have your Vet
examine the dog and take other steps to relieve the
irritation.
Check-Ups: Yearly examinations can be crucial to the
welfare of your Dog. Your Vet may want to perform
simple Blood Work, a Fecal Examination, plus listen
to and check the Vital Organs such as Heart and
Lungs. Something as simple as your Dog coming in
contact with another Dog's Feces or an Insect Bite
can infect your Dog with Parasites, and Parasites can
and do kill. When you get that Notice of
Examination Time or Vaccinations, make
arrangements.

Taking care of your puppy.