General Care

Before Puppy Arrives

Veterinarian
First you need to find a vet that you feel comfortable with and trust. You may want to talk to other dog owners in your area to see whom they recommend. Vets are just like your own doctor, you wouldn’t go to just any doctor. You want a doctor that is knowledgeable and you trust. Your puppy deserves the same. Find a vet that specializes in small animals if possible.

Puppy Proof House
Secondly, you need to puppy proof your house. I guarantee that anything that is left out a yorkie will find it. Here is a list of ten household items that can kill your dog.

Necessary Items
High Quality Dry Dog Food1-2 cans Moist Dog FoodNutra-Cal or Honey or Kayro SurypPedialyte Water3 cc SyringeDigital Thermometer

Immediately After Puppy Arrives

As soon as possible after receiving you Yorkie you need to take your puppy to the Vet. for a check up. We actually recommend taking your puppy to the Vet between 3-10 days after receiving your puppy. This gives the puppy time to adjust to his/her new surroundings.

Stress is probably the single most contributing factor in Yorkie health problems, so keeping stress at a minimum is always best. If the puppy isn’t eating or just doesn’t look or act right then take him/her immediately to the Vet.

By taking your yorkie to the Vet. shortly after you receive the puppy benefits, your yorkie, you and the breeder. Your yorkie benefits because if he/her is sick treatment can begin immediately and if he/her is healthy the Vet has a baseline to compare with any future visits. You the owner benefits because you now know that you have received a healthy puppy and if the puppy isn’t healthy you have fulfilled your obligation for the health guarantee.

The breeder benefits by having a satisfied customer knowing that he/she has a healthy puppy and if for some reason the yorkie isn’t healthy the breeder can immediately resolve the problem. We would never knowingly sell an unhealthy Yorkshire Terrier, but there are times, that congenital defects that aren’t obvious when they are puppies show up when they are as an example 6 months old. If the customer didn’t take the puppy to the Vet when they first received the yorkie, the customer might think the breeder knowingly sold them an unhealthy puppy. If the customer takes the yorkie to the Vet when they first receive the puppy and the Vet gives the yorkie a clean bill of health and 6 months later the puppy develops a congenital health defect hopefully the customer will realize that the breeder wasn’t trying to pull a fast over them.

Routine Yorkie Puppy Care
FeedingIt is best to feed your puppy the food your breeder recommends for at least two weeks. If you want to feed your puppy a higher grade or natural grade of dog food start by mixing the new dog food with the present dog food at a 3 to 1 ratio for 5 days. Then mix the dog foods at a 1 to 1 ratio for another 5 days. Next mix the dog foods at a 1 to 3 ratio and feed for 5 days. Now you can feed your yorkie the new dog food without mixing in the old dog food.

Yorkie puppies should eat 3-4 times per day. If you have difficulty with your baby not eating add a bit of warm water. At 12-24 months change to an adult dog food for Yorkshire Terriers. Keep treats and people food to a minimum, (one treat I use is honey nut cheerios) you will only have difficult eater if you over do anything. Keep fresh food and water out at all times (at least until the yorkie is 1 year old). If your yorkie gets a bit stressed add a tsp of honey to fresh drinking water.

Napping
Yes, taking a nap is just as important, if not more important for a yorkie puppy as it is for children. The size the puppy is one of the factors that determine how often the puppy needs to rest. The naps help the yorkie build back its reserve.

Bathing
It is necessary to bathe your puppy anywhere from once a week to once a month. The environment, type of haircut, and quality of coat all affect how often your new puppy needs to take a bath. Any good shampoo and conditioner will do. While the yorkie is still wet we recommend that his/her coat be combed with any good quality comb. Once their hair has been combed use a blow dryer to dry their hair.

Foods Poisonous to Dogs
-Xylitol (Zylazine) is highly toxic to dogs it causes severe hypoglycemia, liver failure and even death (There are certain sugar-free gums, candies, toothpastes, mouthwashes, baked goods, sugar-free foods and several other foods that contain Xylitol) Xylitol is a 5-carbon sugar alcohol used as a sweetner. Xylitol toxicity common signs and symptoms include: Lethargy, Weakness, Vomiting, Loss of Coordination, Body Tremors, Seizure, Unconsciousness, Arrhythmia or Irregular Heart Beat, Collapse and Liver Damage or Liver Failure.

- Chocolate (contains Theobromine)
- Onions & garlic
- Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning) - Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
- Rhubarb leaves - Moldy/spoiled foods - Macadamia Nuts/Walnuts - Alcohol - Yeast dough - Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine) - Hops (used in home brewing)
- Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)

- Broccoli (in large amounts)
- Raisins and grapes (damages the kidneys)
- Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

- Nutmeg
- Raw Potatoes
- Turkey skin - (Can cause canine pancreatitis) also turkey bones splinter and can cause blockage or perforation of the intestine.
- Voltarin (in arthritis medication)
- Baby Food (can contain onion powder)
- Citrus oil - Fat trimmings (Can cause pancreatitis).
- Human vitamins containing iron (can damage the lining of the digestive system)
- Large amounts of liver
- Mushrooms - Raw fish