VanGogh Yorkshires

So you just brought your puppy home from your breeder and now what?

*First - do not have too many people over to see your new baby. This is a time for you to bond with your new pup and for him to bond with you. It is also stressful for so many people to be over at once and your new puppy should not be picked up so much by others. This will set you up for failure and a rough first week. Stressing your new pup can also cause a hypoglycemia attack. Read here for more information about hypoglycemia: http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/hypoglycemia.aspx Yorkies should always have food (dry kibble) available to them. When they are in their crate they should have a bowl of dry kibble and water at all times. You can pick up the bowls that can attach to the wire of the crate from most pet shops. If you cannot find one www.petedge.com (item #ZW990) should have them where you can order them.

*Second - Be sure your pup has a great safe place to sleep and take naps. A great place is a crate to help begin potty training and allows him to sleep safely. Have the free roam of the kitchen or other room at this age allows him to get into something he could eat and should not. You have to make sure your home or anywhere he may go is puppy proofed. For this you will need to get on your hands and knees and inspect your floors, cords, walls, furniture, etc... Rmember, they learn at this young age about their environment by chewing and placing everything into their mouths. They should also never be left alone when playing in the house. And they should never be left alone outside! Yorkies are great food for hawks, coyotes, etc... Just because you do not see them, does not mean these preditors are not there. Not to mention that yorkies are one breed that is commonly stolen from people's yards. So play it safe. Also yorkies cannot sweat and do not have an undercoat (fur), so they cannot be left outside too long in summer or winter. They are in inside dog. Period. If you are going to be gone for long periods of time, such as work, you might want to have a relative, neighbor, or friend come to your home to check on your new puppy until they are older. There have been times when the puppy can dip over their water or chew up their bedding while you are gone and then there is no one to help them. Your puppy is like a new baby and should be safe guarded as one.

*Third - Your breeder should have told you to see your vet with your new puppy within 72 hours of you picking up your puppy from your breeders. Your vet needs to know what your puppy looks like and acts when healthy. As well, as let you know that your puppy is really healthy. It is just another person that can make sure you have brought home a healthy happy puppy. Your vet at this time can let you know when your new pup needs to come back to finish up their vaccines and when is a good time to have them spayed or neutered (this is usually done at 6 months of age). Having your pup spayed or neutered actually will prevent them from getting certain cancers. And no, dogs do not want to be breed. That is a human need. Reputable breeders will want you to have your puppy spayed/neutered. Most have it written in their contracts and to go against this is breaking the contract which is not a good thing and can cause problems. Remember, your breeder is trusting you to take best care of this pup. During the spay/neuter is a great time to have your yorkie teeth cleaned, remove any baby teeth (which is common to have retained baby teeth in toy breeds) and microchipped (for their protection if ever stolen or lost). Your vet can advise you of these procedures. Teeth cleaning should be done yearly, if not every 6 months. It is a norm to also have a full blood panel test each time they have to go under anesthia, this would include before a teeth cleaning.

*Food - be sure to always feed a high quality dog food with no grains, or gluten. Read labels if needed. Most holsetic dog foods are pretty good. Check protein levels and never go into the 30% or higher range for yorkies. This has caused trouble for some yorkies, including giving a wrong Bile Acid test results. Higher protent foods are for more active larger breeds. I have used Solid Gold, Nature's Variety Prairie Chicken, Canidae, or Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover Soul. Any of these top 5 star rating have had good results from what I hear, and it depends on your area as to what food is available for you. Just remember when changing foods, do so very slowly. Yorkies can have sensitive stomachs and a sudden change can cause an upset stomach and diarrhea. Tip: Pumpkin in a can - just a tablespoon can help settle tummies. I make up pumpkin popsycles and freeze them - allowing me to have them ready when needed.

*Potty Trianing - for yorkies can be difficult. Any breeder that tells you their puppies are trained at 3-4 months of age are not being truthful. Yorkies are highly intelligent and are very particular about their potty business. You must keep to a schedule - exact timing is everything and they are very true to habits. So keep to a schedule. Pee pads work well while inside the home. We use Publix pee pads, since they are very good quality and qulited (harder for yorkies to tear apart). If you trianing for outside potty, yorkies do not like wet grass or tall grass. If you have them potty outside, check for fleas and other things that can stick to their coats. Be sure to take them off before coming back into the home. Crate training works well for a night. Just be sure to follow a routine and stay on schedule. Only people that work long hours and do not stick to a schedule are the ones that I have heard of that cannot potty train their yorkie. And never scold your puppy for having an accident. This will not make them do better, but acually make them afraid of you. You would not scold a baby for potting, so do not scold a puppy. Actually celebrate when they do go potty where you want them to and even give them a nice treat so they can remember what to do next time.

* Napping - Puppies take naps a lot when young. Expect your new puppy to take about three naps a day for about 2-4 hours at a time. Do not establish bad habits by picking up your puppy and taking them out of their crate when they cry. If it is nightime or nap time, be sure they take it. It is important for their development to get enough sleep. But do not ignore them completly and keep them in their crate all the time either. You want a good balance. A blanket over the crate works wonders when you need them to take their naps. As your puppy gets older they do not need as many naps. When they are one year old they can be out of their crate most of the time and be out with you. They love to sleep next to where you are sitting or at. Some yorkies love to be right next to your lap. So expect a sofa buddy if you are ever watching tv.

* Bathing - should be done weekly. Never cut a puppy coat. It will grow out on its own. If you decide later to have a particular type of cut for their coat you can do so then. Shampoos - I have always used a human grade of shampoo, since yorkies do not have an undercoat. They have a single strand coat. I also use a human grade conditioner. I shampoo twice rinse in between and then apply conditioner and rinse. If you want a yorkie to have a long coat and they have a silky texture and can grow a long coat, you can mix a oil (sesame, coconut, etc..) 2 capfuls in a pitcher of warm water and pour over body coat. Be sure not to get into their eyes. Shampoos and oils in the eyes can cause a dog to go blind, so be very careful. Once the oil mixture is on the coat towel dab and then blow dry. Do not let a yorkie just dry off on their own. They can get a chill and get sick. I use a pin brush and a rat tail comb. Use the pin brush on their body coat and leg hairs. For their face I use the comb, great for getting sleepy dirt away from the eyes. Be sure to get this out as it can cause great damage to their hair and skin around the eye area. This area must be keep clean. Don't foregt to clean the anal glands during bath times, to prevent them from getting plugged or infected.

In betweeen bath times - Never brush a yorkie's coat dry. I keep a spray bottle with water and leave in conditioner mixture and mist on coat then brush.

Show coats - If you want a really long coat, you will need to

wrap a yorkie's coat. You can do research about this.

There are some great video by www.sweetyblue to show

you how. As well as how to put up a topknot correctly.

Clipping Nails - best done after bath time while nails are wet and soft.

*Ears - While a yorkie is teething (2-6 moths of age) it is best to make sure the hair is trimmed off of the top portion of the ear (1/4 way down). I use a mustach clipper for the front and back section of the ear to trim it and then while the ear is wet (after its bath) I use scissors to trim the hair off the edges. Be sure not to cut the ear skin. If the yorkie's ear skin (leather) is thick or has large ears these are hard to get to stand and maybe not in their genetics to stand. But if the ears are normal - keeping the hair off while they are trimming usually does the trick to help them stand up. If you still have problems - you can tape their ears.

*Sickness - A healthy puppy will have lots of energy. Be sure you know the signs of your puppy not feeling its best. If you think your puppy is not feeling well, check its gums. If they are white in color and give your pup a finger of white corn syrup (not honey due to it might have bacteria in it) and rush them to your vets. A yorkie can go down fast, due to their size. I have found out that a pound of prevention it best to avoid emergencies. Yorkies can have an off day, if they were busy or you had company the day before. So just know your puppy well. If your puppy has to go to the vets ask your vet first about dehydration. Normal temperature is 101 to 101.5; 102 or higher is a sign of infection or stress. A low temperature is a bad sign too. So be sure to learn how to take your yorkie's temperature correctly. Ask your vet how.

*Treats - I do not use Greenies or Rawhides - due to the dogs choking on these! You need to be very careful what you give your yorkie as a treat. Again, be sure not to give corn products, or gluten. Sweet potatoes are great! I buy the bag in the frozen food section and they are already cut up and skin off. Just unfreeze one or two at a time and you have a great treat. I do not use table scapes to feed to my yorkie. Your vet will also tell you not to do this. Giving table scrapes can cause upset stomachs and cause them to get very over weight.

*Travel - Vari Kennels 100 are great for for yorkies. They keep them in a safe place if you were to have to stop suddenly or be in an accident in a car, so do not be tempted to take them out and ride in your lap. On a trip I always take wet wipes, bottled water, extra pad, paper towels, and newpapers with me just in case they are needed. Yorkies may get car sick. You can talk to your vet about different options to help avoid car sickness. The more they ride in a car the better they will get and rarely get sick then.