January 6, 2009

What are some good tips to prepare for a new Yorkie puppy?

It is the start of January and my parents, sister, and I have decided that we want a puppy (7-8 weeks old). To allow adequate time to train and be with the new puppy, we plan on getting it in early June, when school is finished and we can be home to attend to him/her.

Any good advice on what we should do to prepare for this new puppy?

Crate train, crate train, crate train! Nothing spells "accident" like a tiny puppy in a big room. It'll stress them out and it makes them even harder than they already will be to train.

Secondly, you need to make sure that everyone is consistent with the rules that you have for the puppy.

Because Yorkies are so small, they often start wandering through your house and forget to eat or drink. This can cause hypoglycemia which means that the blood sugar level has dropped significantly. You'll notice major signs in your puppy like lethargy, an unwillingness to play and other things that are uncharacteristic of puppies. To prevent this (if your puppy won't eat), you could add mild amounts of something wet (like Cesar dog food [not reccomended, it's so bad for your dog], canola oil, vegetable oil or something like that. It just gives the food some more flavor.

I reccomend that you take something to the puppy before you go to buy it (a towel or a teddy bear) that can get covered in a "home smell," it will make the move to your house a little less stressful for puppy.

When you bring puppy home, make sure you keep him/her on the puppy food he/she was on wherever you got her from. Changing the food will cause digestive upsets followed by diarreah and/or vomiting.

When you go to change puppy food, make sure you slowly wean him/her onto the other food. I really reccomend going to a pet food store as the dog food that is sold in grocery stores is made mostly of corn and corn flour. Corn in general is hard to digest and causes the food to lack nutrients in puppy's diet.

Make sure you have all the necessary supplies at home before you go get your puppy, there's nothing like stopping 50 times on the ride home to stress the puppy out more.

When you buy a collar, remember that your puppy will be tiny so I reccomend a cat collar or one specifically designed for toy dogs. Normal "small" collar sizes are meant for fully grown toy dogs.

When you take your puppy to the vet, don't put it on the floor! That's whre all the sick animals sit and if puppy doesn't have something before (s)he walks in, (s)he will when (s)he walks out.

Make sure you puppy proof your house. Puppy's get into everything! Make sure that any plants within puppy reach aren't poisonus! http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/2/Health/poisonplants.htm

I know this wasn't quite what you asked for but it's all stuff you need to know. I know this from working in a pet store.

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Comments on What are some good tips to prepare for a new Yorkie puppy? »

January 4, 2009

Dox @ 3:29 pm

do lots of research
decide on a GOOD food brand
toys
crate
other supplies
References :

Hillary R @ 3:30 pm

Make sure you have nothing the puppy can eat or choke on around where the puppy can reach it.
References :

wishnuwelltoo @ 3:35 pm

Read all the books on the breed you are getting and on training before you get the puppy. It is usually 1 hour for each month of age, plus 1 hour, so a 2-month-old puppy can only be alone 3 hours at the most, so when school starts again in the fall keep that in mind. Here are some tips, use what helps. I use a crate* to potty train with, but only for potty training and then I break it down and store it. I put blankets and a small food and water dish in the crate. Dogs don't potty where they eat and sleep. When they are first little, I only expect them to hold their potty for 4 hours, and then 6 hours, then 8 hours and so on. So when they are first little, I set a timer or alarm clock to wake myself up at night to take them *out. I only allow my puppy in the bedroom* or the living room, only one room at a time. They have to graduate to more space. If I allow them to have full run of the house, it will overwhelm them. I take them out the same door each time. I tie a dinner bell to the door handle. Do not use a jingle bell as they could get their toe caught in it. So when they are little, I ring the bell for them, and then open the door to go *outside to potty. When they get bigger, I take their paw and whack the bell and open the door to go potty. Eventually getting to the place where the puppy will ring the bell and let me know when they need to go potty. Dogs want to please you, so it is your job to let them know what behaviors please you and what doesn't. So when my puppy goes potty, I give her a treat*, and clap, and make a fuss and praise her. So she learns that going potty outside makes me happy. If she has an accident, make a disgust sound like “tsst” and take her out right away. I never yell* or spank* my puppies. Take them out when they first wake up, after they eat or drink, before nap, finish romping, when their activities change, or when they are sniffing around. Some puppies go pee right away, but may not go poop until 10 minutes later, so wait for the poop. I have a little play time here, because sometimes I think they are done, and they are not. Puppies train at their own pace. While I may have a puppy that hasn't had an accident in several weeks, I don't let my guard down. I don't expect my puppies to be "fully potty trained" until one-year-old. If they have a setback, shake it off, and start over. I only have my puppies in the crate when I am not watching them. When I am sleeping, cooking, ironing, doing chores, basically when I am not watching her. All other times, she is out of the crate practicing being a "big girl." This is the time I train her how to behave in the house. So we are practicing "no barking", 'no biting", "no jumping", and "don't eat the furniture." I also have to practice "playing inside" so she doesn't knock over things. You must keep the puppy in sight when they are little because they don’t know the difference between newspaper and carpet, and you don’t want them sneaking off and getting into trouble. Some puppies can sleep through the night around 3-months-old, but their bladder is grown around 6-months-old.

REVISIONS:
*I use a CRATE to train with. It is the method I prefer, compared to other methods I have tried. I noticed that if they are in the crate, while I am doing chores, they are o.k., because the crate allows them to see me and be re-assured. The crate can also be a comfort when stored in the basement for dogs who live in areas where thunderstorms and tornados are an issue. . However, use the method that works best for you…..a laundry basket, a cardboard box, a woof-woof house, x-pen, child gates, whatever works for you.
*OUTSIDE, pee pad, litter box, whichever method you are using. When the puppy is first little, keep the pee pad, litter box near the food and water dish, so the puppy can eat and drink, and then go potty. You can move it away as they get older. The pee pad has a scent that smells and initiates potty. Sometimes a pee pad makes a sound that scares some puppies, so you might want to use a litter box if that happens. The pee pad allows a puppy to walk around, but a litter box keeps the puppy in one place.
*BEDROOMS, I use the bedroom and living room for training, because it works for me. Choose rooms that work for you, but watch for rooms that are damp, or drafty. While my puppies sleep in the bedroom during training, once they are trained, I let them sleep where they want to. They don't have to sleep in the bedroom forever.
*TREATS. While I use treats for training, you don't have to. I like Charlee Bears for training (a little cracker for a little mouth,) I use them for training, but once they are trained, I cut back on them.
*SOME PUPPIES will go potty in the same spot each time. Some puppies have to be told to go potty. A command like "go out" for pee, or "go finish" for poop, might work for you, keep saying “go finish” until the puppy poops. This is a good thing to train if you travel with your dogs. By using commands, the puppy won't get confused when you are visiting someone, on vacation with you, or when you get to a new home. The command will tell them what you want them to do in an unfamiliar place. You might also want to use a leash method, so the puppy doesn’t sneak off, or for strange places.
*YELLING. It is not a good idea to "yell" or "spank" your puppy and then take them outside when they have an accident. They may get confused and think that going outside is punishment. While you want to correct them, if you are extreme, they may not want to go outside again. Shake it off, and resume your schedule. You have to keep it real. Puppies train at their own pace, but a puppy can only hold their potty for a few hours. A guide would be 1 hour for each month of age, plus 1 hour, so a three-month-old puppy should only be expected to hold their potty for 4 hours at most.
SOURCE: These tips, tricks, and ideas were contributed from many brilliant minds. Thanks for your help!
References :

alias boxer @ 3:38 pm

Read this article, "Before you get your puppy."
http://openpaw.org/PDFs/BEFORE_YouGetYourPuppy.pdf

And look to the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America for breed info, health issues, and tips on finding a GOOD breeder.
http://www.ytca.org/frame_index2.html
References :

i_eat_gloomy_bears @ 3:40 pm

First off, its important to puppy proof your home. Make sure you don't have any lose cables out, small spaces where he/she can squeeze through or anything else you don't want chewed on. Puppies are usually nippy when they're that young. When you get him, make sure he/she has his basics: a bed, food/water, and at least one toy. You can get more stuff in time as you and your puppy progress. He's gonna want to explore his new home so expect that. Have fun with yr new pup :]
References :

Iain M @ 3:54 pm

You should get a yorkie will be at the top end of standard 7 pounds. You should never have a 7 to 8 week old pup. Yorkie pups should not leave their litter mates or mom until they are 12 weeks old. Do lots of research! Make a list as you go along of all the things that you will need and buy them bit by bit. I love tall playpens, they are large enough to put their kennel, toys, food, and pee pads in. They become their bedroom, and the perfect safe place when you are away from home. You will need nutrical, excellent quality dry puppy food, feeding and water bowls, grooming products, pee pads, toys, harness and lead, bows, and a few clothes for fun. Best of Luck finding that perfect fur-baby!
References :

spazzysmom88 @ 4:08 pm

Crate train, crate train, crate train! Nothing spells "accident" like a tiny puppy in a big room. It'll stress them out and it makes them even harder than they already will be to train.

Secondly, you need to make sure that everyone is consistent with the rules that you have for the puppy.

Because Yorkies are so small, they often start wandering through your house and forget to eat or drink. This can cause hypoglycemia which means that the blood sugar level has dropped significantly. You'll notice major signs in your puppy like lethargy, an unwillingness to play and other things that are uncharacteristic of puppies. To prevent this (if your puppy won't eat), you could add mild amounts of something wet (like Cesar dog food [not reccomended, it's so bad for your dog], canola oil, vegetable oil or something like that. It just gives the food some more flavor.

I reccomend that you take something to the puppy before you go to buy it (a towel or a teddy bear) that can get covered in a "home smell," it will make the move to your house a little less stressful for puppy.

When you bring puppy home, make sure you keep him/her on the puppy food he/she was on wherever you got her from. Changing the food will cause digestive upsets followed by diarreah and/or vomiting.

When you go to change puppy food, make sure you slowly wean him/her onto the other food. I really reccomend going to a pet food store as the dog food that is sold in grocery stores is made mostly of corn and corn flour. Corn in general is hard to digest and causes the food to lack nutrients in puppy's diet.

Make sure you have all the necessary supplies at home before you go get your puppy, there's nothing like stopping 50 times on the ride home to stress the puppy out more.

When you buy a collar, remember that your puppy will be tiny so I reccomend a cat collar or one specifically designed for toy dogs. Normal "small" collar sizes are meant for fully grown toy dogs.

When you take your puppy to the vet, don't put it on the floor! That's whre all the sick animals sit and if puppy doesn't have something before (s)he walks in, (s)he will when (s)he walks out.

Make sure you puppy proof your house. Puppy's get into everything! Make sure that any plants within puppy reach aren't poisonus! http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/2/Health/poisonplants.htm

I know this wasn't quite what you asked for but it's all stuff you need to know. I know this from working in a pet store.
References :
http://www.puppy-pages.com/

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