PUPPY TIPS

Your new puppy will likely feel excited to explore their new home, especially when you have put in the effort to make their experience a positive one and provide all the stuff for your puppy to feel at home. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I hope this will help you with some information and important points to consider.

Establish a Veterinary Relationship

Before bringing your puppy home, decide on a veterinary clinic or hospital to care for your puppy’s health. Most veterinarians recommend an exam within 3 to 5 days of getting your new puppy. At the first appointment, the veterinarian will work with you to establish a vaccination and parasite control plan to keep your puppy healthy and free of illness. Because your puppy is very small, your veterinarian may choose to do some things later after they gain more weight.

Harness

Use a harness and not a collar. Although this is not a guarantee there will never be a problem, Yorkies are known for Collapsed Trachea caused from collars. Use a harness instead. The harness should be tight enough to fit two fingers between it and your puppy. It should not fit tight up around their neck. Remember to check it weekly as your puppy grows or as their hair grows longer. Readjust or buy a new, larger one as needed.

Grooming

A full brush out 2 to 3 times a week is best. Routine baths ranging between 1 to 4 weeks is desirable. Lightly mist with a hydrating spray before brushing. If your Yorkshire Terrier is kept in a shorter trim, you can do weekly brush outs. If you take your puppy to a groomer, ask them how they restrain them during the grooming. A restraint around the body and not tied to their neck is preferable. Yorkies are known for Collapsed Trachea caused from collars.

Leash

Puppies are not born knowing how to walk on a leash. This is an important socialization skill that they must learn. The leash should be 4 to 6 feet long and allow you to walk comfortably with your puppy while still maintaining control.

Exercise

It's recommended for adult Yorkshire Terriers to exercise for 30 minutes a day. They love walks and can run faster than you might expect.

Chew Toys

Puppies will chew anything in their path. That includes napkins, shoes, clothes, and household furniture. Choose a variety of age and size-appropriate toys to help keep them from chewing on other things. If they do take something in their mouth that they shouldn't, simply take it away, say no, and give them a bully stick. I usually replace chews before they get too short to prevent them from swallowing it or choking.

Food and Water Bowls

Stainless steel bowls work the best because they harbor fewer bacteria than plastic or glass. Food bowls need to be cleaned frequently. Allergies can cause your dog's eyes to produce excessive tears as the body responds to what it perceives to be a threat. These can be seasonal, food-related, or the result of using plastic food and water bowls. Also, puppies are not delicate eaters, so a food and water bowl with a wider base will provide additional stability. I leave food and fresh water down all day for my dogs to graze on throughout the day.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can be a common problem in small breed puppies. Young animals in general do not have the energy stores yet developed that adults have for them to maintain an adequate blood glucose (BG) in times of fasting or stress. The signs of hypoglycemia to watch out for include: Lethargy, loss of appetite, lack of coordination, muscle twitching, weakness, tremors, disorientation, seizures and skin and gum discoloration. If you don't have any High Calorie Gel on hand, you can also rub honey or corn syrup on your dogs gums as a substitute. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, you may need to call your vet for instructions. As a precaution, whenever I think that I might have stressed my puppies, I give them a little High Calorie Gel as a treat and a preventative even if they are not showing any signs of hypoglycemia. You just put some onto your finger and let them lick it off.

Pet Gate

Pet gates are useful tools to contain your puppy to one space. Until your puppy is trained, you can keep it in rooms with dog friendly flooring and minimal items to chew. Many pet stores sell adjustable plastic and metal varieties. Make sure the gate is tall enough to prevent your puppy from getting over it and that the top is rounded to prevent paw injuries.

Pet Camera

Even with gates and crates, you may still want to check in on your puppy when you are out of the house. If so, you may want to consider investing in a pet or interior ring camera to ease your mind. Some pet cameras even allow you to talk to your pet or dispense treats remotely.

Dog Food

The puppies will be on dry food when they go home. Unless my dogs have a weight problem, I leave the dry food and water down at all times. I use Hill's Science Diet Small & Mini Puppy Food. I will include a small sample of it in your gift bag.

If you eventually transition your pet to a new pet food, they may get diarrhea, nausea, or a decrease in appetite. This will usually settle down within a few days but if not you should contact your vet without delay.

A 7 to 10 Day Plan for Switching Dog Food

- Days 1 to 2: Feed 3/4 of the normal amount of current food and add 1/4 of the new food.

- Days 3 to 4: Serve half the current food and half the new food.

- Days 5 to 7: Feed 3/4 of the new food and 1/4 the previous food.

- Days 8 to 10: Serve only the new food.

DO NOT BUY ANY TREATS OR FOOD MADE IN CHINA. These items have caused the death of many pets in America. They contain a chemical that is toxic to our animals.

Training Treats

Training treats can make training much easier and reinforce the human-pet bond by using positive reinforcement. They should be small, tasty bites of flavor to reward good behavior and should not be overused or as a meal replacement. Be sure they are not made in China. Below is a web siter you can also use to check if something has been recalled.

htps:t//www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/recalls-withdrawals

Table Scraps

Do not give our pet table scraps while you are eating. It teaches them that it is okay to beg when you are eating or entertaining. Also, some foods we eat or cook with are toxic to your pet.

I will sometimes trat my dogs with little bits of cheese but not with a meal.

Toxic Foods for Pets

Alcohol

Apple seeds

Apricot stems, leaves and pits

Avocados

Bones

Caffine

Chocolate

Cherry stems, leaves, seeds and pits

Garlic

Grapes

Raisins

Hops

Peach stems, leaves and pits

Moldy food

Mushrooms

Mustard

Nicotine

Plum stems, leaves and pits

Nuts

Onions

Plum stems, leaves and pits

Raw or under-cooked meat

Crate Training

Crate training your puppy saves them from punishment for chewing or wetting in the house while you are distracted or away. It also helps the pup learn to hold their pee, as they usually won’t go where they sleep if they can possibly prevent it. Make sure the crate is just big enough for the pup to stand and turn around. Any bigger, and they will mess in one end and sleep in the other. Don’t take your puppy out of the crate while it is barking or whining, you will teach it to bark and whine while in the crate. Wait until it is quiet to take your puppy out. (This does not apply when you just get home) Don’t put anything in the crate that they can tear apart or ingest except a chew toy or bully stick. They can ingest parts of disposable pee pads, blankets or towels that will block their intestines. (I use washable pee pads (not the disposable type) or a flat crate bed to line their crates) Do not leave their harness on while in a wire crate!

Note: Puppies can hold their urine for the number of months old they are plus one. So if your puppy is three months old, they can only hold for up to 4 hours. Most puppies can sleep for approximately seven hours at night without needing a bathroom break. If your puppy does wake you up and want out in the middle of the night, don't make a big deal of it; just ;et the out like usual. Otherwise, they will think it is time to play and won't want to go back to sleep. Turn on as few lights as possible, don't talk to or play with your puppy, take them out to the spot where they relieve themselves and then return them to bed.

LitterTraining

If you are working up to 8 hours a day, you may want to try and litter train your puppy instead of using a crate, purchase an x-pen and put a litter box into the pen, as well as toys and food/water. The pup will use the litter box. Do not use clay litter for cats. They say that some paper litters are safe to use, but my experience is that they will eat it also so when I have attempted to litter train the pups, I do it without litter. Needless to say, I have not seen a lot of success with it.

Puppy Pads

We initially train the puppies to use puppy pads when we switch them into their large kennel. We line the kennel with a large Washable puppy pad and put a disposable one in the corner. They can be useful in the kennel to aid in clean-up during the day while the puppies are very young, but the down side is they may give the puppy the impression that it is okay to eliminate in the house - a behavior you probably want to avoid. Also, around 6-7 weeks of age, they start to tear it apart. It is a great training tool for potty training purposes if you watch and stop them when they grab it, but I wouldn't leave it in with them when you are busy or away. They may shred or injest it if given the chance. Remove it or use washable cloth pee pads unless they are supervised.

SincoPet has a nice washable pee pad that we use to line our playyard. It comes in multiple sizes and you can buy it on Amazon. Below is a link.

https://www.amazon.com/SincoPet-Absorbing-Waterproof-Housebreaking-Absorption/dp/B09WY8YWDJ?pd_rd_w=4v0GA&content-id=amzn1.sym.4024b405-124a-4e42-89a6-81200cf4d637&pf_rd_p=4024b405-124a-4e42-89a6-81200cf4d637&pf_rd_r=WCSAE57SV98JQ3627EBC&pd_rd_wg=mhSWT&pd_rd_r=

Teaching a Pee Pad Trained Dog to Potty Outside

Move Your Dog's Pad Closer to the Door in Small Steps. ...
Reduce the Number of Potty Pads in Your Home. ...
Take Your Dog Out for Frequent Outside Potty Breaks- At least every two hours – and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.
Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot.
Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors for going potty outside! ...
Keep watch for signs your dog need to go to the bathroom.

House Train Your Puppy

Do not give your pup the run of the house until they are trained. If you can’t watch them continuously leave them in their crate or tie them to you by a leash.

Take your pup out the minute he/she wakes up from a nap. Be patient. Sometimes it takes 10 or 15 minutes for them to go.

Take them to the same place in the yard each time, and use a term like “go potty” so they know what to do.

Take a treat to give them when they are finished.

Take them out about 15 to 20 minutes after eating, also 15 to 20 minutes after they begin to play hard if they didn’t go when they woke up.

Consistency is the key. Punishing them for going in the house is usually counterproductive, praise and treats when they are good works better. Puppies do not need the run of the house. If you aren’t watching them, crate them. Best case is to leash them to you so you know where they are. The more room they have to play the easier it is for them to hide and potty.

More Potty Training Suggestions

It typically takes 4 to 6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a factor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside.

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE - Puppies do best on a regular schedule. The schedule teaches them that there are times to eat, times to play and times to do their business.

Typically, a puppy can control their bladder one hour for every month of age. So if your puppy is 2 months old, they can hold it for about two hours. Don't go longer than this between bathroom breaks or they're likely to have an accident.

Take your puppy outside frequently – at least every two hours – and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.

Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot.

While your puppy is relieving themselves, use a specific word or phrase that you can eventually use before they go to remind them what to do.

Take them out for a longer walk or some playtime only after they have eliminated.

Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors. Praise or give treats – but remember to do so immediately after they've finished, not after they come back inside. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for going outdoors is the only way to teach what's expected of them. Before rewarding, be sure they're finished. Puppies are easily distracted and if you praise too soon, they may forget to finish until they're back in the house.

Supervise your puppy. Dont give them the opportunity to soil in the house; keep an eye on them whenever they are indoors.

Teather your puppy - to you or a nearby piece of furniture with a six-foot leash if you are not actively potty training or playing. Watch for signs that your puppy needs to go out. Some signs are obvious, such as barking or scratching at the door, squatting, restlessness, sniffing around or circling. When you see these signs, immediately grab the leash and take them outside to their bathroom spot. If they eliminate, praise them and reward with a treat. Keep your puppy on leash in the yard . During he housebreaking process, your yard should be treated like any other room in your house. Give your puppy some freedom in the house and yard only after they become reliably house trained. Please note that Yorkies are fierce but these are small dogs! They should not be left in your yard unattended. They not only can squeeze through small holes and get out, but can also be prey for other animals and large birds like eagles, hawks, owls, etc. Protect your pet while they are outside and do not leave them unattended.

Keep your puppy on leash in the yard . During he housebreaking process, your yard should be treated like any other room in your house. Give your puppy some freedom in the house and yard only after they become reliably house trained.

Please note that Yorkies are fierce but these are small dogs! They should not be left in your yard unattended. They not only can squeeze through small holes and get out, but can also be prey for other animals and large birds like eagles, hawks, owls, etc. Protect your pet while they are outside and do not leave them unattended.

Crate train your puppy. It saves the pup from punishment for chewing or wetting in the house while you are distracted or away. It also helps the pup learn to hold their pee, as they usually won’t go where they sleep if they can possibly prevent it. Make sure the crate is just big enough for the pup to stand and turn around. Any bigger, and they will mess in one end and sleep in the other. Don’t take your puppy out of the crate while it is barking or whining, you will teach it to bark and whine while in the crate. Wait until it is quiet to take your puppy out. (This does not apply when you just get home) They suggest that you don’t put anything in the crate except newspaper to absorb a mess, and a chew toy or bully stick. They can ingest parts of blankets or towels that will block their intestines. Do not leave their collar or harness on while in a wire crate!

Litter Train your puppy - If you are working up to 8 hours a day, you may want to litter train your puppy instead of using a crate, purchase an x-pen and put a litter box into the pen, as well as toys and food/water. The pup will use the litter box. They suggest your use something similar to Yesterdays News litter but my experience is that they will eat that also so I usually don't use any litter at all.. Do not use clay litter for cats.

Neutering your puppy - It is now felt that neutering before growth plates are closed can cause problems with tendons and ligaments. It is now suggested that you neuter your puppy around a year, or after an x-ray shows the growth plates are closed. You can find washable lap belts and washable diapers for your pets at chewy or Temu that might assist in preventing your pet from breeding. My experience is that these help but they can still mate while wearing them. Separating males from females is usually the only sure way of prevention. Also, if you have more than one male, they could get very aggressive with each other when your female is in heat.

Puppy Proof Your Yard and Home.

Take precautions with your pets around pools. If it isn't fenced you may have to be prepared to fish your pet out of the water if they fall in. It happens more than you think so be sure to watch them whenever they are around a pool.
If possible, fence your yard to keep your puppy in and external dangers out. Ensure your puppy can’t slip between or under the bars of the fence or gate. If your fence has gaps your dog can get through, you can purchase wire at your lumber store that can be attached to your fence to help contain them.
Some outdoor plants, such as English ivy and hemlock, are hazardous to dogs. Keep your pets away from dangerous plants or make sure your landscaping is free of them.
Mow and trim your lawn regularly to prevent pests like ticks and fleas from settling in. Clean up any brush or debris as soon as possible to prevent pests from forming a habitat.
Be cautious of using flea and tick collars on these puppies. They are very small and they may make them sick.
Keep your puppy off any grass that has recently been treated with fertilizers or pesticides. Be sure it is watered in well before letting your puppy out in the grass.
Beware of mouse, rat poisons & traps meant for other critters in your yard or while walking your pet.
Never leave your dog outside for long periods when it’s hot or very cold, and always ensure it has access to shade and cool water.
Consider training your puppy to use a particular potty spot. Additionally, clean up feces as soon as possible to prevent flies. If you are walking your dog, be a good neighbor and pick up any poo your dog leaves.
Put away cleaning supplies and either cover or otherwise make inaccessible any electrical cords in your home.
Use trash cans with locking lids or trash cans that can’t be knocked over to prevent your puppy from getting into your trash.
Keep exterior doors and windows closed and locked to prevent puppy from escaping. Gates placed to block rooms with outside doors offer an additional layer of protection.
Keep sharp objects, such as knives and scissors, off of floors and counter tops and secure them in a drawer.
Keep all small items that might be choking hazards, such as toys, dolls, tooth floss, rubber bands, wrappers, jewelry, coins, rocks, socks, paper clips, etc. picked up and out of reach.
Keep all medications in drawers or cabinets, even if they’re in bottles or dispensers. Power chewers can make their way through a plastic bottle fairly easily.
Keep toilet lids closed and make sure your puppy has a safe source of fresh water.
Store cleaning supplies and garage chemicals (antifreeze) locked or out of reach.
Move electrical cords, chargers, and blind cords out of reach or string them through cord concealers to prevent chewing.
Avoid feeding your puppy from the table, since some common foods, such as chocolate, raisins, and sugarless gum, are poisonous to dogs.
Some common houseplants are poisonous to dogs. Keep them well out of reach or get rid of them altogether.

How To Create A Safe Space For Your Puppy

The key to creating a safe area in your home for your puppy is to make sure it has access to everything it needs. Set up a play area for your puppy in a space that’s easy to clean and free of furniture, such as a mudroom or a section of your kitchen.

Here are a few steps to help you create a designated puppy area in your home:

If you’re going to use a crate, include a pet bed or padding in the crate for more comfort. If you don’t want to keep your puppy in a crate for long stretches of time, you can create a space within a mudroom or playroom to allow your pet to have a little more space to roam.

Set up a pet gate or an exercise pen around your puppy’s open crate to give it space to play and rest.
Leave a water bowl in your puppy’s crate or in its designated area.
Use potty pads to create a designated potty spot while you’re house-training your puppy. Use washable potty pads if possible. You can find them on Amazon. I use the SincoPet brand. Do not leave disposable potty pads in the area when you are gone. They will likely tear them up and may eat some of them.

Remember that puppies need mental stimulation as well as exercise, so consider leaving them with an interactive treat toy. These toys make your dog work to earn a treat, giving them something to do instead of chewing on inappropriate items.

Start by leaving your puppy in the pen with a well-loved toy for a few minutes at a time until they get used to the new environment. From there, you can slowly increase the time they’re left alone, though you can always continue to monitor them remotely from a pet camera.

We hope you will find this information helpful. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Also, please share pictures and videos of your puppy on Yorkie Pals!