Tiny Yorkie community?

[Ayami]

Hello~ I am hoping to find fellow tiny yorkie owners. I have never met one that is similar in size with Sachi in person but it seems like there are a few on this forum, which got me pretty excited lol. I am hoping to share similar experiences with training, dangers, products, etc with everyone.

Sachi is almost 9 months and just broke the 2 lb mark.
She likes to be alpha and (tries) puts even the big dogs in place.

Her main thing right now is that she is still not 100% potty trained. She likes to pee on her bed, blanket and right next to the bed. I believe this is because of her being sick right now (on another thread: crystals in urine) and she can't help it. But when she was healthy she still had trouble with her peeing on the pad.

Her routine is: take her out after breakfast (she sleeps while I get ready), after work, everyt 2-3 hours after that, 1 hr after dinner and before I go to bed. She still squats at rugs and blankets in the house.

Have any of you put bells on your pup? I think I need to because i have lost track of her and stepped on her a couple of times

I switched her over to Science Diet UTI formula from Blue Buffalo puppy due to the crystals forming. She seems to like the canned and will leave the hard ones to the side.

I also stopped giving her treats other than fruit based ones or cheerios (potty training).

I'd love to hear about your experiences with the smaller sized Yorkies!

[Julia Howard]

I have smaller yorkies and they are pretty much like my larger ones except for potty training. They do have smaller bladders and are harder to train. Mine have done best with potty pads (washable) in their ex pens while I am away and also in one of my bathrooms when I am home. I dont even try to get them to hold it until I can take them out. It did take longer to train them though. As far as stepping on them, once they are adults it is not a problem because they learn to move out of your path most of the time. When they are puppies you do have to watch and not step on them. The only other thing that is different is in using anesthesia with them. I don't like to have to do that for things like cleaning teeth, etc. A couple of mine try to be alpha dogs and it is quite amusing because the bigger ones usually just move away from them. Mine have been raised with the others and they learn to get along pretty well. Mine were from litters and I just didnt find a home that I felt was suitable for 2 1/2 to 3 lb. pups.

[Magnus]

Zoey isn't tiny but she's still on the small side. She also loves canned food but I'm bit insistent that she eats kibbles to help with her teeth and it's one of the ways for her to chew on something other than things she's not supposed to.

If Sachi prefers soft food, how about soaking the kibbles in chicken broth (no sodium added) for a bit? It softens the kibbles and you can reduce the amount of broth so she can get used to the harder kibbles? If you decide to give the kibbles a try, be sure to purchase the small bites.

If you haven't already done so, I'd like to recommend you purchasing a spot cleaning for your carpets if Sachi's still in the process of training. I found that even if I clean it up right away with the spray and everything, there's still something there and Zoey would occasionally try to mark that spot again.

[Faboosh]

It sounds like she needs to be taken out more often. I'd give her potty breaks every 45 mins and see if that helps. Her bladder is too tiny to wait 2-3 hours. Don't let her roam too much so she doesn't have the opportunity to potty elsewhere when you aren't looking.

I had to learn to "glide" instead of walk so I wouldn't step on Billi as a puppy. She was barely over a pound when I got her. I'd rather "punt" her than step on her. She's learning to stay out from under me and thankfully there's only been a couple close calls. Double thanks she'll be over 3 pounds as an adult. She's only 2.5 pounds right now and she's too flippin tiny! She's an "alpha" as well, so I don't want her size and attitude to get her into trouble, either. Gotta keep an eye on the littles!!

[ColesMommy01]

Hello! I too have a tiny yorkie Rasta's a gigantic 1.7 lbs at 3 months . He too has the alpha mentality and tries to boss around our English Bulldog who's a total pushover lol. I would say the only things I really worry about with him being so small is getting stepped on(he is pretty good about moving out of people's way tho) hypoglycemia...we haven't had a scare yet though. Other than that I would say no other worries that a "normal sized" yorkie's parent has. Rasta usually lets me know when he has to go potty by barking...we tried potty pads for a few days but he seems to like doing his business outside(following his bulldog sister's example I guess). He does still have an accident about once a day and I've found white vinegar works very well to stop repeat marking as well as getting rid of stain/smell in that area.

[Deb1]

Tatiana is 8 months and around 2 1/2 pounds. She is a little bit of a chunck for her height! She eats dry kibble and chews on Bully Sticks to help with keeping her teeth clean. Really don't have a problem with stepping on her as she knows when to move out of the way.

She is not an Alpha Dog.....she a Mama's girl and prefers to be where ever I am. Her and Teeka play together but Teeka is more the "boss" than Tatiana!

Tati is potty pad trained, but will also go outside when I take her. I started her on potty pads because, she was also very tiny when I brought her home and it was still cold. She was 1.6 @14 weeks of age.

She isn't able to jump onto the couch or bed, so we just lift her. She does jump off the couch at times, but not off the bed. I always try to make sure to lift her down if not sitting with her.

I do have a bell on her Buddy Belt when we are out and about....especially when camping. I got my bell at PetCo in the Kitty department. They come in a 2 pack....pink & purple.

Thank you for sharing about your little girl!

[nanahas3]

Kyra was a 2lb pup at that age and is 3lbs now. Never had a real problem with her on potty training but then again I am home with her most of the time. As far as stepping on her or even Laddy for that matter, if I am going to be busy, say in the kitchen, they are kept in a separate part of the house. I would never forgive myself if I were to hurt one of them bad stepping on them. Be sure you brush her teeth as these tiny ones seem to have more issues with them. Kyra had her dental in Dec and gets dental chews every day but I fear she will probably be needing yearly dentals.

[Lovetodream88]

Smaller yorkies and Larger yorkies pretty much are the same with the same concerns.

[IDPiper]

My Piper is a little one, too!! She is a year old and is finally over 2 1/2lbs. I have had her for about a month and she is a rescue dog. The person (breeder/hoarder) that had her had over 60 and was feeding them bird seed. The poor little thing was lice and mite infested, had worms, coccidia, a mouth infection, her ears were infected, and needless to say she was very malnourished. I'm just happy that she has found her furever home where she will always be taken care of and loved.

For the most part she is potty pad trained and is getting to where she will ask to go outside to go poop.

She has the cutest personality and wants to play with my cats REALLY bad but they want no part of her. All three of the cats are more than triple her size!!

I know that the littles can have more health issues but I just adore her. I will always feel like I have a puppy.

[lovespandp]

I personally think there is a difference between the bigger yorkies and smaller ones.

Peanut is 4 pounds, he still has accidents in the house, not as much but they still happen. I couldn't imagine how small that little bladder is.. so he gets away with most of the accidents. Always make sure your little one eats.. Even at 6 years old if Peanut misses a meal he starts to shake, he acts really strange and sickly. The other day he missed his lunch and he was shaking in the corner. I had to make him something special so I was able to get something in his belly… Once he ate he was fine.

I think bells are great, they annoy my DH. We have tile and I seriously can’t hear Peanut. He sneaks up on him so many times. If you can stand the bell, yes I think they are great!!

Hopefully your girl feels better soon. I know she is probably having more accidents now because of her UTI. Hang in there it will get easier for you.

[Lovetodream88]

Maybe I am wrong but I don't think a small bladder is a reason for accidents sick yes of course but not just because they have a small bladder.

[SophieKatesMom]

Sophie Kate weight 2lb once, when she was 3 months old and maybe for 30 seconds. She is a 8 lb bundle of love with terroristic traits.

Sorry, I don't know much about the little guys other than I don't have one.

[nanahas3]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Smaller yorkies and Larger yorkies pretty much are the same with the same concerns.

Not true, Kyra has to pee twice as often as Laddy and she is not ill, it is the size of her bladder. She is completely housebroken but then I am at home with her all the time. There are a lot of other issues with the smaller ones also but they can lead as normal a life as the larger ones if you are diligent with them.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by nanahas3

Not true, Kyra has to pee twice as often as Laddy and she is not ill, it is the size of her bladder. She is completely housebroken but then I am at home with her all the time. There are a lot of other issues with the smaller ones also but they can lead as normal a life as the larger ones if you are diligent with them.

But a larger yorkie could still have to go as much as a smaller yorkie depending on there liquid intake and so on. I swear Sammy pees all the time but he is healthy and nothing is wrong with him and he is 17 pounds. Both can get hurt jumping off of a couch I know this for a fact because Callie jumped off the couch was limping and we had to go to the ER vet at 3am, then the regular vet the next day and then the orthopedic surgeon after that. Both can fit into small places that can be dangerous, Callie someone found away to get into my headboard and get wrapped up in cords and stuck. Both can get stepped on Callie and Sammy have many times so we had to change how we walk around and make sure we could hear there tags. Callie gets sick is she doesn't eat and has had hypoglycemia issues. Callie has CT and LP both issues that happen in all size yorkies. She maybe 17 pounds but when she is sick her weight drops fast and she goes down hill fast as will any yorkie. Sorry not seeing to many differences except Callie can't be thrown in a carrier and sneaked into places

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Maybe I am wrong but I don't think a small bladder is a reason for accidents sick yes of course but not just because they have a small bladder.

Well since Callie is bigger than Peanut I would say you are not correct in the statement you made.