Questions from a new Yorkie mom

[YorkiesRule]

First off I want to say Hello and that I'm glad to have found what appears to be a site that is full of friendly people. I recently got my first ever Yorkie puppy (first puppy of any kind). She's 10 weeks old now and weighs exactly 2 lbs. I listened very carefully to all the 'care' instructions I was given so of course any behaviour that doesn't adhere to them makes me a litttle nervous.
My first question is about the dry dog food. I've read the posts concerning this same subject and tried moistening the food but Lexi still won't eat the kibble. Occaisionally I'll see her grab one or two but nothing substantial. My next questions are about grooming. At what age can I start to bathe her? And brushing ...all I can say is hah! I would never have imagined that a 2lb creature could be so difficult to hold still and brush. She hates it and I can't get her brushed. Any hints for this? I did get the hair trimmed from around 3 of her paws but that was difficult to say the least. I stuck with it though because she was constantly slipping on my wood floors.

[Higgin's Mom]

Welcome to Yorkie Talk! We're glad you're here and we look forward to getting to know you and Lexi!

About food: remember that they really only need about a tablespoon or two for the WHOLE DAY! They are tiny and eat VERY little, usually. Try this, as it worked for me: Put a tablespoon of dry kibble (my Higgins like Natural Choice Ultra the best) in the dish and then sprinkle on a LITTLE parmesan cheese. I have NEVER seen a dog that is not bonkers for cheese. We did the cheese thing for several months and then gradually put less and less until now he eats it straight. Also, be sure not to give him treats around mealtime. The babies get so distracted playing that mid-morning and mid-afternoon, I gave (still do) Higgins a Lamb Jerky treat made by Solid Gold. It is total nutrition that gives them an energy boost....like a protein bar. I also notice that some days Higgins eats like a little pig and other days he just sort of picks.....just like we do!

About brushing: Higgins doesn't like it much. He used to HATE it, but Bettyeanne (I think it was Bettyeanne) suggested that while he was sitting on my lap to gently massage him and then gently brush him. I now keep his comb and brush right by my chair in the living room. IT'S WORKING! He is not minding nearly as much! Also, he LOVES to play tug with anything, and while we are tugging, I brush his little face, which he doesn't seem to mind.......

The thing is, these little pups are sooooo smart, you really have to get creative to stay one step ahead of them!

[Gypsy Rose]

Re brushing!! That sounds a good idea!! When Gypsy Rose was a pup I tried brushing her lol but was very lucky when and IF the brush actually made contact with her hair!! Choose a sleeply moment it you can spot one!! It does get better!! Make it fun and when yr yorkies had enough call it a day for a while! Re feeding I can't give better advice than advice already been given!! Luv form Ana and Gypsy Rose xx

[YorkiesRule]

Thanks all for the info. I'll try brushing her tonight. I've noticed that every night, at just about 8:30pm, it's lights out for Lexie. She will go sound asleep wherever she is or in whatever position you put her. That's my favorite time to hold her close. I know she still needs that physical contact because she's so young. For the dry food...it was suggested that I add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to it. Does that sound OK?

[Higgin's Mom]

In my opinion, 1 tablespoon of oil is too much oil. Start with a half a teaspoon.......I would think that much oil would have a real laxative effect.

[fasteddie]

We've found that after brushing Yoda roughly he got used to it. We used to be gentle and soft, but he would always squirm away, etc. Yes, Yorkie puppies do SLEEP! A LOT! But enjoy it now, because when they are older, they will be full of energy and hard to keep up with!

[red98vett]

You are gonna be in love if not already with your new Yorkie - we are on our 2nd with Cherish (just under 8 weeks) & have Chanel - just 2 years old - and I could have just stayed with the one - I love my baby Chanel that much!

But now that we have 2 - I am going back in time to the snuggly times with a new puppy and there is nothing better...except everyday there after. These dogs steal your heart -

You got great advise on everything - I do the massage thing also for brushing - Chanel always thought I was playing - if you start young - for short periods - they will get used to it. You'll learn when it's time to stop and then go back again later & Try again! Bath time was easy with mine - she loves the water but I put lots of toys in it at 1st - filled the tub about 1 inch - let her play then drained it to wash her...then gradually took the toys awaw - now when she sees a towel - she runs right to the bathroom!!

Good luck on your new baby !

[Higgin's Mom]

That is so cute that she runs to the bathroom when she sees the towel!

When Higgins was little, we used to fill a plastic dishpan with about 2 inches of water and let him play in it....he loved it. Didn't seem to mind his baths as much then either. Now he likes to swim in the lake, but PLEASE MOM don't wash me!!!! Typical boy.

[YorkieRose]

Congrats on your new puppy. I have never found the need to add oil to dry food. All it does it make the whiskers messy and upset the bowels. Quality dog food is a science and has all the fat added for a healthy coat and skin.
I start my pups out with a bath at 5 weeks and every week after that..when the new owner gets them, they are halfway there. I comb them daily and get them used to having their nails clipped and feet touched.

[fasteddie]

We use a tad bit of oil sometimes. It's supposed to be good for their coat. We also make a game after bathing. Yoda loves to play tug of war with his towel after he gets his bath!

[bettyeanne]

Welcome, YorkiesRule!!
Sounds like you already have all the good advice!! My "secret" to Toto's grooming is consistency! I began the "brushing" fights when we first brought her home [I bathe her every week ... two shampoos & at least a minute or more soaking with conditioner on ... then a thorough rinse ... I use Coat Handlers] ... always use diluted conditioner to mist the coat while brushing to prevent breakage. After a few weeks she would lay on her back for me and began to really enjoy brushing! I do massage her and get her really relaxed and sleepy [usually during our morning snuggle] ... then brush her. Toto is a year old now and the other day I really felt like I had "graduated" ... I got her grooming stuff ready and when I sat down on the sofa with one of her little fleece beds on my lap and the brush in my hand ... instead of her looking like she was going to the gallows or making me go get her ... she happily jumped up on my lap and laid down!! She looked at me like "I'm ready ... lets brush!!!" It takes a lot of patience but I do love her long shiny coat and her little topknot!! We were terrified of her when we first brought her home ... she was 16 weeks and weighed 1 lb. 8 ozs. ... she is 4 lbs. now and we are still afraid of her sometimes!!

[Casey's Mom]

As a proud new yorkie mom I am glad to find this forum. Thanks for being out here. We are very happy to have Casey as a new member of the family. I look forward to many happy yorkie days ahead. I hope you will indulge my questions from time to time. My first being ... about frosted mini-wheats. He loves em'. Are they ok? Oh and more important, the gal I bought him from taught him how to jump on the couch but not off. She said that it was a danger to him. Is that something I should be concerned about? I have seen other yorkies jump and bounce with the best of them. I have made a ramp for the sofa untill I know for certain. Casey is 2 years old so he has stopped growing and I dont think his joints should be a problem like big breeds. Or am I wrong?
I look forward to your input.. Thank you casey's mom aka:carol

[bettyeanne]

Hi Carol and welcome to YorkieTalk! We try to share everything we know, either from research, learned from our vet or from experience. Our vet recommended Honeycomb cereal for Toto as treats [I'm not at all certain if that one is better because of content or if it was her personal preference] but since we never stray from her advice ... Toto gets Honeycomb! The only things that we add to her diet without consulting Dr. Lucy is treats that are dog specific or if we change any of her food we also discuss that with her. She is a great vet and we have her on speed dial at her office and at her home! The thing about jumping off things ... I believe that injury to the little joints gets worse as they age. We don't allow Toto to get off the sofa or the bed without something like a little ramp or cushions to give her a soft landing! In addition to some of the drawbacks of owning a Yorkie such as hypoglycemia, trachael collapse, etc., is their little joints! We also don't let children hold her. They may play with her on the floor all they want but we just don't let them pick her up! Our theory is "better safe than sorry"! Hope that helps! Good luck!

[Higgin's Mom]

There is no question that their little joints can be a problem. But it can be a problem preventing them from jumping off things!

Quite frankly, I have given up with Higgins. He just FLIES off sofas, beds, chairs with the greatest of ease. The good thing is that he eats healthy food and gets LOTS of exercise. We live in the country on a dead end dirt road and he RUNS from morning 'til night. And we play tug and fetch with him all day long until our arms fall off. Consequently, he is SOLID MUSCLE! And I am counting on those muscles and strong bones to protect those tender joints.

Oh.....WELCOME TO YORKIETALK!!!! We are just delighted that you are here!
If you can figure out how (I can't get it to work, but Don and Bettyeanne can), post a picture of Casey! How lovely that you have him and he has a nice new home with you! They are the best little dogs and you will be totally smitten with him in no time!

[Casey's Mom]

Thanks so much for your help. I am sure that I will have more questions as time goes by. I had read about the low blood sugar issue but not about the joints. I am glad that I had made the ramp for the sofa now. This little guy is a treasure. He really likes crumbled hamburger and tiny bits of hot dogs. How about those things? I was thinking that the protien would be good. I limit the amounts of course. But I do feed him small bits several times a day.
I will also enjoy having a place to brag about him. I find myself telling everyone about him.
This is a big change for me. Our last dog was a big beautiful lab. We suddenly lost her to cancer at just 10 yrs old. I was devasted as you can imagine. My husband works nights and we were the best of friends. We lost her only 1 week after finding out she was ill. It was such a shock. And I miss her terribly. I can only imagine sadie in heaven watching with giggles as I play with this little bundle of fluff. He is wonderful.
We live in the country on 14 acres and 3 lakes. He really enjoys running and checking out things. I stay close to him but let him have his adventures. We also ride a harley so of course he will have a harley jacket soon. I don't believe that he will ever ride but he will be looking like a tough biker dog. That is one of the endearing things about these guys. They have such lion hearts. Now if I can only get him to quit stealing Winston's (the cat) sparkle balls.
Thanks again carol