What have you learned from your first Yorkie?

[alaskayorkie]

List 5 things you would change in raising your next Yorkie and 5 things you would do the same.

What I'd change:
1. Socialize with a puppy class early. I waited till 11 months, and that was too long.
2. Pee pad train. I've always regretted not pee-pad training because when we're stuck at airports he insists on holding it until we go outside.
3. Crate training. My dogs aren't crate trained, but a lot of people I respect around YT say it's important.
4. No free feeding. And deduct treat calories from food-calorie allotment.
5. Don't allow pulling on leash. I never saw the harm until we were recently walking in a crowd and Eddie wanted to go ahead of me.

What I'd do the same
1. No junk food.
2. 5 hour maximum on leaving them alone at the house. This is just personal preference, but it seems like a good number.
3. 2 short daily walks on a regular schedule plus play time.
4. Regular obedience classes.
5. Have a second dog in the house.

[Dougal&Little]

Things I've learnt do differently:
1. Clicker train from the start
2. Take everything non-terrier owners say with a grain of salt
3. Crate training gives a bladder of steel (actually learnt from NOT doing it for my 2nd dog!)
4. 5mins training a day is better than 30mins once a week
5. Pick him up at an older age - no matter what the breeder says

Things I wouldn't change:
1. take him everywhere I can legally - it's great socialisation
2. training classes from the start
3. Love on them every opportunity I get
4. Embrace the yorkie insanity
5. start my own yorkie owners' group (wish I'd done it sooner!)

PS great thread!

[sandraj]

Great thread! Well done!

Things I'd do differently:
1. Pick up the puppy when she is older--12 weeks and eating!
2.Let the puppy sleep in my room from the start--I am NOT tough enough for nights of crying.
3. Wet the kibble with warm water.
4. NOT buy a wicker basket-it got chewed up!
5. Clicker train early- I am starting now at 8 months.
6. Not expect my puppy to grow lots-- I was hopeful , but she is a 3 1/2 lb little one.

Things I would do the same:
1. Use the puppy playpen when we are not a home.
2.Go to puppy classes-they were great!
3.Socialise-I have a wee dog who loves people and other dogs.
4. Buy a car seat--best purchase ever!
5.Cut off that nasty puppy coat as soon as possible and get her used to the groomers.
6. Love her to bits!!

[Ladylavender]

Things I would do different:
1. Not introduce Millie to wet food. Stick with the dry.
2. Figure out a better way to introduce new puppy with grumpy old cat. (they still don't get a long)
3. Less snacking and treats
4. Let Millie learn how to play with herself more and not rely on us to play with all the time.
5. Learn to walk on a leash - Right now all she does is pull in front of me the whole time.

Things I would not change:
1. Potty trained to go outside. (No use of peepads or other devices.
2. Teach her to use the doggie door.
3. Clicker trained
4. Insisted the breeder keep her until 12 wks old.
5. Take her everywhere I can, possible. She learned great socializing skills, but also learned to behave in public and to be ok in the car.

[LuvMySissy]

Things I would do different:
1. Be consistent with potty training - outside only.
2. Train to do tricks early (just starting at 11 months - not going well).
3. Microchip immediately.
4. Bring puppy home during early spring/summer.
5. Wait till older to spay.
6. Introduce car seat earlier.
7. Know more about breeder.

Things I would do the same:
1. Use the bathroom for when gone/at night (to start).
2. Only use harnesses.
3. Car seat (lookout console, of course).
4. Continue to learn on YT!
5. Spoil them rotten & love them to bits!!

[GeorgiesMomma]

Things I will do next time:

1.) Work harder on potty training
2.) deal with seperation anxiety better (oh sorry that is for my seperation anxiety) LOL
3.) Get him/her used to a car ride
4.) Microchip asap
5.) Neuter asap

What I will do the same:
1.) Give him/her all my lovies
2.) Use a harness
3.) Pay special attention to them to make sure they eat enough
4.) give weekly bathes and monthly grooming
5.) Allow myself to relax a little more and enjoy my time with him/her (I just learned to do this with Georgie and he is 1) and not be so paranoid.

Great thread Mike

[alaskayorkie]

I thought of another that I'd do the same:

* Take him on a long car trip early in life. He's become a great traveler.

[DENISE517]

great thread.. I think this thread will be helpful to all:
With Parker I'm sure I made some mistakes, maybe that is why he is having so many problem, but I'm doing thing different with Maddie. Training to outdoors only and crate training instead of xpen and pee pad.

5 things i'd do different:
1. only potty train to outside. ( I tend to think pee pads makes them think
its ok to go in the house - just my opinion based on Parker) Training
Maddie to outdoors only.
2. Not give in to the barking
3. Not buy sooo many outfits when they are small, tend to grow out of them
4. Crate train only
5. Take everywhere and sneek into more stores (hee hee)

6 things I wouldnt do different:
1. Love them with all my heart
2. Spoil them rotten
3. No junk food or junk treats (just good healthy ones)
4. Let them sleep with me for 1 1/2 hr after hubby leaves for work, then I
have to get up and go to work. He lets them outside in the morning then
they come back inside and sleep in our bed.
5. Dressing them up ( l love this)
6. Getting them use to the car and different noises early on so they arent scared

[GeorgiesMomma]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

I thought of another that I'd do the same:

* Take him on a long car trip early in life. He's become a great traveler.

That's great I wish I could say the same for Georgie he hates car rides

[Jaspermom]

Here's an opportunity for newbies to learn from OUR mistakes!! Nicely done, Mike!

Things I would do differently:
1. Not buy from a backyard breeder or pet store
2. Not let Wosie on the bed (fell off at 5 months and broke rear leg)
3. Use ONLY harnesses
4. Work harder on housebreaking. (I am a slacker, dang it is so easy to clean up on hardwood and linoleum, I don't care if they have accidents!)
5. Train every day, especially "COME".
6. Try to limit my YT time!!! (forget it!!)

Things I would do the same
1. Buy a front pack, handsfree dog carrier. It's the BEST!
2. Take Wosie everywhere I go as much as possible
3. Feed quality food
4. Use Missing Link
5. Groom them myself
6. Meet as many yorkie owners as I can. Arrange meetups and casual playdates as much as possible.
7. Love my girls like there is no tomorrow!
8. Play play play
9. Praise Praise Praise

[alaskayorkie]

Great answers, everyone! Keep 'em coming!

[Maydi]

Cool thread.

Things I would do differently:
1. Not buy from a pet store
2. Not give so many treats and snacks
3. NOT buy a ton of toys....she'd rather play with a plastic bottle....
4. Not attempt to trim nails myself....

Things I'd do the same:
1. socialize with other dogs and people early on (she's sooooooo friendly)
2. teach walking on a leash early on
3. crate train
4. buy a car seat
5. teach her important commands (sit, stay, come) early on
6. let her sleep with us AFTER she's pottery trained

[alaskayorkie]

bump for the night crew

[daisysis]

Only thing I would do different is
not let them sleep with me, Sissy and Daisy and Bud are bed hogs

[deb4air]

I would'nt do anything differant ~Mini is a doll ..polite loving and fun!Ok maybe one thing I'd try to do ...worry a little less if shes feeling down .