Congratulations on getting your first Yorkie!!! I got MY first one this summer and I absolutely LOVE her. She is lying on my chest this very second while i surf the net~ She is great company to me.
Like you, I am off all summer since I work at an elementary school. So it has been perfect for me to get her trained and used to everything before I go back to work in the fall. I will be sad to be without her during the day...but by then I will be confident that I have puppy proofed all her surroundings and that she will be fine until I get home.
The thing that has been the biggest issue for us so far is food. Callie is a very picky eater, as are most yorkies.. and she is very small (only 1.5 @ 11 weeks)...so I have been in a panic at times trying to find something she will eat.
When they are very young, there is a greater chance for hypoglycemia and dehydration...so this is something I would suggest educating yourself about when bringing home a Yorkie puppy. Something that works really well when brining home a new one is plain yogurt. It is great for their digestive tract and different things can cause theirs to be all out of whack...like the stress of coming into a new environment...new surroundings...etc. So it would be a good Idea to have some plain yogurt on hand when you bring your little guy home.
It was also suggested to me by my vet to keep some Karo syrup on hand or a bit of sugar water in case of hypoglycemia. This is a major high risk for Yorkie puppies. It can even be fatal if not treated right away...(Not to scare you) but it is one of their health risks. Here's a link that has info about it:
Yorkie | Yorkshire Terrier | Hypoglycemia Information
On the happy side~....they are SO much fun~!! We are working on the potty training issue with mostly successes and a few accidents from time to time. Since I know i'll be going back to work soon...I am taking them outside when I'm home at potty times... but also getting them used to puppy pads for when I am away. Natures Miracle makes a puppy pad that smells like grass to the puppy! It is working great so far!
They also make a liquid that you can spray on spots where they have had accidents that totally eliminates any odor left behind. Great Stuff!
I've recently purchased a new dry dog food for Callie called Orijen. It is the top rated food for dogs on consumer search. So far it is the only dry food Callie will eat...a little expensive but when you read about dog food ingredients and learn the differences...it is totally worth it.
Orijen Review
SO...i have tried to think of all the good advice I can give to a new Yorkie owner, like myself. I can tell you that coming here to YorkieTalk has been WONDERFUL. It is a great resource for information and friendships. Keep us posted on your new little guy!!
