Congratulations on your new baby. He's very young and since he's left his mom and littermates so early, you will be parenting and teaching him through the period when he learns about fear and other things for the first time and the way you handle this can help determine the kind of grown dog he's going to be. You'll have to teach him many, many things and studying, reading all that you can about dog development and behavior will help you know best how to handle this so get very busy being a good student of the science of dog development and behavior. I am reading Tamar Geller's The Loved Dog and find it a very positive-reward based theory of dog stewardship. I think the Monks of New Skete have more than one book about puppy development and when the brain learns various things and their book, How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend is very helpful in that regard. For those who have read it, isn't week 8 the week dog's learn what fear is? So things like that that are normally handled by calm momma dog will have to be dealt with by you in order to help that precious baby grow up calm and stable and happy.
The ladies and gents on this site will help so much, too, as there is a wealth of experience and knowledge of owning and loving this wonderful breed here. You will never be sorry that you joined!
You are in for much love, a world of laughter and fun and no doubt a great deal of trials and tribulations - those bumps along the way - but oh, the happiness, the reward of it all is 10,000 times worth it all. There is just nothing like a Yorkie! Keep your camera handy and snap loads of pictures. Make training fun and positive and raise the best little happy, healthy Yorkie you can.
__________________  Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis |