We just brought home Pepper, a (we think) 6 month puppy from a family who wasn't quite prepared for the attention a puppy requires - we're happy to have rescued him into our home because he's stolen our hearts in just a couple of short weeks!
Unfortunately we live in an extremely remote community (1800 people) in the Arctic with no vets, no pet stores, and certainly no Yorkie friends for Pepper to play with! We don't have any experience with Yorkies so hopefully we can figure things out here where everyone is so friendly and welcoming!
Just a few questions for us extreme newbie parents, please!
1. Pepper is thought to be around 6 months (born at the beginning of August we were told) and weighs 6 pounds - when do puppies fully mature in terms of growth? Will he get bigger or is this about the size he'll be?
2. The only puppy food the one store in town sells is Iams, and that's what the family before us is feeding him but he's not eating much of it. I found a puppy food recipe online and home cooked him a batch while I'm waiting for an online order of Merrick Grain Free Puppy food to come (both dry and wet), plus some puppy vitamins - but I'm wondering is it a good choice? I see a lot of discussions about food here but most of the brands mentioned are on sites that won't ship to us way up here, or the shipping costs more than the food itself!!
3. Pepper has really white hair on the top of his head and we can see the pink of his scalp under it - it almost looks like he's wearing a toupee! Will that darken, or will it always be white?
4. I read that collars aren't good for small dogs because their throats are so delicate, and harnesses should be used - is this true? We have a harness being shipped up, but a also want the option to walk him with a collar and leash if possible.
5. We try to brush his teeth every evening and he hates it - is there a trick to getting him not to squirm without hurting him? I think we're afraid that if we hold him too tightly he'll squish because he's so little!!
6. Same with baths - he can't stand it even though he's so soft and scratches less after, is there a trick to getting him to like it/not be scared of it?
With being so remote, I'm really scared that he's not growing into an adult dog like he's supposed to be, but I don't know if I'm doing anything wrong! Vets come to the community once a year, and won't be here for about 7 months so I want to make sure Pepper is as healthy and as happy as possible before they get here - any tips and advice would be really appreciated!
Sorry for so many questions! We just want to make sure we're doing the best we can for Pepper!