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Originally Posted by sweetpea2822  My husband and I just purchased 2...not one, but 2 yorkies. (one we can bring home in 2 weeks, the other not till the end of Oct.) Anyway, before we left the breeders home, she sent me home with a list of special stuff to get and have on hand...in case of hypoglycemia, for go tract problems, for syringes, baby food, AAARRRRGGG!!!!! All kinds of problem stuff...my fear is...have I bit off more than I can chew???? I'm so nervous now that I'll end up severely hurting our new babies...if I do something wrong...
HELP...is this breed REALLY that fragile!!!!... |
There are a lot of guys and gals on here that are amazing with advice. My knowledge comes from my gal, and I'm not an expert at any thing but her. However, I know enough to ask the following questions.
Firstly, please tell me that these puppies are AT LEAST 12 weeks old.
I can't tell you if you've bit off more than you can chew or not. I'm not sure if you are buying these little sweeties from a breeder who fed you the crap about them being teacups. Is the breeder reputable? Have you seen the parents? If so, how small are they? What health problems, if any, are in the line? What is the license number of the breeder? It's probably a good idea if you look it up, if you haven't already.
Yes, these guys are fragile when little. The average weight of a yorkie is any where from 2-10 pounds. The 2 pounds came directly from my vet- not because they SHOULD weigh that much, but because of irresponsible breeding. The average weight at adulthood should be 4-10 pounds. My now adult gal is always hovering between 5.7 to 6.2 pounds. When we brought her home at 13 and a half weeks, she was 2 pounds, 3 oz. She fit into my husband's hand, and his size 11 shoe was bigger than she was.
Because they are so tiny, keeping the sugar up is imperative. If the sugar gets too low, they can have seizures. Always have nutri-cal paste on hand and some Karo syrup. As puppies-ESPECIALLY- it is important to keep them fed. When you bring these guys home, take them to the vet right away-within the day, if possible- and ask about a food schedule and how much food to give them. Also bring them to have them checked head to toe.
These guys at any point can break something if they jump off furniture at that age-especially that age. It's important to have an x-pen handy if you can't keep an eyeball on them at all times. There is a wealth of information on this on the board, like on this link:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...r-ex-pens.html
Please seriously consider insurance for them, and be aware that spaying and neutering is higher than most other dogs. In my area, which is a lower cost of living, my gal's spay was 600 dollars. There are other things to consider, like what anesthesia they use, because that is very important. If you don't have them spayed, cancer is a huge risk. The topic IS debated on here, but even a vet will usually highly recommend it.
Again, I don't have a lot of information to go on here, but having your ducks in a row and knowing what to expect can make the transition smooth. Here are some more links for you:
The Truth About Teacup Dogs | petMD Yorkie Puppy Care | Yorkshire Terrier Information Center
And a book that is essential for any new owner is called Yorkshire Terriers for dummies.
One more thing, please look up on google immunizations on yorkietalk to pull up threads on why it's IMPERATIVE to stagger their shots, and which shots are unnecessary for them. In particular some vets will try to push the rabies vaccine along with other shots, and that's NOT safe. Ideally a vet with experience with small dogs is the best way you can go, but the immunization information is important.
These are the BEST dogs in the world, and they will have their wee little paws wrapped around your heart in no time. My super gruff husband loves our gal so much he speaks baby talk to her- not that he'd admit it. Congratulations on your impending babies!!