[alaskayorkie]

I decided to just post some tips here in case others are interested. I apologize for the length.

Potty training
* Don't baby him. When it's time to go outside, let him outside and don't make a fuss about it. If he doesn't want to go, calmly carry him to the spot you want him to go. After accidents, carry him to the same spot.
* When he goes outside successfully, praise, praise, praise and treat.
* When the snow flies, stomp down a path for him. I use some cheap snowshoes I bought at Costco.

Walks
* Don't be paranoid about the cold. If you can keep him moving, his shivering will stop quickly. Think of all the skinny athletes we have who run and ski for hours in those Spandex tights. They're not cold because they're moving and generating heat. Same thing for skinny Yorkies. Keep them moving, and they won't get cold.
* Now is the time to get him used to winter, while it's 40 and not 10! Daily walks are important, no matter how short.
* He will likely shiver and pull at his harness to go back in the house when you start. Lure him with treats to take as many steps as you can. Quit after a success. If he only walks 10 steps, fine. Treat and try for 20 steps the next time.
* If the snow is thick, wear your snowshoes and let him walk behind you.

Clothing
* Coats: I like fleece because it stays warm when wet. Get something that doesn't restrict his movement.
* Booties (after the snow flies): They can be a pain, but if mushers can get 64 of them on a 16 dog team, Yorkie owners can get four on one obstinate Yorkie. You don't need anything elaborate. Anything to keep their pads off the direct snow. I use a fleece bootie lined in a waterproof nylon, but fleece alone or nylon alone does the trick. One YTer makes them herself out of the tips of gloves and fastens them with Velcro. Brilliant. Don't worry about putting them on for short potty breaks. Too much work.
* Secret weapon: I just ordered a fleece carrier from a YTer that I'm real excited about. When it's real cold outside, my 4-pounder can only handle 5-10 minute walks while my 9-pounder can go for 30 minutes plus. So when the 4-pounder starts shivering, I'll put him in the fleece carrier inside my coat until he warms up. After 5-10 minutes there, I'll let him back out.