[yorkielover_201]

Yorkie care
Diet: The diet of a young puppy should consist of a Premium Dry Food made specifically for the growing stage. This is not the area to "cut corners" when it will reflect on the Puppy's overall health right into adulthood. You don't need this puppy to have deficiencies from the start, this could cause weak muscle tone and the Skeletal System not to develop properly. Become a label reader for your puppy, make sure that the ingredients are USDA inspected, not the refuse of contaminated sources. The Web is a great place to get information about the Pet Food Industry, utilize it. Also note Hypoglycemia below.
Make sure Yorkie Puppies and other small breeds are feed three times a day, with at least two meals being of the dry ration. If you're giving your puppy milk bone treats, one of them is like a meal so you can't expect them to also eat a full ration of dry at the same time. Keep treats to a minimal, remember that a tablespoon of something is to them a good-sized treat. My dogs love vegetables of all types, carrots, squash, green beans and also many fresh fruits. Even those are kept at a minimal, a bite or two will keep them happy. Too many treats will also throw off the balanced diet they need and should be getting from their regular diet.
Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar can be caused by stress, improper diet or a missed meal, being chilled, or too much energy being used during the day playing too long at one time. Puppies that usually are affected are the toy breeds at six weeks to 12 weeks old. The liver stores energy, but in a small puppy it can not store enough for long periods, especially with additional stress factors. Signs of this can be as slight as a depressed attitude or as serious to finding your puppy in a coma. Treatment can be as simple as giving a small amount of Karo Syrup for a mild case to a Dextrose Solution intravenously by your Veterinarian. If you suspect this condition, consult your Veterinarian for even a mild case. Repeated episodes can lead to further more severe complications.
Treats: A word of caution about Chew Treats. Make sure if you do give them rawhide that you replace them often. Many dogs have gotten them caught in their throats, which means a fast trip to the Vet or worse. As a puppy or dog chews them, they soften and the dog is able to get small pieces off. As they wear down in size, the possibility of an accident is more likely. I know that dogs love them, but are they worth the risk?
Naps: Young Yorkies can not play all day long without a break, or shouldn't. Yorkies do have a mind of their own and may cry, whimper, and/or bark at first. But there will be times when you'll have to confine them for various reasons, so this is the best time to "train" them to be confined. You can either purchase a cage, or just use a Vari 100 Kennel.
Travel: Vari Kennel 100 is the best thing I've found for traveling with my dogs. A sudden stop or an accident isn't the way you want to lose your new addition to the family. Mine will actually fight over who gets to go in it. At home there are always a couple of them setting on the floor opened, and someone is usually sleeping in them. Dogs love the protective feeling they get from kennels, so start using them when they are still young and take advantage of it.
Vaccines: There are so many changes going on with regards to Vaccination shedules, it's hard to keep up. A puppy is born with a natural immunity from the Dam that lasts only for a short period, 6-8 weeks average, but this also depends on the Titer levels and condition of the Dam during Gestation. Another factor is the amount of Collistum the puppy received right after birth. This is the very first milk the Dam produces, and if it was a weak puppy that didn't receive the very important first milk, the immunity level could very well be lower than his sibling's.
Yorkie pups usually start their Vaccine series at about 6-8 weeks, and are given boosters (repeated shots) every 2-3 weeks. This is done until they have reached the age of 4 months, so if you didn't purchase your Yorkie Pup until at least 3 months old, as you should, you'll only need to re-vaccinate once or twice. Then re-vaccinate on a yearly shedule, or to your Veterinarian's beliefs. The type of vaccine your puppy receives may be determined by your life style and area you reside. It's also possible for a dog to come down with a condition it has been vaccined for, the Immune System is at different levels in all living things. Proper Vitimin/Mineral content reflects on overall health, including the Immunity System, which is another reason to feed quality pet foods to your puppy.
Some states have revised their recommendations from a yearly booster to every three years. You must talk with your Vet with any concerns you have regarding the well being of your Yorkie.
Teething: Yorkies and toy dogs in general have a tendency to retain their puppy teeth, especially the canines. At around 5 months of age you should start to watch the teeth closely, a perfect bite may go off in a matter of days. You may feel it's not important for a correct scissors bite, but this is the first step of the digestion process, proper chewing is important. The other importance is that the proper bite stays cleaner, over lapping misaligned teeth are a good source for bacteria and tartar to build rapidly.
Spay/Neuter: There are a dozen excellent reasons for pets to be altered, and not one good one I can think of for not having it done. Leaving a pet intact can cause serious live threatening conditions to arise, such as Mammary Tumors and Pyometra. Speak with your Vet about the benefits of alterations; you may have your Pet for additional years because you did. It's also wise to have this performed at the same time any puppy teeth need to be extracted, there's no sense in putting the puppy though Anesthesia twice.
House Training: Yorkies can be very difficult to pottytrain to say the least. It seems like they are either a breeze or as difficult as can be.
The kidneys are not fully developed in a young dog, so don't get too upset about accidents. It's going to depend largely on the time of year and the age of the puppy as to how serious your going to be about training. I usually say not to expect to much from them until they are around 5-6 months of age. They can be trained prior, but it will take constant supervision.
It's important not to let the new puppy have full range of the house at first. Gate off the kitchen or other small area, if at all possible, and pick up any rugs. In the area you are keeping your puppy, you should either place papers in a small area or the plastic-backed pads. Training dogs to use both the outdoors and pads has advantages if you travel with your pets.
I have always told people to use the reward system for training. You need to take them out often especially right after eating, don't wait over five to ten minutes. After they have relieved themself, reward them with a bite (one bite) of something they love and praise them.
There's also a crate method of training. But most people cannot stand leaving the puppy in a crate, coming out only for short periods of time to go outdoors. The method you use will depend on your life style, shedule, and of course the puppy.