Many questions to learn about Fizz (Please)

[mzw00dy]

Since Fizz is an adult dog, whose background I don't know, Personality is a difficult indicator. His ears and gums were so bad when I found him he just laid around alot. Vet said Heart is strong considering his teeth were so bad, His knees and hips are great, no skin issues...So am watching for anything else. Now that I have that under control I am beginning to see a personality. So the questiions I have are odd at best. Thanks in advance for help.

1. How much does a 6 lb yorkie eat during the day normally?

2. The Vet expressed his glands when I took him the first time...how often and how do you know when to do that? (I will not do it myself, I would be to scared)

3. The vet guesses he is 5 to 7 years old. He does not show any inclination to play at all. Is play a learned thing? Is it possible he was never played with? How do I know if he is getting enough stimulation?

4. He is not nuetered. Is it possible he was used for breeding? I am planning on nuetering and I wonder if that will be okay? My vet talked about pre anesthesia tests so I think that was good.

5. He will get a teeth cleaning at the same time as he gets neutered. After that, how or what do you reccomend to clean his teeth? His mouth is tiny and the finger brushes I saw looked huge.

6. One thing I have noticed is he does not care if you give verbal/physical praise for something good. Almost as if he is indifferent to praise. My Mutt will go crazy if you tell him good boy. Will this change over time? Or will he always be so stoic?

7. He is very very happy when we get home, and that is when we see the bubbly yorkie everyone talks about...But hard to judge otherwise. What are some things I can look for to know we are meeting his needs?

[zelah]

I am assuming you have not had him long (let me know if I am wrong). I got Sophie from a rescue last May. For the first 2 weeks she stayed in her crate (she felt safe there, that is all she had known) with the door open. After that she would come and sniff us and our home. It took a while to gain her trust, which I am sure is what is happening with you. And while she loves when we play with her now, if you stuck a hand out to her when we first got her she would cower in fear. She doesn't play with many toys now, (she likes bones and 1 chew toy I was able to find) she loves when we play with her she will chase our hands and feet and you can tell she is having the time of her life. Give Fizz a chance to get used to all of the huge changes and I am sure you will have a yorkie like what you expected Just remember that yorkies love praise and they want to please.

***BTW I love hearing you rescued a dog!!!

[zelah]

2. The Vet expressed his glands when I took him the first time...how often and how do you know when to do that? (I will not do it myself, I would be to scared)


Oh I Forgot about this when I posted earlier.
I take my yorkie to the groomer every 6 to 8 weeks and she does it for me!!!. As for how often, that just depends on the dog. You will know when to do that b/c of the smell !!! I never let it get to that point tho

[Ellie May]

1. It is dependent on the dog and the food being fed. A rough average would be 1/2 cup a day (kibble), but that is highly variable.

2. Just whenever they need it (a constant smell, scooting, weird sitting behaviors, biting back there, etc. Overexpressing isn't good because they start to do it less and less by themselves. If you have any concerns, your vet can tell you if it needs to be done.

4 and 5. Totally up to you on neutering. You can research the benefits and risks (both medically and behaviorally) and come to your own conclusion. He may have been studded out before. Preop bloodwork is necessary at this age and with an unknown history. The teeth need to be cleaned asap or it could lead to other problems. I use CET vanilla mint toothpaste and a toddler toothbrush along with OraVet.

[mzw00dy]

You were right that I have only had him a short time, about 4 weeks. Thanks for the info so far....and I forgot a question.

8. Is there an easier "coat" thing to put on for cold rain and cool weather. The over the head thing is hard for me to do.

[zelah]

Originally Posted by mzw00dy

You were right that I have only had him a short time, about 4 weeks. Thanks for the info so far....and I forgot a question.

8. Is there an easier "coat" thing to put on for cold rain and cool weather. The over the head thing is hard for me to do.

I have a vest that velcros...it is really easy. also there are a lot of talented people here on yorkietalk and they can make one specifically for Fizz, so that it fits perfectly you can find there products in the sale sections

[yorkieusa]

Since Fizz is an adult dog, whose background I don't know, Personality is a difficult indicator. His ears and gums were so bad when I found him he just laid around alot. Vet said Heart is strong considering his teeth were so bad, His knees and hips are great, no skin issues...So am watching for anything else. Now that I have that under control I am beginning to see a personality. So the questiions I have are odd at best. Thanks in advance for help.

1. How much does a 6 lb yorkie eat during the day normally? I've always fed mine three small meals a day plus a snack at night. It's hard to say, because it depends on the individual yorkie and his build as well as his activity level.

2. The Vet expressed his glands when I took him the first time...how often and how do you know when to do that? (I will not do it myself, I would be to scared) You shouldn't do it yourself. They can be injured by someone who does not know specifically what they are doing. If you see him dragging his bum on the floor that means he probably needs the anal glands emptied, unless his rear end has recently been shaved.

3. The vet guesses he is 5 to 7 years old. He does not show any inclination to play at all. Is play a learned thing? Is it possible he was never played with? How do I know if he is getting enough stimulation? Did you get him from a rescue? He may have been used to breed and if so probably has spent his life in a kennel with little human contact and no socialization including playing. He could possibly learn to play, but do not be surprised if he doesn't. Keep trying to get him to play. In time, he might love it. Bet he will eventually love to go for walks!

4. He is not nuetered. Is it possible he was used for breeding? Very likely. I am planning on nuetering and I wonder if that will be okay? Definitely. You don't want to risk him getting cancer later. My vet talked about pre anesthesia tests so I think that was good. Very good idea!

5. He will get a teeth cleaning at the same time as he gets neutered. After that, how or what do you reccomend to clean his teeth? His mouth is tiny and the finger brushes I saw looked huge. How much does he weigh? You should at least be able to use a finger brush or a small toothbrush. I use Petz Life gel & spray but there are many good toothpastes and since this is nothing he's used to I would use something chicken or beef flavored.

6. One thing I have noticed is he does not care if you give verbal/physical praise for something good. Almost as if he is indifferent to praise. My Mutt will go crazy if you tell him good boy. Will this change over time? Or will he always be so stoic? Try to use a tiny piece of cheese as a reward instead of just verbal praise. Just imagine how you would react if no one had ever praised you before in your life.

7. He is very very happy when we get home, and that is when we see the bubbly yorkie everyone talks about...But hard to judge otherwise. What are some things I can look for to know we are meeting his needs? I think it will take weeks or months before you will see that bubbly yorkie all of the time. He has to learn to feel safe and secure with you - to be able to trust you. Time will yield great rewards. One thing to look for is if he starts shadowing you around the house. Yorkies are famous for this!

[mzw00dy]

Did you get him from a rescue?

No we found him running loose on a busy street. Spent the next few weeks looking for an owner...He had no collar and no chip. ( I had him checked for a chip by Our Animal resource Center, Our Humane Society, My Vet, And SICSA...just to be safe Had the Vet check him out and put him on antibiotics. Spent the next weeks looking at every lost dog thing there was on line, in pet stores, in the Vet clinincs...My vet even put out calls to the vet clinics in the area for me I really like my vet. Many calls later to the Animal resourse center and other rescue palces. Our county shelter has a three day turn around for dogs without tags ans microchip....we waited three weeks...Finally decided it was time he knew he had a long term loving family whose other dog really likes him. So now I just want to treat him right in every way.

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by mzw00dy

Did you get him from a rescue?

No we found him running loose on a busy street. Spent the next few weeks looking for an owner...He had no collar and no chip. ( I had him checked for a chip by Our Animal resource Center, Our Humane Society, My Vet, And SICSA...just to be safe Had the Vet check him out and put him on antibiotics. Spent the next weeks looking at every lost dog thing there was on line, in pet stores, in the Vet clinincs...My vet even put out calls to the vet clinics in the area for me I really like my vet. Many calls later to the Animal resourse center and other rescue palces. Our county shelter has a three day turn around for dogs without tags ans microchip....we waited three weeks...Finally decided it was time he knew he had a long term loving family whose other dog really likes him. So now I just want to treat him right in every way.

Fizz is one lucky guy!

[kjc]

1. Food: Follow the instructions on the bag, to start. If he is underweight, feed 25% more than recommended, for weight gain. For maintenance, feed reccommended amount and watch his weight. If he is losing weight, increase the amount feed at each meal, or add more treats or an additional feeding. At his age he should be fed twice daily. The bag or can will give you a daily amount, just divide that in half for each meal. These will differ for different types/kinds of food being fed.

2. When he gets a proper, regular diet, anal gland issues normally will clear up on their own. Some dogs will hide under furniture, or be visibly uncomfortable when their glands are full. Scooting their butt on the floor is another indicator that he may need some help with expressing his glands.

3. Play is learned. You will have to find something that stimulates his interest, like a ball, a squeaky toy, a tug toy, a Kong with a food item in it. It may take months for him to want to engage in activities. Right now, he might enjoy just going for walks, and petting. Keep introducing different things to him, and show him you will play with them too.

4. IMHO, good idea to neuter, and blodwork beforehand is necessary.

5. You can use Q-Tips or Gauze squares to start, apply the enzymatic toothpaste to the QTip or gauze and rub it on his teeth. The paste removes the plaque moreso than the brushing. (enzymes)

6. He may not know much language at this point in his life. Keep talking to him, like when you feed him, pick a phase such as "time to eat" or whatever, but use the same one for each activity. Eventually he will make the association. My personal reccommendation: Every nite before bed, sit with him and tell him "What a Good Boy" and pet and love on him. Even if he had a bad day. Make it a ritual. A trainer once told me that the 'Wh..' sound in 'What' gets their attention more than just saying 'Good Boy', so you may see results quicker with that method.

7. He'll respond more to your voice, and he may come to you to initiate petting or play. I knew, after eight months of work with my rescue, when he gave me my first kiss on my cheek, that I had won his trust and was making a difference in his life.

8. Coats: they make some that velcro attach at the front of the chest and behind the front legs. Great for dogs with head/ear issues.

Good Luck with him....

[AddieandMiaMom]

Your situation sounds so close to what we experienced when we adopted Dany (except she was rescued by the local humane society). Dany didn't understand praise, or the word "no", she didn't know what a toy was or what treats were. She also wasn't housetrained, among many other things. So, as far as the treats went, we had to use tiny bits of cheese and hot dogs. She finally understood what treats and toys were, but it does take time. She also definitely knows what praise is and she basks in it on a daily basis.

Dany is approximately seven years old and she was spayed and some teeth were removed. She came through it just fine, although for about a month she could only eat dry food mixed with wet food, probably from some mouth discomfort. We feed according to the package directions. We free feed (giving one day's worth of food and replenishing in the morning). Addie (other yorkie) won't eat otherwise.

[Sweet Apple]

Looks like most of your questions have been answered, just wanted to give you a ...This is a very kind and loving thing you are doing for that pup

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by mzw00dy

Since Fizz is an adult dog, whose background I don't know, Personality is a difficult indicator. His ears and gums were so bad when I found him he just laid around alot. Vet said Heart is strong considering his teeth were so bad, His knees and hips are great, no skin issues...So am watching for anything else. Now that I have that under control I am beginning to see a personality. So the questiions I have are odd at best. Thanks in advance for help.

Good for you..it is not always easy taking in an unknown dog...
1. How much does a 6 lb yorkie eat during the day normally?

I always have dry food down for the gang...and at night is when they get some wet...

2. The Vet expressed his glands when I took him the first time...how often and how do you know when to do that? (I will not do it myself, I would be to scared)

If you are not doing the grooming then your groomer will do it for you...

3. The vet guesses he is 5 to 7 years old. He does not show any inclination to play at all. Is play a learned thing? Is it possible he was never played with? How do I know if he is getting enough stimulation?

Very tough to gage a Yorkies age because they have such rotten teeth and that is what a lot of vets look at..he could be younger..
At this stage of the game he needs to feel loved and taken for a lot of walks..he will come around and become more interested in life...mine do not play with that many toys...

4. He is not nuetered. Is it possible he was used for breeding? I am planning on nuetering and I wonder if that will be okay? My vet talked about pre anesthesia tests so I think that was good.

Anything is possible but usually they will have a much larger penis if they have been used for breeding a lot..or at least that is my experience...You should get him neutered and doing the pre tests if very important and well worth the extra $$$.

5. He will get a teeth cleaning at the same time as he gets neutered. After that, how or what do you reccomend to clean his teeth? His mouth is tiny and the finger brushes I saw looked huge.

YOu will have to gage this but usually it is once a year but if you brush daily maybe you won't have to..

6. One thing I have noticed is he does not care if you give verbal/physical praise for something good. Almost as if he is indifferent to praise. My Mutt will go crazy if you tell him good boy. Will this change over time? Or will he always be so stoic?

When you give him praise talk in a high little girl voice and act all excited..he will eventually start reacting...Usually rescues take about 2 weeks to a mouth before you see their true personalities...

7. He is very very happy when we get home, and that is when we see the bubbly yorkie everyone talks about...But hard to judge otherwise. What are some things I can look for to know we are meeting his needs?

Just have patience..he will become a wonderful loving dog..