New members who just got holiday puppies - in here please
 

Welcome to YT. We are happy you have joined us. :)

There are so many questions this time of year about tiny pups coming from new owners (better to ask than to guess). So here are a few things to remember:

- Puppy needs to see the vet within two to three days of purchase. Your pup should have a guarantee that if there is a problem discovered, the breeder pays or takes the pup back. At a minimum, pups should come with a 1 year health guarantee against congenital defects; however, a large portion don't. Learn a bit about vaccines (can see vaccine thread in the YT Library) before the vet gives any.

- It is good to learn a bit about the common Yorkies diseases. At this age hypoglycemia is among the most important. Always keep Nutrical or the like on hand.

- It will take weeks to months or even years to fully potty train. It will not happen by 8 or 10 weeks. That is way too much to expect from a little puppy who is just gaining bladder control. Pups cry when they are crated. That is normal.

- Yorkies are usually sold at too young an age. Twelve weeks is ok. Some would say 10 and others would say 16. What we do know is that all Yorkie pups are fragile and the 6 or 8 weekers seen a lot here are extremely fragile (that is, not so much that they break easily - ha - but the are not developed enough physically to be away from the 24/7 care of the breeder or mentally enough to be away from their mom). They require a good amount of attention and even that really isn't good enough for most who needed to learn behavioral skills from their mom.

- Unfortunately, a lot of people use the terms "teacup" "micro" "microtiny", etc. when trying to make a sale. A Yorkie is a Yorkie. They are not split into different size categories. All Yorkies are considered very small dogs (really even the ones who make it to 20 pounds are still small). That is why you won't see the term teacup used here often.

There are thousands of threads to read through about all of this. Just use the Search function at the top or bottom of the screen. See the training section if you want to get started on that, but remember that you can't expect too from a little pup. Also see the health and diet section for threads on what to feed (or in the case of a very small pup, the breeder section). And while there is an emergency section, young pups can go downhill very quickly, so usually it's best to just go ahead and at least call the ER and/or go in.

Hope that helps someone.

Great Post -- and don't forget -- if you don't find your answer be sure to ASK. You will get many good answers and ideas to pick and choose from.

Great post.

Here is a good place to start:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...w-parents.html

Thank you for this thread! I would like to add a welcome to new members and new puppy owners. You are going to find that people here are very generous about sharing their knowledge and experience. As a relatively new ( I've had my 5.5 month old for 2. 5 months) Yorkie owner, I have gotten wonderful support here. Be aware that people here feel passionate about the health and well-being about these little dogs and this passion can sometimes come across very strongly.

I know that once or twice I have felt that I was being " shouted" at in a conversation. After taking a breath, I realized that the " shouter" was taking the time to give me info that was very important. So please, don't take offense - listen!

That said, I want to do my own shouting :

1). Take the new pup to the vet for a wellness check within 48 hours

2). Do not leave a new puppy alone for hours at a time. They have most likely never been alone before and can't handle it. Plus they need to be watched for signs of hypoglycemia

3). Don't let lots of different people handle the puppy until it's had a chance to get used to the new home. And don't let anyone who doesn't understand how fragile they are handle the puppy without supervision.

4). Puppies are eating, peeing, and pooping machines. Don't give your puppy the run of the house and expect it to have good manners. Would you leave a human infant without a diaper in the middle of your white carpet?

5) any signs that the puppy isn't feeling good, call your vet or the emergency pet clinic. If the pup won't eat or drink, seems lethargic, or has any unusual behavior, things can go south with these little ones so fast, waiting to seek help could lead to tragedy.

6). Put a breakaway collar with a bell (never to be used with a leash) on the pup right away so you know where it is at all times. And have everyone in the house learn the "Yorkie Shuffle.". If you slide your feet instead of lifting them, you have less chance of stepping on your pup. Because you will find that it loves to be underfoot most of the time.

Hope I haven't scared anyone... But these little ones need lots of attention and love. The good news is that you will get back far more love than you give. There's nothing like curling up in your chair with a sleeping puppy in your arms.

All great posts! I don't really have anything to add but I just want to say welcome to Yorkietalk!! Remember, there are no dumb questions! There are many very knowledgable people on this site who are passionate about this breed and will give you their open and honest opinion. Don't be put off by this - listen and learn. They have so much to share! I've been a member for a couple of years and I am still learning.

Wow - great posts! Another fine example of YT members at their finest!!!

This is a good place to start.:)

Great Info.!! Thanks for posting!

:)

Great info!

I had to smile at this all too true. They lovingly follow you and you have to be so careful because they are right underfoot. We would yell out little man walking when Buster was let out out of his crate. Be careful if you have them up with you on the couch or chair as they move fast and can easily fall. Also watch out for stacked boxes or other items that you might bump into and knock over on top of them. And if it is on the floor they will investigate it and probably eat it so gate off any dangerous areas and research what foods and plants are poisonous to them.

Great idea for a thread Ellie! One more note to new members -- look through the posts at the beginning of each forum -- they say STICKY and contain information deemed important enough to stay on top of the forum at all times. Read through them carefully and you will probably find the answer to any question that comes up. The New Puppy Care post is a sticky. There are also some on what to feed, training tips, you name it and there is probably a sticky already made on the subject.

Good luck and please be patient with these precious little puppies!

Great Post.

Great Post!

Excellent thread Crystal. Just bumping it up:)