Anxious, Nervous, & Excited...What am I to do?
 

Hello to all the YorkieTalk pros out there!

My name is Brooke and I am about to become a first time yorkie owner:D. I am so excited but anxious to get my little handsome boy. His name will be Aniko which is Hebrew for Grace or Favour. Anywho, I feel very prepared for him as far as supplies are concerned, I have top notch grooming supplies thanks to reading some of your prior posts and suggestions, I have purchased some things from Jenny at toplinepet.com. I have a harness and a collar (for ID purposes). The Dog food I have decided to use is Wellness Super5mix Just for Puppy. Well, you get the picture now, huh:)! Well the whole purpose behind this post is I would like to know anything you have found useful to have on stand-by, even personality or temperament related. (Like I read on one post where it is good to have a soft collar...I believe someone is selling it that is a member of yorkietalk...a Kiss-E Collar?) Well, info like that would be great to know, even toys or clothes you couldn't live without. And just to let you guys know I will be litter box training Niko (for his benefit, not mine). Have anyone here had luck with it?

Well thanks so much for your time and eyes!
Have fun and be safe with your furbabies and skinbabies alike!;)[/FONT][/FONT]

Welcome to YT and a fellow Floridian. I'm sure you'll do great. I'm excited for you also. I just love these babies. Make sure you have Nutrical on hand and have a trusted good vet that you can go to. There are so many things on here that will help. Good luck and post lots of pictures!

Hello and welcome to YT. You will find a wealth of information from this site. The members are great and very helpful in all situations. Good luck and post pictures of your new little one!!

When I got Lula I crate/outdoor potty trained her. I wish I did indoor when I got her instead.
She was doing fantastic with no accidents and then winter hit and she couldnt potty outside. She started having accidents and I had to train her to do what I trained her not to do, go potty in the house.
It was a struggle for quite sometime.

I got her a "potty patch" and its fantastic.

Aside from that the only thing I would have done differently when I first got my dog is that instead of 1 week I would have taken 2 weeks off from work.

I am lucky to have a happy, healthy, well adjusted..... best friend who is a professional dog trainer :P

Best of luck and Congratualtions!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Puppydom. I now have my first dog and he's 15 months old now. He's the love of my life! I have outfits to keep him warm, and a definetley a rain coat for rainy weather. You will learn as you go along, and this site is wonderful and so are the people here. A good vet is your best friend, find one that works with Yorkies, or knows about them. Good luck and enjoy your new baby.

If you are considering indoor training, you might consider getting a "potty patch" or similar product. I love our potty patch and so does Rylie. I think it is easier than my cat's litter box, but that is just me. In addition, I don't have to worry about Rylie eating litter. They get into a lot of stuff you wouldn't imagine. :p

Congrats on your new baby! :D

Hi and Welcome to you and Aniko. You'll love it here they have some great people.

Welcome to YT. :)

:yorkietal:welcome4:Welcome & congratz on your baby!

Welcome to YT. Your "real life" is just beginning!

Congrats! I'm also in Fl...and also a soon-to-be momma! :D Good luck with Aniko, and maybe we'll find ourselves sharing questions pretty soon!

You gals are great!!!
 

Thank you so much for all of the helpful advice....it is very appreciated! You all have such wisdom...which I am sure comes from sharing life with a wonderful companion!!:aimeeyork I am also happy to see some Floridians on the site...I can smell a meet up/ playdate in the future. I will definitely take all of your advice into consideration. :D. I went to the store and bought some Nutri Cal today! So I am READY:p! I have plenty of pictures of him as he develops...the breeder has been excellent with keeping me up to date with his status and development. So if he looks kinda young its because they are from weeks ago LOL! I am just praying that my baby will look as handsome and well kept as your little beauties!

POTTY PATCH USERS:
I did want to ask to those who have a potty patch how long did it take to train successfully as well as the cleaning and maintenance of the artificial grass? I have read many reviews that were more like horror stories...including the dog chewing the grass or the grass falling apart.

Thank you guys once again for the warm welcome and great advice.
Blessings Your Way!
Brooke

I find it easy to clean. its all plastic so you can really just hose it off.

I use a pee pad under the grass, just pull the pee pad out, toss it, replace it. done :)

Since I had orginally trained my dog to go outside It was a struggle to get her to use it at first. She will go on her own but likes it better when I take her to the patch (she gets a treat after).
I wish I did this first.

I never had any issue with her chewing or taking it apart.

Congrats!!! The first couple weeks will be an adjustment period for you both.....esp. at night...depending on whether you're going to put him in an x-pen, etc...or let him sleep with you.....he may have a hard time sleeping alone. Yorkies are very social and tend to get attached very quickly...so sleeping alone at night can be challenging...but very manageable.

I always let my babies sleep with me..and never had problems other than having to get up in the night and let them use a potty pad....no way I was going outside at 3 in the a.m...:rolleyes:

If you put his x-pen...or whatever you use for him to sleep in...near you at bedtime...where he can smell or even see you....he might sleep easier at night. Don't give up...and don't expect everything to be perfect immediately...because that's not always the case.

However being 'owned' by 3 yorkies has been a privilege and I for one wish I had done it years earlier!!! Best of luck with your puppy! You're at a great place for help and advice!:D

Hello and welcome - I'm sorta new too ... I too have gained so much information from this forum - I love it. I go home and tell my son things I've learned because he has a Yorkie too and he looks at me like I'm crazy half the time. (lol)

My Kody is now 14 weeks and I must say the first 3 weeks were pretty interesting to say the least. Him getting use to us and vice versa. I crate Kody at night and am training him to go outside. I never started the bed sleeping thing, for one I wouldn't feel comfortable and second my husband wouldn't stand for it. Kody's crate is beside my bed and he has become accustom to bedtime and goes in with no problem now. When I first got him and he was so small - the small crate was still too much room for him and I found out early I had to stuff it with a blanket and it worked like a charm - he felt more secure and snuggle right up to it.

Good luck!

Hi Sweetie...

Welcome!!! Someone said your real life is about to start and boy are they correct!!! Puppy raising is no joke, I am in the middle of it right now with my 4month old Reesie!!! It's so fun but it is VERY frustrating at some point. How old will Aniko be when he comes home??? BE SURE to have the following:
-GET TONS OF SLEEP NOW--the 1st few days/weeks your pup will have you up on some nights!!!
-CHEW toys and LOTS of them (he will nip)
-Bitter spray to spray on things you don't want him to chew
-An x-pen or crate to keep him contained when you cannot watch him or are out
-TREATS for good potties!!!
-A good harness and leash
-A good shampoo/conditioner (we use "Yorkie Shine" & "Buddy Wash" by Cloudstar)
-Nutrical for supplemental giving so he doesn't loose sugar level
-A warm, snuggly, comfy bed
-Fleece or baby blankets
-A good brush (puppies matt easily!!) looks like you got a Madan-AWESOME!!!
-Baby gate or some kind of barrier to close off parts of your house
-Toothbrush (we use an infant brush) & doggy toothpaste
-I'm sure there is much more that is slipping my mind :)

I attempted the litter box--zero luck, my Snickers never pottied in it. We have been very successful with outdoor training and we still do outdoor during the winter. We tried potty pads with my new pup Reesie for a bit but he ended up peeing all over the house so outdoors now for him too. He is doing awesome!!!!!

Yay!!!
Viv

I'm so excited for you. Yorkies are the most amazing, intelligent, loving dogs...you will be amazed and totally in love. Everyone's given tons of great advice. My thoughts: 1. Make sure to have a little nylabone or someting to put in his mouth instantly if he chews on something he shouldn't 2.Have some identical blankets that he will find comforting and soothing...one for the car, the pen, the family room, the bedroom...we just a cut a twin-size fleecy blanket into six small ones. 3. Each and EVERY time he bites you while playing or anything, screech "ow" and don't play with him for a minute. 4. Have one word for "no" that is startling and use it consistently. We use the dog whisperer word...like "ttccchhh!". Works like a charm and gets her attention instantly. 5. Enjoy every minute and love on that sweet puppy! :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Life-Savers You Are!
 

@Famous, Wabbit, Jinger, Locks-

Such great advice you are all giving. Basic info I forgot to mention (sorry):

1. The breeder is waiting until he is at a healthy weight...he was the smallest of the litter but it looks like he will fly in in about 1-2 weeks (11 weeks old)!
2. The breeder is a member of this forum...not sure if I should mention her name or not but she has been excellent and the pups are champion sired with a great pedigree, genetic testing/guarantee, etc.
3. I am using products such as Bio-groom and Madan. Also will be feeding Wellness Super5mix Just for Puppy. He already has a really cute x-pen, tons and tons of toys...found same toys from stores, online and much cheaper so I did splurge a bit more, a couple of puppia harnesses, shirts and bows, pedipaw filer, and the list goes on. (many of these things I bought due to reading other posts.)

I will definitely use some of the things suggested including the many blankets, making the crate comfy, toys, and sleeping close to me. Also the potty patch and using puppy pads underneath to make cleaning even easier! (GREAT IDEA!) I would not mind him sleeping with me... the only reason I am not is just for his benefit, I wouldn't want him to become too accustomed to that and something happens that prevent him from doing it. For instance, my fiance has had surgery and might have to go make for a tendon repair...he wouldn't be able to sleep with me then.

Well, once again thank you for all of the advice...if I left anything else out I will mention it.

:p Brooke

Dog First Aid kit
A Play Pen (one for home and travel I have Best Pet soft sided in medium)
Nutrical/Karo
ACV-Apple Cider Vinegar-regular treatments internally externally
Raised Feeder (love ones on thebellacottage.com beautiful, quality and cheap price)
Zuke's Mini Naturals for training-chicken breasts works great too.
Dog car seat buckle attachment that goes from clipping on the harness to buckling into a car buckle like a seat belt would.
Crate for a bed in play pen and night sleeping with a soft bed in it
Dog blankets for car and home-train for car rides early...
Dog shoes-many parasites loves getting on pups feet
SOFT chewy toys for teething (I love the Pet Stages Rag Rope Ball, Kong, and Orca)

Fly at 11 weeks?...hmmmmmm most airlines won't allow for pups under 12 weeks to fly...which airline is that? How's he flying, cargo, carrier? I'm being nosy out of curiosity.

Check out this post for litter training. it is the system I use and I'm a huge fan of it.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/tra...while-ago.html

We've lived in apartments and just can't get him out fast enough, so he uses this, if you start right away it's actually not hard at all to get them used to it. and it's cheaper than pittle pads, and smells less than the potty patch.

Maybe you should take a 2nd look
 

Actually there are plenty of airlines that allow puppies to fly at 8 weeks. Not saying it is right just suggesting you take a second look. ;)

I did but what I found was most specified a difference in age between puppies and smaller breed puppies...they recommend 12 weeks some said 14 for smaller breeds...but I see now they just say it as a friendly suggestion (nice some do that at least) and then they fly them anyway as long as they are 8 weeks old...:(

I'd be terrified that young...I had two dogs flown to me. One was 2 years the other almost 19 weeks (I think). I had to have them shipped partial cargo in a climate controlled cabin with an attendant there, then they were picked up by and independently operated kennel that contracted with the airline and they took them out walk, fed, cleaned kennels, made sure they had the chance to potty and were still "well" and then they were shipped together via supervision (like they didn't ride on someone's lap but the kennel has an attendant on the flight-only for large flights and you have to schedule it quite in advance I guess-I had to wait to get my dogs via winter restrictions and so it was plenty of notice). made sure that even in the loading process my dogs were not taken outdoors...the contracting kennels ensure they are loaded indoors and safely (they put zip ties on the kennel doors). It cost me a couple hundred extra but I think it was well worth it. I'd not opt to ship again though...things we learn right.

Hi and welcome to YT. I too am new here, but am on the site everyday getting suggestions, tips, etc. Can't wait to see pics of your new baby.

Waiting
 

:) You are about to have the time of your life!!!! Congratulations. Cannot wait to see the pictures of this little boy.

Just be prepared to know what to do in case of emergency, map to ER vet, a few emergency responses - all those things, not to be negative but you want to be so ready for everything, including safe transport in the car, etc., just like with a baby!

Keep your camera near you always as all of these early pictures will become priceless before too long. Yorkies change appearance so quickly so having lots of baby pictures all along is so much fun. Get someone to take pictures of you with your baby, too, as sometimes we don't have nearly enough pictures of us with our little ones as they grow - and much later, you will wish you did. Be prepared for the first bath when that time comes down the road and try to stay as relaxed as possible during it as it can set the tone for how they react down the line.

Hope the wait is not too awful for you as the clock ticks very slowly when waiting for a Yorkie!!!