Preparing for new arrival... Help!
 

So, I'm getting really excited for the arrival of Rio (soon to be Brody). :yay_jump:I'm just now realizing this is going to be a lot harder than it looks!! I've spent most of the weekend thinking, talking, or shopping about his arrival!!! I'm just now realizing how many questions I have, and I need your help!!! :questione

1. I've already bought several things (toys, car seat, clothes, another food/water bowl set (same as Sophia's but blue. teehee!) But is there anything special that I need for a male yorkie that I wouldn't already have for my female?
2. I live in a 3rd floor apartment.... I'm just now realizing the logistics of carrying two down about 20 stairs (With two doors separating us from the outside!). I tried walking outside with Sophia in one arm and a pillow, to simulate Brody, in the other (I looked crazy!) ... and I could open one door, but not the second! Any suggestions will be appreciated!!!!! Sophia can walk up all the stairs, but i'd rather her not.
3. Walking 2 dogs.... Coupler or two leashes?? I bought a coupler and I bought another leash.. so I plan on trying both.
4. Feeding two dogs! Eek! Right now, he's on a different food than Sophia. Sophia has a sensitive stomach... and I really can't let her get any of his food. But she free feeds, and so does he. So what's the best way to keep them from eating each others food until I can gradually get him switched over?
5. Introducing the two!!! I've already decided we're going to introduce them at the park near my apartment, but my question is... who holds Sophia and who holds Brody?? I'm worried if Sophia sees me walking another dog, she'll instantly get upset. I feel like if it was someone else (like a friend), then she'll be super excited to play with another dog. But I don't really trust any of my friends to hold the leash.

:panic:

I'm sooo happy for you, congrats!! Sadly I can't help much as I still have 12 DAYS until Luma comes home. Hope everything goes lovely for you!!

Thanks!! I bet your super excited for Luma's arrival! We're still not sure when he's arriving yet.... but I just want to be extra prepared! :thumbup:

1. I've already bought several things (toys, car seat, clothes, another food/water bowl set (same as Sophia's but blue. teehee!) But is there anything special that I need for a male yorkie that I wouldn't already have for my female?
A Belly Band
2. I live in a 3rd floor apartment.... I'm just now realizing the logistics of carrying two down about 20 stairs (With two doors separating us from the outside!). I tried walking outside with Sophia in one arm and a pillow, to simulate Brody, in the other (I looked crazy!) ... and I could open one door, but not the second! Any suggestions will be appreciated!!!!! Sophia can walk up all the stairs, but i'd rather her not.

Puppy proof the balcony and put a potty patch or similar out there, or peepad train them. It will be too risky trying to carry a squirmy puppy much less with Sophia. Or get one of those pouch type carriers that you wear to put one in (there's a strap and snap to secure them with.).

3. Walking 2 dogs.... Coupler or two leashes?? I bought a coupler and I bought another leash.. so I plan on trying both.

I'd use two separate leashes to begin with, until the puppy learns to behave and you are sure they both really get along. Very hard to separate them if needed on a coupler.

4. Feeding two dogs! Eek! Right now, he's on a different food than Sophia. Sophia has a sensitive stomach... and I really can't let her get any of his food. But she free feeds, and so does he. So what's the best way to keep them from eating each others food until I can gradually get him switched over?
I don't think free feeding will work, unless you keep them separated all the time.

5. Introducing the two!!! I've already decided we're going to introduce them at the park near my apartment, but my question is... who holds Sophia and who holds Brody?? I'm worried if Sophia sees me walking another dog, she'll instantly get upset. I feel like if it was someone else (like a friend), then she'll be super excited to play with another dog. But I don't really trust any of my friends to hold the leash.

You can walk both at the same time. They'll be too busy walking to get in any trouble with each other. When they tire out a bit, let them sniff each other, at the first sign of trouble, pull them apart and start walking briskly again.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Thank you!

Well i have a suggestion for carrying up and down the stairs.
Get a small front pet carrier and you can use this to transport the smallest one when you need a free hand....

yes! that's a good idea too!

bf and I agreed to take them out together for awhile. I was just making sure if one of us was gone we had an action plan!

Here is my 2 cents as far as feeding. It will be best if you feed them regularly instead of free feeding them. Even if you eventually get them on the same food, you won't know who is eating and who is not.

I have an 9 month old boy who I was free feeding and he was not a great eater. I just got a retired show girl who was being fed twice a day. Upon her arrival, I changed my boy to two feedings and now he eats his food down like a champ. It may be that he thinks she will eat his food, which she would if I let her! Anyway, I feed them both at the same time and I sit between them. She snarfs her food down and then comes and sits on my lap. He nows finishes his bowl within a minute or two.

Best of luck with your new boy. He is adorable!

Also make a plan as to how you will handle any loose dogs that may come charging at you. I used to walk my four all together, but now, after a couple incidents, I have to take them one at a time. That way I can hold my pup and still have a free arm to try to protect us.

:eek::eek::eek::eek: How did I not think of that?!?! Thank you!!!!!! I love YT.

I tried putting Sophia on a schedule... I think I just gave up too soon. She gets hungry at night and it was frustrating, so I'd always cave. Boy can she eat :D. I might consider giving it another shot, if it makes things with Brody easier.

Congrats!!! So happy you were able to convice your bf to get a second dog :)

When does Brody arrive? Could you ask the breeder to send a blanket and a toy of his in advance? That will help Sophia get used to his smell and will make Brody feel at home when he arrives.

I would walk them on separate leashes for now. Until they have the same walking pace.

The courier is on vacation until the 1st. So we won't know until then!! But hopefully soon :D That's a good idea about the blanket, I'll ask!!

Yes it should help them both.

Do you have pictures of your new boy?!!

YOU BET!! I probably look at these pictures way too much :rolleyes:

The last one is the most recent :D

awwweee a Breny pup!!! I LOVE her puppies...they are so so cute!! Congratulations!!

How exciting! I know you can't wait for his arrival! Enjoy this special time!!!

I will try to help out all I can. I am still a fairly new Yorkie Mom only having KS 4 months, but I will see if I can add any advice.
1. I am not sure on the first question. I have never had a boy. But my first thought too went to those belly band things. I have heard so many YT'ers rave about those.

2. I think a carrier would be nice for when you have to walk up/down the stairs too. I can imagine 2 would be a handful. I have this carrier that I received as a gift and I could easily fit 3 of Katie Scarlett in there, so it might work for you to put them both in one together just to go up and down the steps.
Petmate Kennel Cab Soft-Sided Pet Carrier in Pink at PETCO

Or if you wanted them separate, what about a bag (like those Kwigy Bo's) to put Sophia in over your shoulder and then a smaller carrier you could tote for Brody?

3. I've never walked more than one dog, but all the dogs/owners we come across in the park that have 2 or more have those couplers and they look like they make life much easier.

4. Possibly feeding them in different rooms if they try to eat one anothers food? I know it may be tricky though with Sophia free feeding.

Sorry I wasn't too much help! But I do want to say Congratulations! I hope everything goes smooth for ya! :)

Thanks for the suggestions!!! :):):)

He is sooo adorable! Looks like you have gotten lots of great advice! Congrats on your new little man!

What i am doing with Yukio is placing him inside a crate with his bowl at feeding time...so that they other don't eat his puppy food. And also Mei Ling in another crate because sometimes she snaps at the other girls if they try to eat around her...idk why she has a slight food aggression towards Ting Ting but to prevent lunch/dinner time fighting i now crate Mei Ling...i can tell by her body language when she is going to have one of those food aggression episodes...my other 3 girls although each have their own bowl of food...they like to eat of of the same one...lol...once they are all full or so they will jump/climb on their futon and i pick up the bowls and let Mei Ling out...what is left will be put down for dinner....Yukio being that he is only 5 months old takes a little longer so i keep him in the small kennel until he is done....but sometimes he whines because he sees the girls on the futon so before i let him out i ask if he is done eating...and 90% of the time he is not...because he will pick up another kibble or two and i can hear him chomping away...then once he is done he whines a lot more...then i would let him out and pick up his bowl...he isn't shy about letting me know he is hungry....lol..i don't keep his food down because he is eating puppy food and my girls don't need the extra calories...especially Ting Ting...she can and would eat anything in site...she is food driven...she is a bit overweight so i have to cut back on her food...

i guess my suggestion would be to crate one or the other during feeding time.

Oh my goodness...he is just so precious! I love the first photo with the little sticky-uppie, white-tipped black tail! He is so black-and-white in it...he is gorgeous in all the photos, but the first one just hits my buttons! Maybe because his colors remind me of my wonderful little Yorkie-Poo of years past! Or maybe because I love the black-and-white color combo...or maybe its just because he is so doggone adorable...who knows? :p

I think you are just going to have so much fun with this boy...you can just see it in his eyes! :D

Grats. What a cute little guy. Love his coloring. Enjoy!

Congrats, he is too cute and his coloring is gorgeous...

like others said with more than one dog free feeding becomes hard to do. I had been free feeding a female for about a year when I got a male. Like a dummy I just kept one bowl out and filled when necessary. Then I noticed the female was getting fat and the male stayed skinny so I went to two bowls. I soon discovered feeding at a particular time after free feeding was not that easy to change to. The key is the dogs have to be hungry for it to start working. So the first few days the bowls would be put down at opposite ends of the room and they would not react, they would just sniff and try to see what the other had in their bowl. So after about 5 min of me watching the bowls I would take them back up and about an hour or two later I would try again. I think the first day they did not eat at all. It took a few days to get a routine going but eventually they realized that if they did not eat when the bowls went down it might be quite some time until they had a chance again. For them once a day feeding seemed to work the best and we settled into feeding in the early evening. The crate idea is great if your dog is used to being crated and is relaxed enough in it to eat. Crating one and feeding the other also might be a good idea. So don't be alarmed if it takes several days until they eat immediately after you put the bowls down. Good luck the puppy sure looks like a cutie.

Thanks for all of the compliments and suggestions!!:thankyou2

Sophia LOVES her crate. Sometimes she even jumps off our bed in the middle of the night to sleep in her crate :(. So I think I'll try feeding her in her crate.. and Brody separately. I think that might kill two birds with one stone. Getting them on a schedule... and getting them to eat their own food.

Brody is adorable! Congratulations :D It sounds like you are really prepared. Make sure to post pictures of him when he comes home!