new Yorkie baby! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

NCR08 · 05-27-2012, 12:45 PM

I'm a new Yorkie owner, Mollie. I've had her since February, when we rescued her from a neglectful owner. She was very malnourished, unclean, etc. I didn't think she would live! She is almost 3 years old, and just precious, gaining weight, and seems to be very healthy now, and melts my heart!
I was hoping to get some helpful advice on caring for my baby girl. I've come to learn Yorkie's require a lot of extra care than most dogs, starting with their hair!
For starters, she has terrible dry skin. It's red and flaky and causes her to scratch... Until she has several sores. I've been using oatmeal shampoo, as recommended, but it doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions? And economical... I'm def on a tight budget. Also, it seems impossible to house train her, any tips or tricks?
Guess that's all I have for the moment... But please post any extra advice you would give to a new Yorkie owner!

Joyce Adams · 05-27-2012, 01:34 PM

Hello and welcome, there are several articles on yorkie care. Just check out the stickies at the top of the main page and you can get lots of info.

navillusc · 05-27-2012, 01:36 PM

Hi! Congratulations...and thank you for helping this sweet little girl!

I personally do not like oatmeal shampoo for my Yorkies...I have read that is has a drying effect on them, also. You could give her coconut oil and put it on her skin and hair...rinse the excess off...organic virgin coconut oil not from COPRA, of course...mine love it as do I.

I make my own finishing spray...still experimenting, but I do put a little bit of coconut oil in the solution. I spray it on, gently massage it in, then rinse out, after which they get blow dried with their own doggie dryer.

There are a lot of great shampoos...I always make shampoo into a solution...it cleans better, it seems to me and no scrubbing...plus it is very cost effective. (Like that 'corporate' word...lol?) I keep intending to order Minksheen but it seems like everytime I have it in my cart, my browser crashes. The joys of internet computing, huh? lol

As to house training...consistency..schedule...you set it, she keeps to it...lol...hopefully. Plus, always tell her 'the word' for what she's doing at that moment (Helen Keller...remember? lol) and she'll learn an amazing vocabulary.

Good luck!

LunasMomma · 05-27-2012, 02:59 PM

Welcome to you and your baby

SO glad you got her out of that terrible situation.

Sorry to say, but your Mollie should probably see a vet. If she is scratching to the point of giving herself sores, there could be something that needs medication. My two are highly allergic to fleas and will develop a secondary skin infection if it's left too long without vet care. They get an anti-inflammatory shot to stop the itch cycle.

What kind of food are you feeding her? This may have something to do with her dry skin, as well.

YorkieMommieof3 · 05-28-2012, 11:09 AM

Until. Your little one sees the vet put some plain neosporin on the raw areas to prevent infection. There are a lot of skin issues with the breed. Is she loosing hair or having bald spots?

MamaZiggy · 05-28-2012, 11:39 AM

^^ good advice above. Welcome to YT

NCR08 · 06-19-2012, 07:30 AM

She does have bald spots on whichever spot is bothering her. Usually lasts about a week. But I took navillusc advice, using coconut oil, and also adding a but of slow and liquid vitamin E. Which has helped, big time. Her skin is much better.

But, I have a new problem since... FLEAS! I used an otc flea drop, she had a terrible reaction. I've heard of people using natural lemon and line juice. Has anyone else tried this? How well does it work?

NCR08 · 06-19-2012, 07:31 AM

I meant, after coconut oil, a bit of aloe. Using my phone... Auto correct sucks haha.

rubymoon2072 · 06-19-2012, 07:46 AM

try flea treats.com...all natural and it has worked great for me so far. there are also natural oils you can mix with water ....i use 10 drops of pure organic lavender oil with water and spray mine down before going outside. you have to do it everyday though. the fleatreats take a month or so before fully active so i used the lavender water as back up until that point but so far so very good and no reactions like with the toxic topicals.

LunasMomma · 06-19-2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubymoon2072

try flea treats.com...all natural and it has worked great for me so far. there are also natural oils you can mix with water ....i use 10 drops of pure organic lavender oil with water and spray mine down before going outside. you have to do it everyday though. the fleatreats take a month or so before fully active so i used the lavender water as back up until that point but so far so very good and no reactions like with the toxic topicals.

I have to say that the Flea Treats work great for helping the skin to heal and the hair to regrow. Been giving them to mine for about a month now and my poor Luna had some small bald spots on her rear end from the scratching and skin infection. The hair is just about filled in now

! I have no idea if the treats will actually work to repel fleas, so I'm also using K9Advantix II on them. I am taking NO chances after the fight we had to get rid of them. You also have to treat the environment (house, furniture, beds, blankets,yard, launder all fabrics in hot water and dry on high). It is a back breaking process but it's the ONLY way to get rid of the fleas for good. Search the forum for lots of methods to kill the little suckers!!!!

NCR08 · 07-08-2012, 07:30 PM

Back to the drawing boards... Her skin is worse than before. Tonight she has scratched an open sore in her head about 2 inches long, give or take. It's bloody. I've put neosporin on it and wrapped gauze around her head just to hold us over until I can get her to the vet in the morning. Gonna be a long night as I plan on watching to keep from scratching.

She's a huge blessing, but so so many problems and much maintenance than most dogs.

gracielove · 07-09-2012, 03:01 AM

I realize you don't have much money but this dog is suffering. The fact that her skin is in such poor condition suggests she has more than one problem. It is more than possible she has worms and possibly ringworm. There is also the possibility of heart worm. With her skin in such bad condition she probably also has a flea allergy. Most generic flea meds are a waste of time. I would not put a topical flea remedy on her anyway with her skin as bad as it is. There is a good oral flea med that is called Comfortis. It is given monthly. It is available at vets and online.

She needs a good quality of food that also contains an omega 3 supplement. Until she is parasite free and has been treated for any other illnesses she is not going to get better. Do her a favor and get her to a vet. If you cannot afford to give her the proper care then you need to consider just how much you are really able to help this little dog. A responsible pet owner has to be able to provide the needed medical care for their animals. I hope you will do what is best for this pet.

NCR08 · 07-09-2012, 03:21 AM

Yes, I understand, and I am taking her to the vet as soon as I get out of class this morning. I'm a college student, so it is a little hard to give as good of care that she needs, but for now, my parents are wiring money for today. And you're right, I plan on giving her to my parents until I finish school, that way she will have the care that she needs while I'm not able to do that. She sure requires much maintenance that I'm not able to keep up with at the time.

LunasMomma · 07-09-2012, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCR08

Yes, I understand, and I am taking her to the vet as soon as I get out of class this morning. I'm a college student, so it is a little hard to give as good of care that she needs, but for now, my parents are wiring money for today. And you're right, I plan on giving her to my parents until I finish school, that way she will have the care that she needs while I'm not able to do that. She sure requires much maintenance that I'm not able to keep up with at the time.

Aw, sorry to hear that Mollie's skin got worse again

I think letting your parents care for her while you're in school is a wonderful idea

These little ones are fairly high-maintenance at times.

I hope Mollie is all better very soon

gracielove · 07-09-2012, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCR08

Yes, I understand, and I am taking her to the vet as soon as I get out of class this morning. I'm a college student, so it is a little hard to give as good of care that she needs, but for now, my parents are wiring money for today. And you're right, I plan on giving her to my parents until I finish school, that way she will have the care that she needs while I'm not able to do that. She sure requires much maintenance that I'm not able to keep up with at the time.

I'm so glad you are doing this. Once all her issues are detected and resolved hopefully she will do fine. You are doing the responsible and loving thing for this little one. It is great your parents are helping you.

05-27-2012, 12:45 PM	#1
NCR08 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: Albany, Georgia, USA Posts: 5	new Yorkie baby! I'm a new Yorkie owner, Mollie. I've had her since February, when we rescued her from a neglectful owner. She was very malnourished, unclean, etc. I didn't think she would live! She is almost 3 years old, and just precious, gaining weight, and seems to be very healthy now, and melts my heart! I was hoping to get some helpful advice on caring for my baby girl. I've come to learn Yorkie's require a lot of extra care than most dogs, starting with their hair! For starters, she has terrible dry skin. It's red and flaky and causes her to scratch... Until she has several sores. I've been using oatmeal shampoo, as recommended, but it doesn't seem to help. Any suggestions? And economical... I'm def on a tight budget. Also, it seems impossible to house train her, any tips or tricks? Guess that's all I have for the moment... But please post any extra advice you would give to a new Yorkie owner!

05-27-2012, 01:34 PM	#2
Joyce Adams Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,995	Hello and welcome, there are several articles on yorkie care. Just check out the stickies at the top of the main page and you can get lots of info. __________________ Have a great day... Mommy to Yoshi and Miss Priss

05-27-2012, 01:36 PM	#3
navillusc Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: FL, USA Posts: 2,767	Hi! Congratulations...and thank you for helping this sweet little girl! I personally do not like oatmeal shampoo for my Yorkies...I have read that is has a drying effect on them, also. You could give her coconut oil and put it on her skin and hair...rinse the excess off...organic virgin coconut oil not from COPRA, of course...mine love it as do I. I make my own finishing spray...still experimenting, but I do put a little bit of coconut oil in the solution. I spray it on, gently massage it in, then rinse out, after which they get blow dried with their own doggie dryer. There are a lot of great shampoos...I always make shampoo into a solution...it cleans better, it seems to me and no scrubbing...plus it is very cost effective. (Like that 'corporate' word...lol?) I keep intending to order Minksheen but it seems like everytime I have it in my cart, my browser crashes. The joys of internet computing, huh? lol As to house training...consistency..schedule...you set it, she keeps to it...lol...hopefully. Plus, always tell her 'the word' for what she's doing at that moment (Helen Keller...remember? lol) and she'll learn an amazing vocabulary. Good luck! __________________ - Cat Brody Mia BriaStormy

05-27-2012, 02:59 PM	#4
LunasMomma Izzy's Momma Too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 8,799	Welcome to you and your baby SO glad you got her out of that terrible situation. Sorry to say, but your Mollie should probably see a vet. If she is scratching to the point of giving herself sores, there could be something that needs medication. My two are highly allergic to fleas and will develop a secondary skin infection if it's left too long without vet care. They get an anti-inflammatory shot to stop the itch cycle. What kind of food are you feeding her? This may have something to do with her dry skin, as well. __________________ Tracy, Mom to Izzy and Luna

05-28-2012, 11:39 AM	#6
MamaZiggy YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Posts: 1,637	^^ good advice above. Welcome to YT __________________ Xolani mommy to Ziggy and Toby The two loves of my life

05-28-2012, 11:09 AM	#5
YorkieMommieof3 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2012 Location: Kernersville NC Posts: 164	Until. Your little one sees the vet put some plain neosporin on the raw areas to prevent infection. There are a lot of skin issues with the breed. Is she loosing hair or having bald spots?

06-19-2012, 07:30 AM	#7
NCR08 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: Albany, Georgia, USA Posts: 5	She does have bald spots on whichever spot is bothering her. Usually lasts about a week. But I took navillusc advice, using coconut oil, and also adding a but of slow and liquid vitamin E. Which has helped, big time. Her skin is much better. But, I have a new problem since... FLEAS! I used an otc flea drop, she had a terrible reaction. I've heard of people using natural lemon and line juice. Has anyone else tried this? How well does it work?

06-19-2012, 07:31 AM	#8
NCR08 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: Albany, Georgia, USA Posts: 5	I meant, after coconut oil, a bit of aloe. Using my phone... Auto correct sucks haha.

06-19-2012, 07:46 AM	#9
rubymoon2072 Cedric♥Lola♥Keylo Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Gilford, NH, USA Posts: 9,209	try flea treats.com...all natural and it has worked great for me so far. there are also natural oils you can mix with water ....i use 10 drops of pure organic lavender oil with water and spray mine down before going outside. you have to do it everyday though. the fleatreats take a month or so before fully active so i used the lavender water as back up until that point but so far so very good and no reactions like with the toxic topicals. __________________ Cedric N Lola N Keylo RIP Punkee Princess

07-08-2012, 07:30 PM	#11
NCR08 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: Albany, Georgia, USA Posts: 5	Back to the drawing boards... Her skin is worse than before. Tonight she has scratched an open sore in her head about 2 inches long, give or take. It's bloody. I've put neosporin on it and wrapped gauze around her head just to hold us over until I can get her to the vet in the morning. Gonna be a long night as I plan on watching to keep from scratching. She's a huge blessing, but so so many problems and much maintenance than most dogs.

07-09-2012, 03:01 AM	#12
gracielove YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NY Posts: 6,582	I realize you don't have much money but this dog is suffering. The fact that her skin is in such poor condition suggests she has more than one problem. It is more than possible she has worms and possibly ringworm. There is also the possibility of heart worm. With her skin in such bad condition she probably also has a flea allergy. Most generic flea meds are a waste of time. I would not put a topical flea remedy on her anyway with her skin as bad as it is. There is a good oral flea med that is called Comfortis. It is given monthly. It is available at vets and online. She needs a good quality of food that also contains an omega 3 supplement. Until she is parasite free and has been treated for any other illnesses she is not going to get better. Do her a favor and get her to a vet. If you cannot afford to give her the proper care then you need to consider just how much you are really able to help this little dog. A responsible pet owner has to be able to provide the needed medical care for their animals. I hope you will do what is best for this pet.

07-09-2012, 03:21 AM	#13
NCR08 YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: May 2012 Location: Albany, Georgia, USA Posts: 5	Yes, I understand, and I am taking her to the vet as soon as I get out of class this morning. I'm a college student, so it is a little hard to give as good of care that she needs, but for now, my parents are wiring money for today. And you're right, I plan on giving her to my parents until I finish school, that way she will have the care that she needs while I'm not able to do that. She sure requires much maintenance that I'm not able to keep up with at the time.