1st time yorkie owner needs helpppp

[d0llface22]

Hi everyone I am a new owner of a Yorkie puppy who I named Teddy. My boyfriend bought him for me as a surprise gift this week. He will be 10 weeks old this Tuesday. His breeder had him on Royal Canin and Science Diet wet food. She told me to keep him on wet food until I see the Vet before I feed him any dry food. Teddy will be getting his first shots this Monday. Teddy's stool has been soft which has me concerned and his urine a bright yellow. He refuses to drink water so today I bought a syringe and am feeding the water to him thankfully his urine is now becoming a much faint yellow. I read the bright yellow might be from being dehydrated so I'm hand feeding him water now. I've been feeding him 4 times a day like the breeder told me at 8am 12 pm 4 pm and again at 8 pm. I've done some research on dry dog food and I really would like to get Teddy on it asap for his teeth and more solid stool. I know the vet may try to get me to keep him on science diet or Royal Canin because they are paid to do that but I've been googling the ingredients and I really would like to buy him something else with no by products. I've read up on Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Solid Gold, Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild but not sure which is best. Also Teddy's been nipping at me and chewing on everything. I bought him a stuffless squeak toy and a rubber bone. I tell him ouch and no when he bites sometimes he stops other times he won't. I have him sleeping in a bed I bought for him and I'm now having second thoughts. I just ordered a crate online. He's been getting up at all hours and has me up all night not because he's crying but because he has to go potty on his wee wee pad and I am cleaning up after him. I know this is a lot of questions but I'm desperate for any helpful tips and any advice. I already feel like a bad dog owner because he's been nipping and because of his diet. I wish I was better prepared . At the moment I'm giving him wet food Royal Canin. Please any advice and info would be great. Thank you.

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by d0llface22

Hi everyone I am a new owner of a Yorkie puppy who I named Teddy. My boyfriend bought him for me as a surprise gift this week. He will be 10 weeks old this Tuesday. His breeder had him on Royal Canin and Science Diet wet food. She told me to keep him on wet food until I see the Vet before I feed him any dry food. Teddy will be getting his first shots this Monday. Teddy's stool has been soft which has me concerned and his urine a bright yellow. He refuses to drink water so today I bought a syringe and am feeding the water to him thankfully his urine is now becoming a much faint yellow. I read the bright yellow might be from being dehydrated so I'm hand feeding him water now. I've been feeding him 4 times a day like the breeder told me at 8am 12 pm 4 pm and again at 8 pm. I've done some research on dry dog food and I really would like to get Teddy on it asap for his teeth and more solid stool. I know the vet may try to get me to keep him on science diet or Royal Canin because they are paid to do that but I've been googling the ingredients and I really would like to buy him something else with no by products. I've read up on Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Solid Gold, Natural Balance and Taste of the Wild but not sure which is best. Also Teddy's been nipping at me and chewing on everything. I bought him a stuffless squeak toy and a rubber bone. I tell him ouch and no when he bites sometimes he stops other times he won't. I have him sleeping in a bed I bought for him and I'm now having second thoughts. I just ordered a crate online. He's been getting up at all hours and has me up all night not because he's crying but because he has to go potty on his wee wee pad and I am cleaning up after him. I know this is a lot of questions but I'm desperate for any helpful tips and any advice. I already feel like a bad dog owner because he's been nipping and because of his diet. I wish I was better prepared . At the moment I'm giving him wet food Royal Canin. Please any advice and info would be great. Thank you.

Our Bella started on dry Royal Canin puppy kibble for Yorkshire Terriers and did great. It's a small kibble and easy to chew and swallow. We switched her to Blue Buffalo when she got a little older. Since Bella is our only dog, we allow her to feed freely during the day, and she regulates her eating fine. You're doing the right thing about the biting. Just say "Ouch!" and pull your hand away and hand him the rubber nylabone or a rope bone to chew on instead. Eventually he will get the point, although you may have some problems with nipping until he's finished teething around 6 months. We crate trained Bella as soon as we got her, and she caught on quickly to potty training. We have her trained to go indoors on a potty pad, which we change every day.

[d0llface22]

Thank u so much for responding. He is really good with the wee wee pads and only goes potty on there I will definately be using the crate when it arrives. I'm going to give him the bones when he bites thats a great idea. Thanks again

[yorkietalkjilly]

He's just a tiny baby who has little ability to hold his urine/poop and cries often because he yearns as an infant to be near and sleep with his pack/his mommy for security and nurture as canines instinctively do. It's perfectly normal for a dog to want to sleep touching or very near a pack mate. I'd move his bed or crate to a chair and set it right beside my bed or put him in a hardshell airline carrier that goes in your bed so he will be able to sleep near you - his only pack member now. He won't cry trying to call his pack to him if he's with you as is normal for a dog.

I've heard from many breeders that changing a very young puppy's food is not a good idea until he's a bit older as the changeover can upset their GI system, give them diarrhea or cause vomiting and fluid loss. And when you do make the change, gradually add only a bit of the new food to his old food a little at a time so as not to upset his GI system.

He's biting because young dogs bite and nip at everything and are usually teething and biting eases their gums. A frozen wash cloth may be soothing to offer him to chew on or offer him squeaky toys or appropriate things to chew on when he bites you. Once he's a bit older, when he bites hard you can say "No bite!" and gently hold his tiny muzzle for a couple of seconds, until he's unhappy. He won't like that but he will soon learn not to bite like that so as to avoid his muzzle being held onto. Others say squealing or screaming out stops their dogs from biting hard but it only excites mine and they want to bite more out of excitement! lol.

In order to housebreak him, you'll need put him on a confinement schedule to in a crate to keep him in when you can't be watching him in order to encourage him to hold his urine and poop and keep him from soiling your floor. Use one of the good housebreaking schedules that gives you specific times for feeding, pooping, playing/exercising, cuddling and back in confinement until the next free period out of the crate. Our YT Library here has some good Housebreaking schedules and tips.

[Lovetodream88]

It's a myth that dry food is better for there teeth brushing there teeth is the best thing for teeth. He is nipping because he should still be with his mom until 12 weeks and she would teach him about biting and other things. He should be in a crate at night so he can't potty every where and so he stays safe and dosent get hurt. Make sure you put the crate where he can see you and he may cry the first couple of nights but only take him out to potty. Royal Canin is an excellent food they actually have vets on staff and test there food to make sure it works right and most of the "holistic" brands everyone says are so great don't. I would not switch his food for at least a month. Also don't take him to parks, pet stores or any dog heavy traffic places until he gets all of his shots. You will need a few more chew teething toys and probably a play pen to keep him in when you can't watch him. Also make sure if you use a collar it is only for id tags and if you using the leash you use a harness. You may also want to look into pet insurance that covers genetic issues.

[yorkietalkjilly]

He could be avoiding drinking his water due to the bowl. Many tiny Yorkies are a little or a lot fearful of bowls and an upside down lid or saucer works well. He needs to drink on his own so keep offering the water to him in the container and try to get him to take it on his own. But until then, keep on syringing in his water as needed so he won't get dehydrated. Generally speaking, most pups need about 1/2 - 1 oz. water per pound per day. You can measure that amount out and be sure he gets that amount each day and not way under or way over.