YORKIE PUPPY CARE GUIDE - For New Parents!

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This version is a bit abbreviated due to the space allowance. The full version is available for free on our website. Again, we welcome you to print, highlight and use this document to insure the safety and happiness of you and your new Yorkie. However, please do not redistribute without permission.

The Supplies You Need (Guide part I)
Before you bring your puppy home, be sure you have the following supplies:
1. Small bag of recommended food. (We will provide you with the exact mix of your puppy’s diet as sometimes we make our own “formula” using two different protein levels) Don’t worry, we will explain it all.

2. Tube of Nutra Cal for Puppies (pet’s mart) administered in doses of 2cc each day after breakfast for at least 3 months. This is a high calorie supplement to head off hypoglycemia and give your puppy lots of energy as it grows.

3. Small stainless steel, non-tip food and water bowls.

4. Identification tags & collar. Your puppy will come micro-chipped.

5. A home and travel crate that's airline approved and will accommodate your Yorkie’s adult size. (You only need one crate) This crate will serve as your Yorkie’s new "den" at home, when traveling or riding to the veterinarian's office. His scent in the crate will provide comfort and a sense of security during these stressful times. If your puppy is being shipped, he / she will arrive in a hard crate.

6. Stain remover for accidental soiling. I recommend Nature’s Miracle

7. 1 stiff bristle Brush and 1 fine tooth comb. Daily combing is important to keep coat in shape and only takes a few minutes.

8. Dog shampoo (tearless), toothbrush and paste.

9. High-quality, safe chew toys to ease teething.

10. Flea, tick and parasite controls. We recommend Advantix-Multi available from us in 6 month packs.

11. Nail clippers.

12. Treats

Making a Home Safe
** Make sure ALL electrical cords are out of reach**
• Keep breakable objects out of reach.
• Deny access to electrical cords by hiding or covering them; make outlets safe with plastic outlet plugs.
• Safely store household chemicals.
• Keep the following house and garden plants out of reach: poinsettias, azaleas, rhododendrons, dumb cane, Japanese yew, oleander and English ivy among others.
• In the garage, be sure engine lubricants and other poisonous chemicals (especially antifreeze) are safely stored.
• If you own a pool or hot tub, check the cover or the surrounding fence to be sure they're in good condition.
• If you provide your puppy with an outdoor kennel, place it in an area that provides sun and shelter in the pen; be sure the kennel is large enough to comfortably accommodate your Yorkie’s adult size.
• There are several foods off limits to Yorkies. We advise you keep the kitchen off limits as well as the bathroom. Remember, if you drop an aspirin, your puppy will eat it…. Medicines can be deadly.

The First Days at Home
The ideal time to bring home a new puppy is when the house is quiet. Discourage friends from stopping by and don't allow overnight guests. First establish a daily routine and follow these steps:

Step 1: Before bringing him in the house, take him to the area in your yard that will serve as his "bathroom" and spend a few minutes there. If he goes, praise him. If not, proceed into the house but be sure to take him to this spot each time he needs to use the bathroom.

Step 2: Take him to the room that accommodates his crate—this restricted area will serve as his new "den" for several days. Put bedding and chew toys in the crate, leave the door open and line the area outside of the crate with newspaper, in case of an accident. Let him investigate the crate and the room. If he chews or urinates on his bedding, permanently remove it from the crate.

Step 3: Observe and interact with your puppy while he's acclimating to his new den.
This will help forge a sense of pack and establish you as the pack leader.

Special Puppy Concerns
Treat your puppy the same way you would your own infant: with patience, constant supervision and a gentle touch. The way you interact with your puppy at this age is critical to his socialization.

Use these tips:
• Don't bring home a puppy prior to vacation, we will always hold onto your puppy if your vacation is near. He needs to be acclimated to your normal, daily routine without any interruptions for at least a few weeks if not more.
• Supervise your puppy at all times and interact with him regularly.
• Be alert for signs (sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the bathroom, take him outside immediately.
• A young puppy has no bladder control and will need to urinate immediately after eating, drinking, sleeping or playing. At night, he will need to relieve himself at least every three hours.
• Don't punish an accident. Never push his nose in the waste or scold him. He won't understand, and may learn to go to the bathroom when you're out of sight.
• Praise your puppy every time he goes to the bathroom outside.
• Feed your puppy a formula designed for puppies. Like a baby, he needs nutritious, highly digestible food.

Meeting Resident Pets
Keep resident pets separated from your new puppy for a few days. After your new puppy is used to his new den area, put an expandable pet gate in the doorway or put your puppy in his crate. Give your resident pet access to the area. Let pets smell and touch each other through the crate or pet gate. Do this several times over the next few days. After that, give the resident pet access to the den area with your new puppy out of his crate. Supervise their meeting and go back to through-the-gate/crate meetings if trouble arises.

Feeding Your Puppy
• Proper nutrition for your Yorkshire Terrier is the key to helping him live a long, healthy life. The energy requirements of a puppy can be nearly twice that of an adult dog, and a puppy may not have the stomach capacity to eat enough food to meet his needs unless the food is specifically formulated to do so. It is imperative that your puppy is fed a proper diet consisting of an excellent quality puppy food. DO NOT USE A FOOD CONTAINING CORN as one of the 1st 5 ingredients…

Puppies experience their most rapid period of growth during the first six months of life. Use only a puppy formula for the 1st year. Overfeeding and weight gain can actually contribute to developmental bone problems. This makes managing food intake very important. Research has shown that puppies are at increased risk for developmental bone problems if they are overfed.

Yorkie puppy nutrition
Small-breed puppies have unique needs due to their small mouths, small stomachs and their growth spurt to adult size in a short period of time. That's why it's important to pack a lot of nutrition and energy into a small amount of food.

Feeding Instructions
Your new dog's first meals at home are very important. We are providing a few days of food for him / her. Please continue feeding this food until you run out. If you want to change his diet to another premium food, gradually move him from the old food to the new formula. Avoid intestinal upsets by using the following steps: **Changing food can be very upsetting to your Yorkie’s digestive system. Watch for lack of interest in the new food, weight loss, and diarrhea or constipation. If these occur, consult your vet immediately.

Day 1 - 3: Fill your dog's bowl with 75% of his old food and 25% of the new formula. Give your puppy 2cc of Nura Cal

Day 4 - 6: Mix the old food and the new premium formula in a 50/50 ratio.

Day 7 – 10: Feed your dog a mixture that's 75% new premium formula and 25% old formula.

Day 11: Feed 100% of the new premium formula.

Feeding Tips
Use the following guidelines to feed your new puppy properly:
• To determine each serving size, start with the daily amount recommended by the feeding guidelines on the pet food label and divide that number by the number of times a day (usually 3 times) you plan to feed your puppy.
• Serve the food at room temperature and remove the bowl within 30 minutes after he's done eating unless you are unable to feed 3 x per day. Prior to leaving, put a half serving of food in his food bowl to sustain him while you are gone throughout the day.
• After four months, you can feed a puppy twice daily on a regular schedule.
• Always provide your dog with clean, fresh water.
• Do Not feed table food / People food…. I only recommend a few types of treats…. Cheerios Cereal being our favorite or peanut butter teddy bears from Petco’s treat bar.

The Switch to Adult Food for small and large yorkies
A Yorkie reaches adult weight between 6 and 12 months. You can probably begin feeding adult dog food at 10 months although I make recommendations individually as the puppy matures. Please do not hesitate to contact us. Remember, we are a life line for you and your puppy throughout his / her lifetime. Never be afraid to call no matter the time or day. Your dog may not welcome the change at first, but don’t worry. Follow the exact same directions for changing the food discussed above.

**This is a combination of our unique experiences with training and working with dogs over a lifetime as well as basic information provided by Eukanuba, Royal Canine, and Diamond Pet foods. Please do not reproduce this without express written permission.

Southeast Texas Yorkies All rights reserved Copyright 2008

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Grooming Basics
No matter what your mother said, it's not just what's on the inside that counts--not, at least, when it comes to Yorkie care. Your dog's health and happiness also are dependent upon a well-care-for exterior--coat, ears, mouth and nails. It is imperative to start early with regular grooming, dental care, and nail clipping. trust me. even as a trainer, I have a 5 month old Yorkie that is just a toot when it comes to any of these things. You can give your Yorkie routine every-day care at home. And remember, we are just a phone call away, so never be afraid to call with a question or quick lesson. Also, don’t be afraid of the clippers, with some practice, you’ll be a pro in no time. It is always easier for me to explain grooming in person if possible, so give me a call for a session on grooming.

Regular brushing helps eliminate tangles and mats and helps your dog get accustomed to being handled. It also gives you the opportunity to check for ticks and fleas, lesions, lumps and changes in his skin and coat. Plus, if your puppy is never used to grooming, he’ll really give you or your groomer lots of problems. Pet-supply stores and catalogs sell a wide array of brushes for different coats and conditions. We are always glad to help with selection, etc.

Bath time
Thoroughly brush first. Place your dog in a tub or a basin with a nonskid surface. Hold your dog's collar firmly and slowly pour several pitchers of lukewarm water over his body, being careful to leave the head dry. Think of it like sink bathing your kiddos. They need a gentle hand and a constant eye. You CANNOT leave a dog unattended in the bath or on the grooming table. Soap your dog's body with a TEARLESS dog shampoo, then massage the soap into a lather, talking to your dog and praising him as you work. When his body is lathered, move to his head, being careful to keep shampoo out of his eyes, ears and mouth. Rinse and dry your dog's head, then rinse his body. When the water runs clear, Please rinse one more time just to be sure. Thoroughly dry your dog with towels. If your dog has healthy skin, you can dry him further with a hair dryer set on low or warm temperature. Ears must be dry inside as well, Yeast infections are a nasty business for Yorkies and tend to develop when the inside of the ears are not fully dried.

Small Yorkies need a bath at least every two or three weeks, except in the winter when twice a month probably will do. Larger Yorkies need bathing a bit more often. Of course, always wash when he is dirty or smells, regardless of when it was last bathed. My dogs always look for the biggest pile of yuck to roll around in, yours will do the same. Always bathe after this type of thing as those yuck spots can be harboring deadly bacteria.

Proper foot care will keep your doggie dancing and help prevent unnecessary pain and infection later on. Most dogs don't like to have their feet handled, so go slowly--one paw at a time--and make foot handling a part of playtime. Remove mats of hair from between the toes and pads of dogs with hairy feet; if ignored, the mats can become as hard as rocks. Then, using scissors, trim the hair between the pads and between the toes so it is level with the dog's foot.

Regular exercise on a hard surface may keep a dog's nails worn down. However, most Yorkies will need to have their nails clipped every few weeks. If the nails are allowed to grow, they may curl inward into the skin and cause a painful infection.

Use nail clippers designed specifically for dogs. One type, known as the guillotine style, has a round opening for the dog's nail and a blade that slides across to clip the nail. Another type works like a pair of scissors. This type puts less pressure on the nail and is more comfortable for the dog. Make sure the blades are sharp.

Trim only the "hook" end of the nail. Clipping a nail to short can be painful and may cause bleeding. Frequent trimming of a small amount of nail always is better than waiting until the nail is long. Never trim into the quick -- the live portion of the nail. If the nail bleeds, apply pressure with a napkin and apply a dot of bleed stop.

Ear care generally is the easiest grooming task. Unless your dog has ear problems, ear cleaning needs to be done only every few weeks--at bath time is best. Clean the outermost area of your Yorkie’s ears with a cotton ball or cotton swab dampened with water or baby oil. To clean further inside the ears and soften and remove wax, use an ear-cleaning solution. Warm the bottle of solution between your palms, then squirt the prescribed amount into your dog's ear canal. Gently massage the base of his ear. Remove any dirt or wax with a dry cotton ball. Again, be mindful to dry the ear well…

Yorkies: Socialization/Adjustment
Like children, puppies need a variety of positive experiences in order to become confident, well adjusted adults. As part of their upbringing, puppies should learn to get along with other dogs, children, and other people, and to accept the many strange sights, sounds, and experiences that are part of everyday life.)

Stages of Development:
We use a biosensory program to jump start the training process and improve trainability and development. Puppies pass through several developmental phases. Initial "dog socialization" begins in the litter. At 7 to 8 wks, puppies start to become more independent and ready to explore their environment. Around 8 to 10 wks, your puppy will probably enter a fear period. During this period, you will notice that your puppy sticks close to me when you visit and is easily frightened. Understand this stage does not indicate your dogs overall personality. We take the entire 15 week developmental stage to observe behavior. One visit will not provide an overall indication of personality. Please allow us to help with your selection if personality is important. That said, we are not pushy about this and will only advise if asked.

Once the fear period passes, at around ten weeks of age, your puppy will enter the juvenile phase. He will be more inquisitive and more wide ranging in his explorations. We really introduce the puppies to new experiences during this time! Please let us know early if your puppy will be often exposed to travel, children, other pets, ect as we use this information to specifically prepare YOUR puppy to your situation. The juvenile period will last until your puppy becomes a young adult. Watch your puppy carefully, though; some pups go through a second fear period around their fourth or fifth month.

When socializing your puppy, you must keep his health needs in mind. Until your dog's vaccinations are complete, he is at risk of catching Parvo, a widespread and deadly disease. All puppies leave with at least two rounds of vacs unless the puppy is being shipped. We use a vac schedule of 16 weeks for puppies being shipped and a vac schedule of 22 weeks if the puppy is sold locally. You should be extremely careful not to put your puppy down in public places until his shots are complete. Consult your veterinarian for advice about what else may pose a health risk for your puppy.

Getting Along With Other Dogs:
Yorkies have a language of their own. Using body posture, facial expressions, and vocalization, they communicate fear, anger, aggression, submission, playfulness, and more. A puppy who grows up among other dogs will learn canine language and be able to communicate effectively. A puppy raised in isolation may misinterpret cues from other dogs, or inadvertently send signals that may anger another animal. Please be aware, a 2lb Yorkie will aggressively posture with dogs many times its size. It takes one bite and the “other” dog is not at fault. You are responsible for the signals your puppy sends. Understand, dogs communicate by posturing so it is best to keep your dog on a leash when unfamiliar dogs are present. Also, I have had Yorkie females who will fight to the death when in season. Please be aware females will fight and you cannot be afraid to get in there and pull them apart.

Also, like children, puppies need to learn appropriate social behavior. When puppies play, an overly enthusiastic nip will result in a yelp from another puppy. Persistent jumping on "mom" may result in a growl or snap of rebuke. In these ways, puppies learn the limits of play behavior. You will have to take on the roll of “mom” in teaching your puppy proper conduct.

Getting Along With Other Pets:
For many dogs, interaction with other types of pets can be much more of a problem than dealing with other dogs. This is especially true with small animals that run away (behavior which can trigger "prey instincts" in the dog). It's best to not take a chance on allowing dogs of any breed to play with small animals such as hamsters or rabbits. All of our puppies are raised with kittens as we have a farm and seem to perpetually have a litter of kittens….In fact, I think I have supplied all of the farmers in our area with cats for their barns…. Anyway, we do try to expose the puppies on a regular basis to the kittens since this seems to help with the preditorial instinct Yorkies have. Remember, Yorkies were bred as “Mousers,” so they will find mice and moles or anything else that scurries about and catch them….

Cats and larger pets are usually less at risk. If you have these pets in your home, your Yorkie should be introduced to them at an early age. Supervise the animals when they are together, and use praise or treats to reward your puppy for good behavior. (Don't forget to make the experience pleasant for the other pet as well.)
DUCK / water fowl FECAL MATTER is highly TOXIC to yorkies……

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Getting Along With People:
Since dogs must live in a human world, it's important for them to deal well with people. Early, positive exposure to lots of strangers, with praise or rewards for good behavior, will help your puppy grow up to become a well-behaved dog.

Invite friends to your home to meet and play with your puppy. Ask adults to crouch down and avoid sudden movements when meeting your puppy... from the pup's point of view, a human is HUGE. If you don't have young children of your own, invite friends' or neighbors' children. We also routinely expose our yorkies to both younger and older children. (Be sure to instruct children in how to handle the puppy, and always supervise play!) Puppies that are not raised around children can develop aggressive behavior toward children when they grow older. Small children, who tend to run around and make high-pitched squealing noises, frighten yorkies or prompt yorkies to growl and nip at them.

As soon as your Yorkie’s shots are complete, begin taking him to public places such as parks, where he can meet lots of friendly people. Also, make a point of introducing your dog to people of different ages and races, people in uniforms, and so on; dogs may become very wary when confronted with people who seem "unusual" in any way.

It's important to remember that you are teaching your puppy to be comfortable with people, and to behave himself around them. Behavior that seems cute in a puppy, such as nipping and jumping, is no longer cute when the dog is an adult! Whatever you don't want your dog to do as an adult, he should not be allowed to do as a puppy. Teach the puppy the behavior you want, and discourage the behavior you don't want. Gently but firmly correct unwanted behavior right from the start, and you'll have a well-behaved adult dog.

Your well-socialized dog can still be a good watchdog. Your dog is smart enough to distinguish between people who you welcome into your home, and people who should not be there. Your Yorkie will also be keen to noises before you hear them generally altering you if properly taught. I have two girls that will alter with a nudge and never make a sound. Barking is not the only way dogs communicate.

Dealing With New Experiences:
Everyday experiences can be very frightening for your Yorkie. A pan dropped in the kitchen, a vacuum cleaner, or a ride in the car can become traumatic events that the dog will try to avoid forever after.

To prevent this, introduce your dog to as many new experiences as you can think of. Use rewards and encouragement to make the experiences positive, so your dog doesn't develop fears. (Remember to keep new experiences very non-threatening, and avoid startling the puppy)

For example, to accustom your puppy to a vacuum cleaner, first allow him to explore and sniff it without turning it on. Praise him or reward him as he explores. Then, when your puppy is a comfortable distance away, you may start up your vacuum cleaner, stand near it, and call your puppy. If he approaches, encourage him and praise him, or give him a reward. Gradually encourage the puppy to come closer to the vacuum. Repeat this experience several times, with lots of praise and rewards, and your puppy will soon have no fear of the vacuum. Never allow your children to tease your puppy with vacuums, brooms, etc.

To get your puppy used to riding in a car, first get in the car with him and play with him, or give him a reward. On the next "outing," drive a few yards while someone holds your puppy and praises him. Work up to drives of a few minutes; keep them short so your puppy won't get sick. Afterwards, play with your puppy so he associates the car ride with a pleasant experience. Let me digress here for just one moment on this subject…. Most deaths in small dogs who are allowed to ride in cars are cause by either being slammed in a door or being accidentally run over. If you are going to allow your Yorkie to ride, as we do, always always always secure your dog prior to cranking the car or shutting doors. Also, crate your dog prior to leaving if she is not taking the trip to insure he doesn’t scurry out without being seen. Hurting your pet with negligence is incredibly devastating, so do be careful. If you have children, please make sure they are aware of the dangers that lurk in the driveway (for them a well, btw).

Other experiences to work on with your Yorkie include getting into his crate or kennel, walking on a leash, walking on different surfaces (such as tile, carpet, gravel, sand, grass, and snow), climbing steps, and hearing the doorbell and telephone ring.
You can use the same approach to accustom your puppy to experiences that might otherwise be ordeals for both of you! Try the reward approach when brushing your puppy, giving him a bath, and clipping his nails. You should also teach your puppy to let you handle his paws, his ears, his tail, and even open his mouth without a struggle. (Remember, start with very short sessions and use praise, play, or rewards to keep the experience fun.) This basic groundwork with your puppy will make life much easier when your vet needs to examine him!

Keep new experiences upbeat and positive, and your dog will soon be a confident and happy companion.

Please Contact us for Recommended Readings and further information on training….

Tips for Housetraining Puppies

Housetraining
As with most things in life, there are hard ways and there are easy ways to get things done. Rubbing a Yorkie’s nose in a mess is an inappropriate way to housetrain. This method DOES NOT teach anything. The dog has no idea what you are doing. Trust me, I grew up in the business and have seen things done “the old way.” Didn’t work then and doesn’t work now…. I will not sell a dog if I even get a hint the potential buyers doesn’t understand the problem with this kind of negative reinforcement. Using ample amounts of supervision and positive reinforcement is the easy way.

Yorkies can be hard to potty train, Every potential Yorkie owner needs to know that. NEVER, NEVER believe “15 week old puppies trained to paper or puppy pads” That is absolutely impossible… It may take several months for a small breed puppy to be completely trained as their bladder is the size of a small lima bean. Almost 100% of the time, breeders who say puppies are paper broken by 15 weeks or using a pet door are grossly over exaggerating and setting you up for unreal expectations……. I’ve been working with these dogs for many years…. I actively train my puppies every day, even using biosensor training from the first few days of life. I have NEVER had a puppy trained by 15 weeks!

Starting Off On the Right Track
The first course of action in housetraining is to promote the desired behavior. You need to:
• Designate an appropriate elimination area outdoors (same place every time)
• Frequently guide your dog there to do his business and give him your command (time to potty, etc)
• Heartily praise him when he goes

By occasionally giving a food reward immediately after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to eliminate in the desired area. The odor left from previous visits to that area will quickly mark it as the place for the pup to do his business.

Timing Is Important!
A 15-week old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally wait longer between outings. Most puppies should be taken out:
• After waking in the morning
• After naps
• After meals
• After playing or training
• After being left alone
• Immediately before being put to bed
• At least one time during the night

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Feeding Schedules
Most puppies will eliminate within an hour after eating. Once you take control of your Yorkie’s feeding schedule, you will have some control over when he needs to eliminate.

•Schedule your Yorkie’s meal times so that you will be available to let him out after eating.
•Avoid giving your puppy a large meal just prior to confining him or he may have to eliminate when you are not around to take him out.
•Have food available for only 30 to 40 minutes, then remove it. (this is recommended, but may not be possible depending on your daily schedule. Puppies cannot go without food from morning until you come in from work. Please schedule accordingly.
•The last feeding of the day should be completed several hours before he is confined for the night.

Expect Some Mistakes
Left on his own, the untrained puppy is very likely to make a mistake. Close supervision is a very important part of training. Do not consider your puppy housetrained until he has gone at least four consecutive weeks without eliminating in the house. For older dogs, this period should be even longer. Until then:
•Your puppy should constantly be within eyesight
•Baby gates can be helpful to control movement throughout the house and to aid supervision
•Keep them in the crate when unsupervised.
When you are away from home, sleeping, or if you are just too busy to closely monitor your pet's activities (which are all ok, so don’t feel guilty), confine him to a small, safe area in the home.

Nervous Wetting
If your Yorkie squats and urinates when he greets you, he may have a problem called submissive urination. Dogs and puppies that urinate during greetings are very sensitive and should never be scolded when they do this, since punishment inevitably makes the problem worse.

Most young puppies will grow out of this behavior if you are calm, quiet, and avoid reaching toward the head during greetings. Another helpful approach is to calmly ask your dog to sit for a very tasty treat each time someone greets him.

Direct Him Away from Problem Areas
Urine and fecal odor should be thoroughly removed to keep your dog from returning to areas of the home where he made a mess.

•Be sure to use a good commercial product like Nature’s miracle available at pet’s mart or online to control doggy odors and to discourage “those favorite spots” they tend to find under your bed. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for usage.
•If a carpeted area has been soaked with urine, be sure to saturate it with the clean up product and not merely spray the surface.
•Rooms in the home where your dog has had frequent mistakes should be closed off for several months. He should only be allowed to enter when accompanied by a family member.

Don't Make Things Worse
It is a rare dog or puppy that can be housetrained without making an occasional mess, so you need to be ready to handle the inevitable problems.
•Do not rely on harsh punishment to correct mistakes. This approach usually does not work, and may actually delay training.
•An appropriate correction consists of simply providing a moderate, startling distraction. You should only do this when you see your dog in the act of eliminating in the wrong place.
•A sharp noise, such as a loud "No" or a quick stomp on the floor, is all that is usually needed to stop the behavior. Just do not be too loud or your pet may learn to avoid eliminating in front of you, even outdoors.

Practice Patience
Do not continue to scold or correct your dog after he has stopped soiling. When he stops, quickly take him outdoors so that he will finish in the appropriate area and be praised. Never rub your dog's nose in a mess. I’m saying this again incase you missed the first time. There is absolutely no way this will help training, and may actually make him afraid of you. This is one of the most important parts of our questioning process for new buyers. We don’t always come out and ask straight away, but we do get a read sense of buyers throughout the process. Ill treatment happens the very most with regard to accidents. If you can’t handle them, puppies and kids are not for you. I’m not trying to be astute with this comment; however, I really have a problem with people blaming their pets or kids for poor potty training. It is all about your routine and consistency.

The basic principles of housetraining are pretty simple, but a fair amount of patience is required. The most challenging part is always keeping an eye on your active dog or puppy. If you maintain control, take your dog outdoors frequently, and consistently praise the desirable behavior, soon you should have a house trained Yorkies.

Crate training:
Training a puppy to be comfortable in a crate is a popular way to provide safe confinement during housetraining. The majority of puppies will rapidly accept crate confinement when you make the introduction fun. Since it is important to associate favorable things with the area where your puppy is confined, it is a good idea to play with him there, or simply spend some time reading or watching television nearby as he relaxes with a favorite chew toy. If he is only in the area when you leave, it becomes a social isolation area that he eventually may resist entering. Our dogs love their crates. When the kids are getting on their nerves, they head straight to their crate to relax. We rarely have to close a crate door for confinement.

Store his toys in his crate so he will enter on his own to play. You may even want to occasionally hide a treat in the crate as a nice surprise. Our crates are never associated with “punishment.” Without exception, our dogs and puppies can be sent to their crates with the door remaining open when told to “go to your room.” They know immediately that the behavior exhibited is inappropriate and must have a “time out” period. After a few minutes, we call them out and give them positive reinforcement. Sometimes they “peek” out to see if they are still in trouble.

You should not use the crate for periods that exceed the length of time the pet can actually control the urge to urinate or defecate. If you are gone for long periods each day, you will need to provide a larger confinement area. You may want to consider using an exercise pen or small room. We use exercise pens from Wire Dog Crate, Exercise Pens, Rawhide Bones, Chicken Dog Treats, Jerky, Pig Ears & Pee Training Pads. We use the 36” black with walk through gate

Taking Care of Your Yorkie’s Health

Finding a Veterinarian
Just like you, your new puppy needs high-quality health care on a regular basis. If you are local, we generally suggest you use our vet since he is familiar with your specific puppy. If you are not, ask a number of friends and your local humane society to recommend a veterinarian, then choose one with these factors in mind:

• Education and experience. Find out how long the veterinarian has been practicing and if he or she is a graduate of a well-regarded veterinary college.
• Specialty. In urban areas, it may be possible to find veterinarians who deal exclusively with the special problems of dogs and cats.
• Location. This factor should not override the areas of education, experience and specialty, but should nevertheless be taken into consideration. A drive across town during a medical emergency can be frustrating and delay needed treatment.

Spaying and Neutering
Spaying or neutering your new puppy is the right thing to do if you're not planning on breeding. For most pet owners, the expense, time and expertise involved in breeding dogs responsibly is beyond their reach. Here are some advantages to having your puppy spayed or neutered:

• For females, there is no mess to deal with during their 21-day heat cycles, which occur every six months—the heat cycle begins in females sometime after six months of age.
• Spaying a female before her first heat cycle will reduce the chance of mammary tumors or uterine diseases.
• Neutered males tend to be less aggressive than unneutered males.
• With a neutered male, the urge to mark territory may lessen.
• A neutered male is less likely to want to roam in search of potential mates.

When to spay or neuter
Dogs should be spayed or neutered by the time they are six months old. Both operations are performed under anesthesia and may require an overnight stay at the veterinarian's office. Recovery time is quick, with most dogs resuming normal activity in a few days. Spaying (for females) consists of an ovario-hysterectomy. Neutering involves the removal of the testicles.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR YORKIE’S WORLD
Puppies usually pass time or break the boredom by using their mouths, which may result in destructive behavior. Household destruction occurs because puppies are simply entertaining themselves. Sometimes we unwittingly contribute to a puppy's problem by improper training. Puppies are unable to determine the difference between old shoes and new shoes, or between stuffed toys and the corner of a stuffed couch. Likewise, tug-of-war games can set the puppy up to fail. A puppy or dog entertained by tearing a towel is tempted to attack curtains fluttering in a breeze.

• Choose a variety of good quality, safe products. When your puppy shows you what he likes, buy several more of the same type.
• Hollow rubber toys work well since biscuits can be wedged inside for your puppy to pry out. This gives him a job to do and helps keep his focus away from your possessions.
• Another way of keeping your puppy focused on putting his mouth on the toys is to teach him to play fetch.
• Never take proper chewing for granted. Take an active roll in rewarding desirable chewing with lots of encouragement and praise.
• Give your pet plenty of praise every time he chews on his toys. Occasionally give a small reward to strongly reinforce the behavior.

[SET Yorkies]

Until you can trust your puppy, he must be under constant supervision or confined to a safe area. A crate will keep him out of trouble when he cannot be watched. Rowdy will find every accessible sock in the house and pile them at the back door when we leave if he is not secured. Again, good example of spoiling you dogs. Everyone thinks it is cute except me since I have to pick them up, find the matches, etc.

Puppies: Basic Obedience
A puppy can learn a great deal, even as early as 7 wks, if learning is presented in the form of gentle play. Reward desired behaviors by offering toys, food and praise so the puppy wants to obey. Whenever possible, try to arrange the situation so he can't make a mistake. Never use physical punishment on a young puppy as you may damage him both mentally and physically.

Most puppies have short attention spans. The following exercises can be done several times a day. They take just a few minutes, but will make a tremendous difference in your Yorkie’s attitude. To establish a positive rapport with your puppy and prevent many future problems, start training a few days after your puppy settles in.
We can only offer very brief explanations here, but if you run into problems, give us a call. A puppy can start more formal obedience training at about four to six months of age.

Sit:
Move a toy or piece of food (the motivator) from a position in front of the puppy to a point up over his head and say "Sit". The pup will probably raise his head to follow the motivator and in the process, lower his rear end to the floor. You may gently help the pup at first by tucking his bottom under with your free hand. When he sits, praise the pup exuberantly and give him the toy or treat as a reward.

Wait:
Have the puppy sit. Say "Wait" and back away from the puppy, one or two steps. Praise the puppy for staying. After just a second or two, reward, praise, and release. Always reward the puppy when he's still waiting, not after he gets up, so he associates the reward with waiting and not the release. If the puppy gets up too soon, simply repeat the exercise. Gradually increase the time he waits.

Strut (Heel):
Get your Yorkie’s attention with a delectable treat at about his head level on your left-hand side. Say "Strut" or "Heel" or "Let's go" (choose one and be consistent) and walk briskly forward. Let the puppy munch a bit as you walk. Go only a few steps at first, then extend the range. Release the pup and praise him. As the puppy progresses, lift the food a little higher, but do not reward the pup for jumping.

Come:
This game takes two people, and is a great way to get your puppy excited about coming to you. Person 1 holds the puppy back while Person 2 tantalizes him by waving a treat or toy in his face, just out of reach. Then Person 2 runs away, calling "Rover, Come!" in an excited tone of voice. Person 1 releases the pup, who comes running wildly after Person 2! Person 2 rewards the dog with lots of praise and gives Rover the toy or treat she was waving.

When teaching a young pup to come to you, call him several times throughout the day around the house and yard, even if you don't want him to come for any particular reason. Each time he comes, praise and reward him. (You can keep some of his regular dry dog kibble in your pocket and give him one whenever he comes if you don't want to overload him with fancy fattening treats.) The puppy will think coming to you is terrific!

If you don't have an assistant handy, try this game. Have the puppy on a loose long line or flexi-lead. Show him a treat or toy. Call his name and then say "Come!" in an energized tone of voice. If he comes to you, reward with a toy or a bit of food and excited praise. If he doesn't come right away, tug gently on the leash and move backwards, away from the puppy. If you run towards him, he may think you are playing a chase game and run away from you!

Puppies: Teaching Good Manners
"A dog should be a pleasure to all and a nuisance to none," says well-known dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse. Teach your puppy the following commands in addition to basic obedience, and he will be much easier to live with. Practice these commands a few times a day in very short play-training sessions. I hear owners fuss sometimes because a family member or someone doesn’t want them to bring their dogs on visits. Couple of things to never take personal: 1. some people just doesn’t like your pet; please do not push this issue. 2. If your dogs pees on your mother-in-law’s sofa ever time you visit, there is only so much pee the sofa can soak up and she can take; again, don’t push this issue. My point, always be considerate of other people. There are no bad pets, just bad owners….. don’t be one!

Give:
To avoid unwanted aggression and guarding behavior later in life, train your dog to give you his prized possessions and even his food. The best way is to offer an exchange. Say "Give" and offer your dog a treat for his toy. The food offering will inspire most dogs to release the toy without struggle. Praise him heartily. Then give the toy back to him. Make it a fun game that he wins most of the time. Again, I too fall short sometimes with training. Rowdy (my 2lb’er) will fight my 6’ 2” husband over his food bowl. Guess who’s fault that is… My husband’s. It was cute when he was a puppy, not so cute now.

Get it / Leave it (Don't Touch):
Dogs who know the command "Leave it" will let things alone when asked. To make learning fun, play a game with your pup. Start the exercise with the dog sitting in front of you on a leash. With a handful of treats, offer him one at a time, saying, "Get it!" After two or three "Get its", offer him a treat, as usual, but this time say, "Leave it!" Of course he is going to go for it anyway because he doesn't know any better. When the puppy tries to grab the treat, give him a tiny bop on the nose with the same hand that offered him the treat, and repeat, "Leave it". As soon as the dog leaves the treat alone, praise him, saying, "Good Leave it!", then say, "OK. Get it!" and give it to him. Repeat the sequence four or five times in a row, saying "Get it" much more often than you say "Leave it." The puppy will think this is great fun and will probably catch on very quickly, learning to leave the treat alone when you say "Leave it".

Don't Pull:
A excessive jerking on a Yorkie’s neck. Also, Collapsing Tracheas can be a real issue, so proper leash training is very important. Meanwhile, use a retractable leash, such as a Flexi-Leash(TM), so the pup can have some freedom, but meets resistance when he pulls. If he lunges, simply turn around and walk the other way.

Off:
No matter what they say, most people do not like it when a dog jumps all over them. Jumping up can even be dangerous when a dog jumps on a small child. The simplest and safest way to teach a puppy not to jump up is to back up when you see the pup coming and say "Off!" Reward and praise the puppy once all its feet are on the ground. You can also tell the dog to "Sit" so he learns something positive to do when greeting strangers. When the puppy is older, more severe measures can be used if necessary. Try to be consistent!

Kennel:
A dog's kennel should be his safe place, his den, his refuge. Your dog can learn to go willingly into his kennel on command. Tantalize your puppy with a treat or toy, then put it into the kennel and say "Kennel" or "Go to bed", or "In your Kennel" (choose one and be consistent). At first, don't close the door. Just praise the dog for going in. When he's used to going in, start closing the door, at first just for a few seconds. Give the puppy a little treat through the bars when he's inside with the door closed. Extend the time he spends inside the kennel gradually. Never let him out when he's crying as that only rewards crying. When you let the puppy out, don't make a big deal out of it. You don't want coming out to seem better than going in!

Quiet:
When a person yells at his dog for barking, the dog thinks the human is barking too, joining the fun. "Quiet" is a difficult concept for dogs. The most successful strategy we've found is to train the dog to bark on command before training the dog what "Quiet" means. I rarely even have to say quiet in a loud voice. I generally never have to raise my voice.

Show the dog a treat, make a hand signal and say "Speak". You may have to bark a bit at your dog before he gets the idea, but eventually he will probably give you a bark or two. Praise and reward immediately and with great fervor. Try again until your puppy understands this entertaining game.

Once the dog knows how to bark on command, get him barking and then suddenly say "Quiet" and place your fingers to your lips. This strange action will probably stun your dog into silence. Reward and praise excitedly! Repeat several times a day for a few weeks until your dog knows it dependably. Later, when you yell "Quiet", the dog will know what you are talking about.

Summary:
A dog with good manners is a pleasure to live with and to be around. Training your dog to behave in a socially acceptable way is fun. Your family and guests will thank you, and you will be proud of your pet. Wouldn't it be nice to have a dog that stops barking when you ask him to, who doesn't jump up on people, who doesn't pull you down the street and who will give you even his most prized possessions without a grumble? It's all up to you...

Conclusion:
Training your puppy is enjoyable and worthwhile. You will develop a rewarding bond with your puppy and an activity you can do together even after the dog is grown. An untrained dog can be a pest, a problem and a even a danger. A well-trained dog is a good friend and an asset to his family and community.

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Thank you to SET Yorkies for posting this New Puppy Care Guide for YorkieTalk members!

The full version is available at the Southeast Texas Yorkies website here: South East Texas Yorkies - New Puppy Care

The guide is copyrighted by SET Yorkies and they welcome you to print, highlight and use this document to insure the safety and happiness of you and your new Yorkie. However, please do not redistribute without permission.