How to help your Yorkie live longer?
 

Have you had a yorkie live to be in it's late teens.? I love my baby too much and although he's only 3 yrs 9mo I can't imagine life without him.
Does anybody have any secrets to longevity?

Great question. I think genetics plays a big role, but in terms of environmental factors: activity, and loving life help a lot, in my opinion. My neighbor told me recently about he used to take another neighbor's poodle walking every day. He firmly believed he extended the poodle's life with these walks. The dog looked forward to them each day.

Physical activity has an obvious positive effect on the body, but it is also great for a dog's mind and spirit.

I agree with the genetics and the walks getting out in the fresh air and excercise regularly is very good for everyone human and pet

Also maintain a healthy weight obesity can lead to alot of health problems

Very good tip.

What do you guys think about vaccines? I've read over vaccinating may shorten their lifespan?

I think we can go by an old rule of thumb; what helps to make humans live longer is also what helps to make dogs live longer.

The order of these things can be up for debate; but;

1. Lots of love and enjoyment - You give the love, and you provide lots of opportunities for doggy enjoyment.

2. Excerise a lot and in a lot of different ways. Normal walks of course. But trick training and obedience training really exercises not only the body but their mind. Think of agility, discus, earth dog, tracking, flyball, dock jumping; the list is almost endless.

3. Routines are important. Good sleep - nice play times - good naps

4. Keep care of their teeth. Do dentals if necessary. ANd regular grooming. Ears, nails, paws. Always touch your dog everywhere regularly. Know their regular bumps and lumps all over their body. What is their resting heart rate; respiration? Then you do know when things change. Examine and by that I mean look at their eyes, inside their ears, and quite frankly their private parts.

5. Give lots of water all the time.

6. Find a good quality food that works for y our dog

7. Regular vet care - and also regular full blood panel done. This will hopefully catch anything early.

8. Train your dog for basic obedience. So many dogs get run over by cars, or bolt out the door to be lost for-ever.

9. Finally yes genetics do play an important role. But so does environment. And for the most part you have control over their environment.

And now my last word is, try to keep close to your breeder. You in particular want to know if any litter member is diagnosed with any health condition, or their sire or dam. A good breeder should keep in contact with you as well. And a good breeder wants to know over the lifetime of their puppies their health.

There are many diseases that don't rear their head until after 3 4 or even 5 years old. Thyroid disease is one. Heart, and eye disease is another.

I wish you a long and healthy life with your pup.

I do the minimum, weighing the risk and effectiveness of the vaccine vs the risk of the disease.

Rabies is required by law here every 3 years. We also do DHHP every 3 years, but I might stop that when they are older.

Great list, Gail. I really like your inclusion of water. It's my minor obsession. Water and plenty of potty breaks make for a healthy bladder and system. Water is essential to all of the vital organs including the heart and brain.

I read a long ago, in an article from a breeder talking to her future puppy owners, essentially something like it you find their water bowl empty, slap yourself on the forehead and immediately fill.

So I can get rather anal around water, I have water jugs in the car and in their crates, and in the kitchen, and in our bedroom. LOL

Plus I don't want them drinking the Lake water!!!

I love your list, Gemy. My little girl, Ashley, lived a month shy of seventeen. She had dentals every year and we walked a lot, which kept her heart and lungs strong and her mind stimulated. We also played a lot, and I was very proactive with her health and veterinary care.

This is a great question and I think about this often! Thanks for the tips Ladies!

One of mine lived to a fortnight before her twentieth birthday & three of my others reached 18.
Just love & good doggy management really. I've owned lots through the years so tend to know how to spot problems early.
Find a food they do well on, natural as possible plus a little good quality kibble. Brush every day & check ears, teeth & paws/claws to put things right before they get serious.
I walk mine every day, about four miles. We live in the hills, near lovely walks in the countryside so lots of fresh air, plus we have a very big garden where they can play.

Meggie
 

Wow!! You sure must be doing something right to have Yorkies live so long. Sounds like you believe strongly in prevention and that might be one important secret. But genes must also be important and perhaps you have a great breeder and bloodlines. They do sound very happy dogs with lots of play.
It is weird though, I up have a friend who has had a few Yorkies and she keeps them in her house and garden, never walks them, treats them like princesses, and feeds home cooked food. Hers always live to the mid teens??? I wonder, as they only get legally required shots and no chemical preventives ( as they never see other dogs!), whether this is a factor?

I believe preventative care is so important as well as exercise to keep their minds and bodies active. My vet stopped all of Ashley's shots at the age of ten because her heart was enlarged due to tracheal issues. I was so worried and afraid she wouldn't live very long with her heart. She lived almost seven more years, and she was still walking two or more miles a day, weather permitting all that time.