Feeding
It is always good advice to follow the same type of food and feeding procedures that your breeder recommends for at least two weeks after you bring home your new Yorkshire Terrier puppy.
Yorkshire Terrier puppies need to eat higher protein puppy food at least three to four times a day until they are 1-2 years old at which time you can switch them to adult dog food.
If your Yorkie suffers from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) from fasting too long between meals, you may have to feed your puppy smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.
Some Yorkshire Terrier puppies will not show great interest in their food and if this is the case, try mixing in a little bit of warm water to enhance the smell of the food.
If you think your puppy may be suffering from low blood sugar, mix a little honey into their drinking water.
The amount of food and how often you feed will depend on the age of your puppy and its level of activity.
4 to 12 Weeks
When a puppy is being weaned, between 4 and 12 weeks of age, it’s a good idea to allow them to free-feed, which means leaving food out for them all day long so that they can graze whenever they feel hungry. This can also help to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during this very important early growth stage.
3 to 6 Months
Between the ages of three to six months, the Yorkshire Terrier puppy should be switched to regularly scheduled meal times, so that they learn discipline, that you are in control of the food, and that they do not become picky eaters.
Each meal for your Yorkshire Terrier puppy should be between 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of food and your puppy will tell you if you are feeding too much, or not enough if within 15 minutes they haven’t finished or it’s all gone and they’re looking for more.
6 to 12 Months
During this time in your Yorkshire Terrier puppy’s young life, you can decrease the frequency of meals from four times a day, to three or two meals a day. Once your puppy has attained adulthood, it may prefer to eat just one meal every day with a midday snack or treat.
Grooming
Although this breed is generally considered a non-shedding dog, grooming and coat care for the Yorkshire Terrier will largely depend upon whether or not your dog is a show dog or just your best friend.
If you don’t have the time or the inclination to be always brushing and combing your Yorkshire Terrier, they may become an untidy, matted mess. In this case, it would be best for the health of your puppy to commit to frequent clipping, every six to eight weeks to keep their coat short and easily manageable, and they will look like a cute puppy for their entire life.
Hygiene and Paw Clip
Keeping the hair clipped short underneath the puppy’s tail will help with daily hygiene. You may wish to purchase a small peanut clipper or mustache trimmer for removing the excess hair that will continue to grow between the toes, and as your Yorkie matures, you can trim around the contour of their paws with curved scissors to keep them well-rounded.
Trimming and Cleaning Ears
Shave the hair on your puppy’s ears in an inverted V shape, 1/3 down from the tip because too much hair weights the ear causing an unnatural droop. Puppy ear hair should be trimmed approximately every week and as adults every other week.
Clean your puppy’s ears with cotton balls and an ear cleaner product or a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and water followed by thoroughly drying with clean cotton balls. You may also wish to use tweezers to remove excess hair growth inside the ear canal.
Nail Clipping
Get your puppy used to regular nail trimming as soon as possible so that they are not afraid of the process when they are adults. Use a standard plier or scissor-type nail clipper for small dogs and be careful to only clip off the hook, otherwise, you may cut into the vein and cause bleeding and trauma to your puppy. In case of accidents, keep the styptic powder in your first aid kit as this will immediately stop the nail from bleeding.
Bathing
Depending on your puppy or dog’s activity level, the environment, the weather, what your Yorkshire Terrier may get into, and the type and length of the coat, these will all factor into how often they may need a bath.
It’s always a good idea to get your new puppy used to the idea of regular bathing so they are not overly stressed by the procedure when they become adults.
Also, make sure that you only use canine shampoo and conditioner that is specially formulated with the proper pH balance for a dog.
Brush all knots and tangles from your puppy’s coat and place large cotton balls inside your puppy’s ears to prevent splashing water from entering the ear canal.
Thoroughly wet your puppy all over with warm water. Test the temperature of the water on your wrist before applying it to your puppy to ensure the temperature is not too hot.
Apply shampoo and work it throughout the puppy’s coat before thoroughly rinsing with plenty of clean water. When cleaning around your Yorkie puppy’s eyes and face, use a small, damp sponge to wipe these areas, and be careful not to get shampoo in their eyes.
After rinsing, apply an oil-based creme conditioner over their entire body. Conditioning your puppy’s coat during the bath not only helps moisturize their skin and hair but also prevents tangles while protecting them from the heat of the dryer.
Make sure your puppy is well-dried after bathing with a handheld dryer. Puppies who are introduced to the hairdryer at a young age will enjoy the warming sensation.
Be careful not to blow the hot air directly into the puppy’s eyes, nose or ears, and remember to remove those cotton balls from the ears.
Teeth
The first set of 28 milk teeth starts to grow at around age 3 to 8 weeks. Puppies will start to lose their baby teeth at around 4 to 8 months of age to make room for their permanent set of 42 adult teeth.
Yorkshire Terriers have a small jaw which can create problems if the baby teeth do not fall out as the permanent teeth grow in because it can cause a misaligned bite. As well, retained teeth can cause tooth decay because food can be easily caught in between the deciduous and permanent teeth. Teeth that do not naturally fall out can be surgically removed when they are spayed or neutered.
The best prevention for dental disease is to feed hard food to exercise the teeth and break up plaque, combined with regular brushing with a canine toothpaste (or a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and keep the teeth white) and a professional cleaning to prevent the development of problems.
Potty Training
Train yourself to pay attention to when your puppy eats and then check the clock and take them outside about 20 minutes later to relieve themselves.
Again, if your puppy has just woken up from a nice nap, immediately take them outside. Remember that when your puppy is young, their tiny bladders will still be growing and they will be learning to hold it longer and longer as they grow into adulthood.
When you must be away longer than your puppy can hold it, this is the perfect time to introduce your puppy to an exercise pen. The pen needs to be large enough so that you can place their kennel inside one half (leave kennel door open) and cover the other half of the floor with newspapers or pee pads.
On the kennel side of the exercise pen you would leave fresh water and food. No puppy wants to relieve themselves near where they sleep or eat, so they will naturally go to the newspaper or pee pad covered area when they need to relieve themselves. Using this method, your puppy will become paper trained during the times you cannot be at home.
After a week or two, you will be able to reduce the amount of newspaper or pee pads because your puppy will now be consistently using the paper or pee pad area for their bathroom.
Be prepared when your Yorkie puppy comes home
- Choose the proper Veterinarian Clinic that is familiar with Yorkie “Toy Breed”
- Wait a week between vaccinations, don’t do more than one per visit
- Ask your vet about the potential side effects of Bordetella and Lepto
- Learn how to properly socialize your Yorkie puppy
- Chose a Dog Trainer
- Chose a Groomer
- Choose a Boarding Facility or Kennel
