HOUSETRAINING YOUR PUPPY
Getting on the right track is the first action toward housetraining your new Yorkie puppy.
* Designate a potty area
*Guide your puppy there to do his business.
*Heartily praise him when he goes.
Occasionally giving him a treat right after your puppy finishes, you can encourage him to potty in the desired area. The odor left from previous visits to that area will quickly mark it as the place for the puppy to do his business.
An eight week old puppy should be taken to the potty area every one to three hours. Older puppies can generally wait longer. Most puppies should be taken to potty
*After waking in the morning
*After naps
*After meals
*After playing or training
*Immediately before being put to bed
Pottying on Command is a way to train your puppy and to avoid spending a lot of time waiting for your puppy to go, you may want to teach him to potty on a unique command. Such as "Hurry up" or Potty" in an upbeat tone of voice. After a few weeks of training, you'll notice that when you say the command your puppy will begin pre-potty sniffing, circling and then potty shortly after you give the command. Be sure to praise him for his accomplishments.
Feeding Schedules are very important. Most puppies will potty within an hour after eating. Once you set your puppy's feeding schedule, you will have some control over when he needs to go.
*Schedule your puppy's dinner times so that you will be available to let him potty after eating.
*Avoid giving your puppy a large meal just prior to confining him or he may have to go when you're not around to take him out. Schedule feeding two to three times daily on a consistent schedule.
*Have food available for only 30 to 40 minutes, then remove it , this will be different for younger puppies and teacup puppies, they will need to be on free choice
*The last feeding of the day should be done several hours before he's confined for the night. By controlling the feeding schedule, exercise sessions, confinement periods and trips to the potty area, your puppy will quickly develop a reliable schedule for pottying
Crate Training a puppy to be comfortable in a crate is a good way to keep him safe and confined during times that you cant be with them. Most puppies will quickly accept crate confinement when you make the introduction fun. Since it's 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.
When you pick up his toys, store them in the crate so the puppy will enter on his own to play. You may even want to occasionally hide a biscuit in the crate as a nice surprise.
The crate is not to be used for a period that exceed the length of time the puppy 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.
Provide an area large enough so that if your puppy has to potty when you are gone, he can do it in a space that is separate from his sleeping area. A 15 to 30 square foot area is adequate for most puppies. If he chooses a specific place to eliminate, cover it with paper to make cleanup easier.
Expect some mistakes, it happens. 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 houstrained until he has gone at least four consecutive weeks without pottying in the house. For older dogs, this period should be even longer.
*Your puppy should constantly be in your sight.
*Baby gates or play pens are helpful to control movement throughtout the house and to aid supervision.
*Keep them in the crate when unsupervised.
When you're away from home, sleeping or if you're just to busy to closely monitor your puppy's activities, confine him to a small, safe area in the home.
Nervous wetting is sometimes a problem when your puppy squats and urinates when he greets you, this is called submissive urination. Dogs and puppies that urinate during greetings are very sensitive and should never be scolded when they do this, punishment makes the problem worse.
Most 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.
Be sure to use a good commercial product made specifically to clean up doggy odors. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for usages.
If a carpeted area has been soaked with urine, be sure to saturate it with the cleaning product and not merely spray the surface.
Rooms in the home where your puppy has had frequent mistakes should be closed off for several months. He should only be allowed to enter when accompanied by a family member.
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 outside frequently and consistently praise the desired behavior, soon you should have a house-trained canine companion.
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Diet: The diet of a young puppy should consist of a Premium Dry Food made specifically for the growing stage. This is not the area to "cut corners" when it will reflect on the Puppy's overall health right into adulthood. You don't need this puppy to have deficiencies from the start; this could cause weak muscle tone and the Skeletal System not to develop properly. Become a label reader for your puppy, make sure that the ingredients are USDA inspected, not the refuse of contaminated sources. The Web is a great place to get information about the Pet Food Industry, utilize it. Also note Hypoglycemia below.
Make sure Yorkie Puppies and other small breeds are fed three times a day, with at least two meals being of the dry ration. If you're giving your puppy milk bone treats, one of them is like a meal so you can't expect them to also eat a full ration of dry at the same time. Keep puppy treats to a minimal; remember that a tablespoon of something is to them a good-sized treat. Too many puppy treats will also throw off the balanced diet they need and should be getting from their regular diet.
Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar can be caused by stress, improper diet or a missed meal, being chilled, or too much energy being used during the day playing too long at one time. Puppies that usually are affected are the toy breeds at six weeks to 12 weeks old. The liver stores energy, but in a small puppy it can not store enough for long periods, especially with additional stress factors. Signs of this can be as slight as a depressed attitude or as serious to finding your puppy in a coma. Treatment can be as simple as giving a small amount of Karo Syrup for a mild case to a Dextrose Solution intravenously by your Veterinarian. If you suspect this condition, consult your Veterinarian for even a mild case. Repeated episodes can lead to further more severe complications.
Treats: A word of caution about Chew Treats. Make sure if you do give them rawhide that you replace them often. Many dogs have gotten them caught in their throats, which means a fast trip to the Vet or worse. As a puppy or dog chews them, they soften and the puppy is able to get small pieces off. As they wear down in size, the possibility of an accident is more likely. I know that puppies love them, but are they worth the risk?
Naps: Young Yorkie puppies can not play all day long without a break, or shouldn't. Yorkies do have a mind of their own and may cry, whimper, and/or bark at first. But there will be times when you'll have to confine them for various reasons, so this is the best time to "train" them to be confined. You can either purchase a cage, or use a small area in one room. Vaccines: There are so many changes going on with regards to Vaccination schedules, it's hard to keep up. A puppy is born with a natural immunity from the Dam that lasts only for a short period, 6-8 weeks average, but this also depends on the Titer levels and condition of the Dam during Gestation. Another factor is the amount of Coliseum the puppy received right after birth. This is the very first milk the Dam produces, and if it was a weak puppy that didn't receive the very important first milk, the immunity level could very well be lower than his sibling's.
Yorkie puppies usually start their Vaccine series at about 6-8 weeks, and are given boosters (repeated shots) every 2-3 weeks. This is done until they have reached the age of 4 months, so if you didn't purchase your Yorkie puppy until at least 3 months old, as you should, you'll only need to re-vaccinate once or twice. Then re-vaccinate on a yearly schedule, or to your Veterinarian's beliefs. The type of vaccine your puppy receives may be determined by your life style and area you reside. It's also possible for a puppy to come down with a condition it has been vaccine for; the Immune System is at different levels in all living things. Proper Vitamin/Mineral content reflects on overall health, including the Immunity System, which is another reason to feed quality pet foods to your puppy.
Some states have revised their recommendations from a yearly booster to every three years. You must talk with your Vet with any concerns you have regarding the well being of your Yorkie puppy. Teething: Yorkie puppies and toy dogs in general have a tendency to retain their puppy teeth, especially the canines. At around 5 months of age you should start to watch the teeth closely, a perfect bite may go off in a matter of days. You may feel it's not important for a correct scissors bite, but this is the first step of the digestion process, proper chewing is important. The other importance is that the proper bite stays cleaner, over lapping misaligned teeth are a good source for bacteria and tartar to build rapidly. Spay/Neuter: There are a dozen excellent reasons for puppies to be altered, and not one good one I can think of for not having it done. Leaving a Yorkie puppy intact can cause serious life threatening conditions to arise, such as Mammary Tumors and Pyometra. Speak with your Vet about the benefits of alterations; you may have your Yorkie for additional years because you did. It's also wise to have this performed at the same time any puppy teeth need to be extracted, there's no sense in putting the puppy though Anesthesia twice. House Training: Yorkie puppies can be very difficult to potty train to say the least. It seems like they are either a breeze or as difficult as can be.
The kidneys are not fully developed in a young dog, so don't get too upset about accidents. It's going to depend largely on the time of year and the age of the puppy as to how serious you’re going to be about training. I usually say not to expect too much from them until they are around 5-6 months of age. They can be trained prior, but it will take constant supervision.
It's important not to let the new puppy have full range of the house at first. Gate off the kitchen or other small area, if at all possible, and pick up any rugs. In the area you are keeping your puppy, you should either place papers in a small area or the plastic-backed pads. Training dogs to use both the outdoors and pads has advantages if you travel with your pets.
I have always told people to use the reward system for training. You need to take them out often especially right after eating, don't wait over five to ten minutes. After they have relieved themselves, reward them with a bite (one bite) of something they love and praise them.
There's also a crate method of training. But most people cannot stand leaving the puppy in a crate, coming out only for short periods of time to go outdoors. The method you use will depend on your life style, schedule, and of course the puppy. Sickness: A healthy Yorkie Puppy is usually full of energy and always willing to get in trouble. Learn what signs to look for that something is amiss before your puppy is in real trouble.
The eyes and ears are sometimes the first thing to give you a sign something is wrong. The eyes won't be bright and alert, and the ears may drop or held back closer to the Head.
Yorkies can just have an off day, not much energy and out of sorts. But you should watch a Yorkie puppy extremely close at the first sign that they are just not themselves. It could be something as simple as teething, or as serious as Parvo or worse. Toy dogs and especially puppies can go down really fast; a sick puppy isn't something to take lightly.
At the first visit to your Vet, it would be wise of you to ask how to check for dehydration. The skin will stand on the back when picked up, and the Gums will look dry. Also learn to check the Temperature properly and know your puppies normal temperature. Most puppies are 101 to 101.5; 102-103 isn't that abnormal and can actually be caused by stress such as driving if they don't care for traveling. A low temperature can be just as or more serious than a high one, and still be associated with dehydration.
There's many things you can observe to help your Vet diagnosis a condition in a Puppy and Adults. If it has Diarrhea note the consistency, color and smell. Same goes for Vomiting color and amount should be noted. Is it Yellow or Green Bile, foamy Mucus, solid undigested food? Have you been traveling with the Puppy causing Stress or possible exposure to something at the Park or Obedience Classes? Some things to observe for or check are Temperature, Water Intake, Urination, Cough, Lethargic, Disorientation, Chilled, Appetite, Skin and Coat condition. Also check the color of the Gums, are they bright pink, gray, or almost white? Look at the puppies Eyes pulling down the lower lid slightly and check the Color and condition. Are they a healthy pink shade, white, or swollen and inflamed?
Allergies: Dogs can have or develope Allergies to contact materials, foods, and insect bites just as people do. If you change foods it can cause an upset because of certain ingredients, and Insect Bites can be deadly. If your puppy is experiencing Labored Breathing, uncontrollable rubbing, and Reddened Skin or Swelling it may be having a reaction. It's important to get your puppy in for attention immediately.
Shampoos and Conditioners can also cause reactions, if this is the case re-shampoo them with a different product and Rinse them well. If this doesn't correct the situation you may need to have your Vet examine the puppy and take other steps to relieve the irritation.
Check-Ups: Yearly examinations can be crucial to the welfare of your puppy. Your Vet may want to perform simple Blood Work, a Fecal Examination, plus listen to and check the Vital Organs such as Heart and Lungs. Something as simple as your puppy coming in contact with another puppy's Feces or an Insect Bite can infect your puppy with Parasites, and Parasites can and do kill. When you get that Notice of Examination Time or Vaccinations, make arrangements.
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