Yorkie Ranch specializes in quality Yorkies, Maltese, Shorkies, and other Designer breeds. We focus our breeding program on health and temperament, to produce the best possible companion for you. The terms miniature, tiny, teacup, tea cup, etc. are used to describe a pet that is usually under the breed standard for size, and although we do not breed specifically for this, we will have teacup yorkies, teacup maltese, and teacup shorkies, as well as other teacup designer breeds on occasion.
The following is information on how to properly care for your new puppy in their first few weeks. These are guidelines and practices that we have used over the years, and have found to be the most helpful in ensuring a healthy and happy puppy.
DISCLAIMER: All information on this site is presented solely for educational and informational purposes and should not, at any time, be considered a substitute for seeking or receiving veterinary care for your pet.
It is important to treat your new puppy much as you would a new baby for the first couple of weeks. By this, I mean you should closely observe their behaviour, eating habits, monitor their activity level, and observe their feces as well. Any signs of lethargy, not eating, diarrhea, or vomiting should be addressed IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait a day or two to see if the puppy starts to "feel" better. What starts out as a little diarrhea or lack of eating, can stress your puppy quickly and suppress their immune system, which, in turn, CAN CAUSE THE PUPPY TO BECOME VERY ILL. Prevention is the key to a healthy puppy! Address any issues immediately, either at home, or if you do not feel equipped to handle it at home, then take them to a veterinarian experienced with small dogs. When choosing a veterinarian for your new puppy, please be aware that all veterinarians are not made equal. Many veterinarians will specialize in a certain field, much as doctors and physicians do, so please make sure your veterinarian has extensive experience treating and working with small dog breeds.
WE CURRENTLY FEED DIAMOND NATURALS SMALL BREED PUPPY and 4HEALTH PUPPY (sold at Tractor Supply). If it is not available in your area, we have other recommendations: Solid Gold Puppy; Nutro Ultra Holistic Puppy; Nature's Variety (all life stage food).
It is important to understand that these are small dogs and puppies and will require frequent feeding when you first bring them home. You should "free" feed your puppy for the first two to three weeks; this means leaving food available to them at all times. Please give them a small portion of wet food with their dry food twice a day for the first week as well. This ensures that they are eating well and helps to prevent them from becoming stressed due to lack of enough food. We cook for our babies, a mixture of rice, chicken and vegetables. This helps to stimulate their appetite and provide a healthy, varied diet in addition to their dry food. Since they are used to eating "special" food when they are with us, it is important that you provide them with a good canned food or small portions of canned tuna or chicken the first week during their transition.
I also advise that you purchase a supplement called Nutri-Cal, or Pet-Cal. This is a high calorie supplement that helps to provide energy and prevent hypoglycemia from occuring in your puppy. If you do not have this supplement, pancake syrup can be used. Hypoglycemia is basically low blood sugar. This can occur when the puppy becomes stressed or is not eating properly. It is important to understand that they are very small and therefore, affected much more quickly than a larger animal. As they become older, their immune system will be fully developed and they will better be able to adapt to their environment. You will be able to wean them from free feeding to a feeding schedule that is more convenient for you as they get a little older and acclimated to their new home.
Please do not give your puppy human food! They are not used to this and it could upset their digestive tract and cause problems. Yes, we cook for our babies, but it is prepared especially for them. It does not contain spices and seasoning that could cause upset stomachs. If you want to provide home cooked meals for them, please ask us when you pick your baby up and we will provide you with some recipes. As I stated before, you may change their diet, but give them a few weeks in their new home before doing so, to prevent any undue stress for them. Please be aware that puppies are like kids, they will put anything in their mouths and will attempt to eat most anything! This means you need to make sure there are no dangerous substances, such as household cleaning supplies, or small objects lying around that they can ingest. Puppy proof your house immediately upon bringing your new puppy home!
Always, always provide fresh water for your puppy, especially if you have other pets. Many bacteria and infectious agents are spread through water, so make sure you are rinsing out your puppy's water dish and providing fresh water daily, and more often if the water gets dirty. However, I do not recommend washing out the bowl with soap, unless you make Very certain that no residue remains. Soap is obviously bad for your puppy, even in very minute amounts. I recommend using a stainless steel dish for your water, as they are more sanitary and easy to rinse out and clean lightly with a rag when needed.
Playtime and exercise are very important for your puppy, but they should be given in moderation. Again, a puppy can become stressed when they expend to much of their energy at a time in play or being outside. Give your puppy frequent breaks, preferably in a crate or other quiet place where they can nap and rest after playtime and excerise.
You absolutely should not leave your puppy outside while you are gone. If you do this you are taking a big risk in many ways. I have had people who have had their puppies stolen from their back yards, or who have come home to find the puppy extremely ill, probably from something they ate or heat exhaustion. If you have to leave your puppy unattended during the day while you are at work, or otherwise engaged, get a crate for them.
Crating your dog is not cruel or mean, it provides them with a safe place while you are away. You can also use a small room that is puppy proofed, such as the laundry room or a bathroom if you prefer. They will most likely cry and be upset by this at first, because it is new to them, and until now they have been with their mother and siblings nearly constantly. They will adjust, however, I do not recommend leaving them in their crate for more than a few hours the first couple of times.
Their are a few things that you should keep on hand at home to address any problems your puppy may have. As I stated in the beginning, prevention is the key! I have already discussed Nutri-Cal and its importance, so here I will cover some other items that you should have on hand in case the need arises. Most of this information is provided for a situation in which you have already taken your dog to the vet and are providing health care for them at your home. Most vets will not recommend keeping a puppy at the vet, because they are highly exposed to other sick dogs.
A heating pad is important to have on hand in case your puppy does become ill. One of the highest priorities in treating a sick puppy is to keep it warm. This will often be the case if they become hypoglycemic, at which time their body cannot keep their temperature at an adequate level. If you take your puppy to the vet when they become ill, one of the first things they will tell you is to keep them warm, if they have you take them home.
The next thing that is as important is to keep them hydrated. If they have diarrhea, they will quickly become dehydrated. If they are not drinking, then you will have to get a syringe and give them water, or preferably Pedialyte, as it has electrolytes that will hydrate them quicker than water. When you syringe your puppy liquid, do it slowly and carefully, as you do not want to choke them. Also, don't give them cold water, as this will not help their situation if they already have a low body temperature. Give them cool or room temperature water.
You may need to syringe them a canned food with a little water or pedialyte mixed in as well if they are not eating. You should only do this if your puppy is ill or lethargic, not just because you think they need to eat. A puppy that is feeling fine will eat when they are hungry, as long as you are providing them with food. But when a puppy becomes hypoglycemic or ill, their appetite will diminish and they may lack the energy to eat themselves. I recommend you discuss this with your vet should they become ill.
As I stated earlier, keeping them hydrated is very important, especially if they have diarrhea. Stopping the diarrhea goes hand in hand with keeping them hydrated. That is to say, you cannot keep them hydrated if they have constant diarrhea. I use a product called Pet Pecticillin, also known as Kaolin Pectate. The specific dosage is given on the bottle, but what you will need to do is give this to them at the first sign of diarrhea and follow the prescribed dosage directions until their diarrhea has stopped. If you do this at the first sign of diarrhea, you most likely will prevent them from becoming ill! Diarrhea over an extended amount of time (more than a day or two) will cause your puppy to become dehydrated, hypoglycemic and lethargic!
Coccidiosis is a parasitic infection of the intestinal tracts of animals, caused by coccidia, a protozoan. It is mostly spread from animal to animal through contact with infected feces. Most commonly infected are young animals, such as puppies, due to their lack of a fully developed immune system. Most adult dogs that are infected with this disease will show no symptoms, as their immune systems are fully developed and are able to withstand the presence of these protozoan parasites.
Diarrhea is the main symptom, but if left untreated can cause severe illness possibly leading to death in young animals. I will provide a link to wikipedia that gives more information on the disease. This is a very common disease in puppies, and can easily be treated and sickness can be prevented. I recommend Primor, but there are other medicines available as well. If you see that your puppy has diarrhea, start them on the Pet Pecticillin and contact your vet for a prescription to treat coccidia. If, for some reason you cannot obtain a prescription from your vet, then there are other forms of the medication available online and at some pet stores or feed stores. I recommend that you call me if you need alternative medications.
Following is the link on wikipedia concerning coccidiosis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccidia
WE CURRENTLY FEED DIAMOND NATURALS SMALL BREED PUPPY and 4HEALTH PUPPY (sold at Tractor Supply). If it is not available in your area, we have other recommendations: Solid Gold Puppy; Nutro Ultra Holistic Puppy; Nature's Variety (all life stage food).