A dog’s hearing is one of the first things to degenerate with old age. Their ability to hear high and very low-pitched sounds becomes weaker as their nerve endings deteriorate.

This can be due to chronic ear infections or can simply be age-related.

The older yorkie’s ears have three parts: the outer ear or ear canal in which is separated by the tympanic membrane, which carries sounds to the third part – the eardrum, and this part communicates sounds to the nerve endings that carry them to the brain.

Any of these parts can be affected by age-related illnesses or by lack of proper care. Ear damage is irreversible.

Ear infections in older yorkie dogs are also the most common problem with them as they age. Infections can occur in the external or middle ear causing permanent damage. The cause of the infections can be bacteria, fungi, or yeast – all requiring different medications.

Early symptoms may cause the older yorkie to appear not to be listening well, or he may not know when a new person has arrived in the room. He may also show aggression when surprised.

Outer eat infection symptoms include smelly discharge, constant shaking of the head, and rubbing his ear on solid objects such as door frames and furniture. Pain is also associated with ear infections. If the problem is mites, then a dark, granular discharge will be seen.

Treatment: Ear drops and ointments applied several times a day usually clear up the infection. In the case of ear mites, an anti-parasite medication will be used. Often, ear infections are associated with other ailments such as hypothyroidism.

Inner ear infection symptoms: An afflicted old yorkie may tilt his head to the side and his facial muscles will appear relaxed, similar to the symptoms of a stroke. If the infection progresses, the dog may show loss of equilibrium, circle around a lot, and twitch his eyeballs.

Treatment: High doses of drugs used to combat the infection as well as anti-inflammatory drugs will be administered to decrease the swelling. Flushing affected mucous out of the ear may be done to initiate the treatment.

However, no matter how well the treatment proceeds, permanent hearing loss does result. Make sure that you walk your old yorkie dog on a leash. Speak louder or stomp your feet to vibrate the ground when you want his attention.

Before you can hope to understand how your older yorkie’s senses are affected by aging, you first need to understand how they work. Let’s begin with canine eyes. They were designed to perceive forms and movement instead of distinct features.

Thus they can quickly detect movement, but cannot see contours. For example, while hunting a rabbit, they can first detect it with their nose, but can only see it if it moves.

Studies have shown that a dog’s visual acuity can be compared during sunset. While they see some colors such as greens and yellows, they do not have as vivid a range as we do. As dogs are, the nerve sensitivity in the eyes is reduced, causing diminished sight.

In cataracts, the lens of the eye becomes opaque, blocking the flow of light to the retina. This may develop slowly over the course of several years and is not painful.

Symptoms: A gradual increase of haziness in eyeball. Sight slowly diminishes.

Treatment: One of the easiest eye conditions to treat. Once the cataracts have matured, they are easily removed through surgery and full eyesight is restored.

Glaucoma is the increase in fluid pressure within the eye. This problem can develop as a secondary dysfunction to cataracts, inflammation and allergies. Blindness can result from retina damage.

Symptoms: Reddened and inflamed eyes with a haze about the cornea and dilated pupils.

Treatment: Reduction of eye fluid should be instituted without delay. Initially, drugs can be used to reduce the inflammation and draw the fluid out of the eye and into the bloodstream. A long-term regimen of anti-inflammatory drugs should be administered.

If the drugs do not work, surgery might restore the older yorkie’s eyesight.

Dry eye is caused by a reduction in tear production that keeps the older yorkie’s eyes moist. This disease can dry the cornea, causing tissue damage and ulcerations. If left untreated, blindness results.

Dry eye can be a genetic dysfunction or occur in dogs with thyroid problems, autoimmune disease, or diabetes mellitus.

Symptoms: Greenish mucous discharge in and around both eyes, as well as ulcers on the surface that cause redness and pain. If this continues untreated, black spots will appear on the cornea.

Treatment: Tear replacement drops several times per day, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory ointment is used to combat infection.

The fetching trick only works on dogs that are already predisposed to the activity. If your older yorkie does not already fetch, you will only make him feel frustrated if you begin teaching him as a senior.

The last thing you want to do is hurt or stress him in any way. Try another trick instead such as rolling over. This can be easily done by first putting the older yorkie in a down/ stay command. Show him a bit of food and bring his head toward his back.

As he reaches for the treat, his body will roll itself. Each time you give him the command, require more movement. You can gently help him to roll the first couple times. He will soon understand what you want, and will eagerly perform the trick.

Always offer LOTS of praise and affection when he does as you ask him.

For those yorkies that like to fetch, bring a soft toy with you when you do therapy visits. Residents will be delighted as your older yorkie plays retrieving games with them. He will need to learn, however, exactly where to return the toy.

Many residents are unable to bend over and pick things up. The toy needs to be returned to the person’s lap or hands. To teach this, require your older yorkie to bring the toy closer and closer to the target area before throwing it for him.

Each time he brings it closer, praise and offer a treat or pet him. It won’t take him long to figure out what you want. Being a senior dog has its advantages.

First is his ability to understand you. If your older yorkie has earned obedience or agility titles, there are special classes for senior dogs in which the older yorkie can compete.

Veteran’s class is a non-regular class similar to Novice at an obedience trial. The dog must heel on and off leash, perform a figure eight around two people, stay and come off lead, stand still while being examined by the judge, and remain in a sit/ stay for one minute, and a down/ stay for thee minutes as the handler stands thirty feet away.

You can be pretty sure that few of these veterans move during their stay exercises. Some kennel clubs also offer a veteran’s Open Class. This offers the opportunity for older yorkies to jump, retrieve, drop in a recall, and perform long stays with his handler out of sight.

Learning this command could save your yorkie’s life by allowing you to stop him before he starts out across the street in the face of an oncoming automobile.

Along with ‘come’, this command assures complete control over your yorkie. However, it may tend to slow down a dog in responding to the ‘come’ command. A properly trained yorkie probably won’t slow down too much, but some shyer dogs may not react well to this command.

Therefore, don’t make a practice of stopping your yorkie every time he is called, nor in the same place. If you do, your yorkie may anticipate the order and automatically slow up, waiting for you to tell him to stop.

In order for a dog to learn to stop moving when told, he must know the ‘stay’ command thoroughly. Once you have halted him, you may also want your yorkie to sit and lie down and stay, so he should have learned the sit and lie down commands.

Only when he does can you teach him ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’. Be sure to work inside or in an enclosed area at first so as to have control.

Place your yorkie in a sit-stay position and walk away a short distance. Call him to you. When he comes halfway, step forward quickly and push both hands toward him as if you were a policeman stopping oncoming traffic, and say ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’.

If he stops, quickly tell him to stay.

If your yorkie ignores the command continues to come forward, run toward him and physically stop him. If he shows no response, the next time you call your dog, tell him ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’ and then throw a chain or leash on the ground just in front of him.

Then repeat the command and signal. A loud stamp with the foot or throwing a heavy book or magazine with a thud in front of him might also help. Startling your yorkie this way should make him stop short.

Once your yorkie stops when asked, you have to teach him to respond to the next command you issue from a distance. Immediately after you stop him in his tracks, tell him to sit or lie down. When he obeys this, tell him to stay in that position.

Keep him there for a short while until you release him. Or call him to you as your next command.

When the new baby arrives, your old yorkie will need to be properly introduced. Keeping the infant entirely away from him will only cause him more anxiety.

On the first day, place the old yorkie in a sit/ stay near a chair or couch. Sit on the couch holding your baby. The old yorkie will be so curious; his head will strain to catch the baby’s scent. As he remains in his stay position, praise him.

When he becomes calm, release him from his stay but have someone holding his leash. Allow him to put his nose next to the infant. As long a he remains calm, the leash should remain loose.

Praise him for his good behavior and offer him a positive association with the baby. If the old yorkie becomes impatient and tried to jump up, the person holding the leash should tug it back and reprimand him in a low tone of voice.

Be careful that the person holding the leash is not nervous in any way. The old yorkie will pick up his emotion and also become nervous.

However, the leash must remain loose. This is of the utmost importance because a tight leash will cause the old yorkie to become aggressive and this is not the way to begin a sibling relationship.

The old yorkie should be allowed to be part of the proud parentage. Let him remain near you as you feed and change your infant. Keeping him in stays and heeling him from place to place not only teaches him to remain quiet around the baby, but also works him, which keeps him happy.

Now he won’t be as aggressive or destructive because he’s fully aware of what is going on and how to behave.

Many dogs will become very protective of their new siblings. This too, is to be voided at the first sign. Never allow the old yorkie to show aggression toward anyone for any reason. Letting him growl can lead to a bite.

It is not cute when the old yorkie protects your baby from other people and animals without your reason. It’s nice to know that he’ll protect your baby from strangers, but he needs to be aware that not everyone is to be included on this roster – especially visiting friends and relatives.

The type of lifestyle changes you and your old yorkie must make depends on his personality and health. Most senior dogs are well-adjusted, get along fine at home alone for long periods of time, and can still run and play as much as before.

However, as the old yorkie moves into geriatric condition and develops the inevitable age-related problems, he will need to be accommodated.

This can mean anything from a simple slowing down of activities to housing changes.

If your old yorkie develops of dysfunction that requires having to relieve himself often, he will need to be allowed access to a relief area. Ideally, you should install a doggy door and teach him how to use it.

The other thing you can do if you are away from home for long periods of time is obtain the services of a dog walker or a neighbor to check on the old yorkie, and let him out one or two times during the day.

Whomever you hire should have the veterinarian’s phone number, as well as your work number. This is especially important if your old yorkie has experienced a seizure or stroke. If it happens again, he’ll need immediate attention.

While older dogs sleep most of the day and wait for you to come home, some can become anxious or develop separation anxiety. This happens most often if they have a health problem – yorkies with health issues sometimes tend to panic without their people around.

Their anxiety can cause destructiveness or stress on their systems. The last thing you want to do is put stress on your older yorkie, as it can often be the catalyst that causes decreased immune system functions.

Thus, a stressed yorkie may become more susceptible to airborne illnesses, allergies, or internal diseases.

One of the ways to prevent stress is to keep your old yorkie in a safely closed environment. This place should be a room in your home where you spend much of your time, such as the kitchen or family room.

This way, the old yorkie can feel comfort in your presence, as well as in his familiar surroundings.

Make sure your yorkie’s enclosure is warm, has a soft bed, and he is provided with plenty of fresh water. A window to look out of is helpful.

Young children or puppies can also be stressful to an old yorkie dog. This often occurs when the dog has been the “baby” of the family for most of his life, and all of a sudden, along comes a new puppy or infant.

The youngster takes up much of your time, leaving the older yorkie dog without the attention he used to receive. Not only that, but when the baby begins to crawl around, he enters the old yorkie’s personal space.

In the case of a human infant, many older dogs will become cranky. This can manifest itself as anything from destructiveness to aggressive behavior. You are left in a quandary, not wanting to get rid of the old yorkie dog, yet not wanting to threaten the safety of your infant.

Often the cranky old dog is tearfully sent to the pound, and because most people do not want an old dog, he ends up being put to sleep.

This can often be prevented if you prepare your old yorkie for the infant’s arrival. The process begins with basic obedience training. If the old yorkie went through the training when he was a puppy, then refresh his memory with another series of classes and, this time, keep up with it.

The old yorkie dog needs his individual time each day. That means your undivided attention for at least 30 minutes. Practicing obedience work is not only fun for the older yorkie, but is also a constructive use of your time with him.

He learns to listen to you, and you both get some exercise.

If you have allowed the older yorkie dog to jump on you or the furniture, he’ll need to learn to stop these behaviors. Jumping up can be dangerous to an infant.

Using sound and basic consistency, the yorkie can learn to stop jumping up. No matter how old he is, he is never too old to learn new things. Yes, old yorkie dogs can learn new tricks, too. In fact, they enjoy the stimulation.

House rules will need to be changed as well. This means that everyone in the house must not allow the old yorkie to break the rules. If this occurs, he will become frustrated and defensive.

Be consistent. It’s the key to reliability and understanding – you, your family, and the older yorkie dog will be far happier.

A multi-dog household will present other considerations. One is feeding time. The old yorkie tends to eat slower and usually have a special diet.

Placing him with the rest of the pack can cause problems because the younger dogs may push the old yorkie away from his food because he’s finished. This can cause fighting or result in the old yorkie not fulfilling his nutritional needs.

Avoid this by feeding him separately. Allow him a stress-free environment in which to eat.

Another consideration is relief time. If you have a fenced in yard, allow the old yorkie to go out by himself. He requires more time and quiet. He may benefit more from your taking him for a walk instead of just being let outside.

This way you can allow him to go in peace and it’s easier for you to keep track of his internal health by observing his actions and droppings. Loose, mucus, or bloody stool can be the first sign of an internal disorder.

Straining to defecate or urinate can be another sign of dysfunction.

Traveling with your old yorkie may become difficult as he ages, too. You’ll need to stop more often to allow him to relieve himself. You should also consider how stressed the old yorkie might be at your destination.

Will he be on another dog’s territory? If so, he can be very stressed by the other dog’s challenges and by simply being in an unfamiliar area. A dog with sight or hearing problems will not do well in a new place.

Extreme temperatures can also be stressful. As dogs age, they cannot conserve their body temperatures as easily as when they were young.

Very hot, humid weather or very cold weather will be difficult for your old yorkie to adjust to, especially if his home is in the opposite climate.

Kenneling can also very stressful. He is put in an unfamiliar place with lots of noise, people he doesn’t know, and his family gone. If a dog in the kennel is ill, chances are, the old yorkie will be susceptible to the infection.

An infestation of fleas, lice, or mange could also cause him total discomfort and secondary problems.

Aging yorkies need more of your time and cooperation. Take a few extra minutes each day to offer your old yorkie his due. It’s time to show your true loyalty and devotion to one who has idolized you his entire life.

It will be easier for the yorkie to learn to roll over if he already knows how to lie down on command.

You must be careful your yorkie doesn’t confuse this roll-over exercise with the lie down. Therefore it’s better not to actually tell him to lie down; rather, place him in the down position and start to work from there. This will eliminate any connection in the commands.

Sit on the floor or in a chair to get close to your yorkie, with his head next to you. Take a treat and reach over, bringing it just in front of his nose. Gently bring the treat over his head and around to the other side so that the yorkie must follow the treat.

Your voice command is “roll over”, and your hand signal is making a circle toward the right. Later, a slight circular motion of your hand or finger, or just the words “roll over” will be sufficient.

Hold the treat just out of reach of his nose and tempt him with it, and as his nose moves to follow the smell so must his body.

If it doesn’t, gently help him along. When the yorkie finishes a complete roll, give him the treat. Repeat it going the other way. Then go back and forth a couple of times until the yorkie starts to roll.

If, instead of rolling over, the yorkie jumps back up to get the treat, hold him down with your other hand to help him roll over. Just don’t let him get up and go the other way. You want him to roll; eventually he will.

When he does it, don’t ruin everything by going through the exercise too often or he may well become bored and refuse to do it.

When he is doing this continually while you are seated, it’s time to try to see if he’ll do it while you’re standing. You may have to first put the leash on your yorkie until you’re sure he won’t take off. If you hold the treat above his head – away from his nose, he may tend to get up.

A long dowel stick can be helpful to keep him down and nudge him over.

Give the treat only when the yorkie completes the command. This way he will understand he will get his treat only when it is done.

Unfortunately, dogs are not always the perfect creatures we masters might like them to be. A pet-dominated family can be miserable, and any dog can become a household terror.

No one wants a dog that chews up your antique armoire or your favorite shoes. And if you don’t want to train your dog, you can make enemies.

If your yorkie misbehaves, you may blame him, but everyone else will blame you.

When a yorkie is taken into your home, he must be taught to respect the rights and feelings of the humans he associates with. He has to learn he can’t rip up the house, bully everyone into a corner, or annoy your friends.

Not everyone is crazy about animals, and so he has to be trained not to dig up your neighbors’ lawns or chase their cars. Barking is not fair to neighbors, nor are piles of feces on the floor when visitors arrive, nor are attacks on postal employees or delivery persons.

Guests don’t want to be jumped on by a noisy dog; car chasing can be dangerous to everyone, and dogs jumping around in a car are equally dangerous. You have to keep your yorkie on your own property, and when he is left alone there, he should be reliable.

People complain that their dog barks endlessly, chews the rug, or snaps at their mothers-in-law. Before the dog will stop such upsetting, destructive behavior, he has to associate something unpleasant with that activity.

But when negative training is explained, “I couldn’t be cruel to an animal!” is often the response.

These same people, however, do not hesitate to request that you find a new home for their animal or a place where they can leave him – even if the final result is the yorkie being put to sleep.

It is really kinder to train your yorkie with a little bit of preventive medicine.

All dogs have the potential to develop bad habits, and unfortunately, some of the natural tendencies and basic instincts – which can be very undesirable under the restricted conditions of urban life – can also be difficult to inhibit.

Once you let a lot of problems build up, you will really have your work cut out for you. Therefore, starting off on the right foot is important to you, as well as to your yorkie.

Listerine is a well-known aid to help bad breath among humans. But is it safe for dogs?

Yes. However if you use it often to treat your dog’s bad breath, it could over time interfere with your pet’s health.

Fortunately there are many ways to prevent Listerine from disrupting your canine friend’s health.

First of all, choose an alcohol free Listerine. The brand does come in this form, and many other mouthwash brands you will find offer similar options. But why? Alcohol free is obviously not the best option for a dog. Did you know that Mouthwash with Alcohol can actually decrease a Human’s dental hygiene?

Even the low levels of Alcohol found in Mouthwash can dry out a mouth. Dry mouth really decreases dental hygiene; saliva is our friend, present for an important reason. You may not be aware that saliva contains properties that actually fight bad breath.

So don’t dry out your pet’s breath with Mouthwash. Go the healthier route by choosing Alcohol free mouthwash! And if none is available to you, or if you have regular Listerine available and just don’t feel like spending more money on a special kind of Listerine, use the regular. Just water it down. Your pet will thank you in the end.

Depending on how this trick is executed by both yorkie and owner, it can be an amusing performance – or simply look as though your yorkie is lying asleep on his side or back.

To be effective, your yorkie must assume the correct position promptly and express the appropriate body attitude. A good basis for this – perhaps even a prerequisite – is for your yorkie to know to lie down and stay (when told to do so) until given his special release word.

This trick is simply an extension of that command. Be careful your dog doesn’t confuse the signal with the circular one used for rolling over. In fact, your voice command of “bang” or “play dead” is a major source of the amusement in this trick!

To teach your yorkie to lie on his side and play dead, stand over him and make him lie down without commanding it. Issue the voice and hand commands by saying “play dead” and giving a semicircular motion with your hand.

Then physically turn your yorkie onto his side and hold his muzzle flat on the floor in a suitable “dead” fashion. When the dog relaxes and stays for a few moments without struggling, release him with his special release word, then praise and treat him.

Repeat this several times until your yorkie has some concept of what it means. Gradually increase the length of time you hold him in his “dead” position.

For playing dead lying back, start out as if going to make your yorkie roll over.  Use the commands for “play dead” and a procedure similar to the tempting one used to teach “roll over”. Here, however, stop the yorkie once he is halfway over and resting on his back.

Sit down on the floor or in a chair and make your yorkie assume a “lie down” position with his head near you. Hold your hand with his its tidbit of food just in front of his nose and give the signal for him to play dead.

Then move your hand in back of your yorkie’s head so that he follows the tidbit with his nose. His body should naturally follow as his head comes around, but if it doesn’t, help him.

When he is on his back, hold him in place for a few seconds by holding him physically, using the “stay” command. When he is doing it, give him a treat and then release him with his special word.

Another important factor in maintaining a healthy oldster is to make sure your old yorkie gets annual booster shots, checkups, and blood tests.

Boosters maintain his resistance to infectious diseases. This is especially important if your old yorkie dog is exposed to other dogs, either while traveling, going on regular visits to a park where he plays with other dogs, or if left in a kennel.

Older yorkies have less powerful immune systems and therefore cannot fight infection as easily as younger dogs. Yearly checkups will inform you of any changes in the old yorkie’s health, such as sensory disability.

A blood test will let you know how his organs and immune system are holding up. Most dysfunctions, such as kidney and liver diseases, cancer, and parasitic infestations will show up in the blood test.

This way, your veterinarian will be better prepared for an emergency and he’ll also know when something is not normal during a regular checkup.

Parasite control is of the utmost importance in an old yorkie. As with other infections, he cannot withstand infestation without becoming very sick. Fleas will cause allergic reactions such as thickening of the skin, hair loss, and internal parasites like tapeworms.

You must also be aware that the repeated dipping and spraying of insecticides will harm his liver. Therefore, it’s imperative to maintain a flea-free environment through prevention.

A monthly flea preventative, either oral or topical will prevent infestation. Giving your old yorkie dog Brewer’s Yeast and garlic will help to repel bugs, as well as benefit his coat and digestive system.

Roundworm can also be a threat to older yorkies. While these worms are most prevalent in puppies and nursing mothers, they can also be present in an older dog’s bowels.

Infestation is easily prevented through a regular biannual stool check. Bring a sample of your yorkie’s feces to your veterinarian and have it analyzed every six months. Roundworm may not cause a severe reaction, but can be damaging because it reduces your old yorkie’s ability to fight other infections.

Whipworm and hookworm can be very damaging to the older yorkie’s weakened immune system. Both worms can cause diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and if the infestation is not promptly treated, it can eventually be fatal.

These parasites can also be identified through a fecal analysis.

Whatever the yorkie puppies’ injuries which will need professional help to elucidate, all cases of accident are in a state of shock, and should be immobilized as far as possible at once.

Accidents

One of the symptoms of shock is coldness, and the yorkie puppy should be covered up and a warm hot-water bottle or two supplied.

It is better to avoid alcoholic stimulants, as if there is internal bleeding (blanching of the yorkie puppy’s gums is an indication), alcohol tends to prolong the bleeding. Sips of glucose water may be given pending veterinary attention.

If the yorkie pup has to be lifted and moved, be very gentle. A strong blanket makes a good stretcher. Small dogs like Yorkshire terriers may be placed in a clean cardboard box. Any dog that has been hit by a car should be examined by a vet, even if there are no apparent signs of injury.

Always phone your vet before departure. If the call is out of hours, he will give details, often via telephone answering machine, of the arrangements for emergency treatment. It is also best to take the yorkie puppy to the vet clinic where full facilities should be available for urgent treatment of any serious injury.

Bleeding

Bleeding may be arrested by direct pressure over the wound on top of a sterile dressing. If the blood soaks through, put another pad on top rather than remove the first one.

A tourniquet stops bleeding by constricting the artery supplying blood to the wound, and should only be used when bleeding canot be controlled by other methods.

Fix the tourniquet a few inches above the wound on a limb, and never leave in position for more than 15 minutes. If necessary, re-apply, a little nearer the wound, not in the same place to save damage to underlying tissue.

Burns

All extensive areas of burns or scalds must be seen by a veterinary surgeon at once. A burn will remain sterile for some time, as surface germs have been destroyed so it is important not to contaminate the area.

If it is practical, apply clean cold water to the burnt area immediately by hose or ice pack, or holding the yorkie puppy’s paw under the tap. With severe burns or very distressed animals, merely cover with a clean towel or sheet and seek professional help without delay.

A well-balanced diet and regular medical attention from a qualified veterinarian are essential in promoting good health for your yorkie, but so is daily exercise to keep him fit and mentally alert.

Yorkies that have been confined all day while their owners are at work or school need special attention. There should be some time set aside each day for play – a romp with a family member, perhaps.

Not everyone is lucky enough to let his yorkie run through an open meadow or along a sandy beach, but even a ten-minute walk in the fresh air will do. Yorkies that are house-bound, particularly those that live in apartments need to be walked out-of-doors after each meal so that they can relieve themselves.

Owners can make this daily ritual more pleasant both for themselves and their canine companions by combining the walk with a little “roughhousing”, that is to say, a bit of fun and togetherness.

Whenever possible, take a stroll to an empty lot, a playground, or a nearby park. Attach a long lead to your yorkie’s collar and let him run and jump and tone his body through aerobic activity.

This will help him burn calories and will keep him trim, and it will also help relieve tension and stress that may have had a chance to develop while you were away all day.

For people who work Monday through Friday, weekend jaunts can be especially beneficial since there will be more time to spend with your yorkie. You might want to engage him in a simple game of fetch with a stick or a rubber ball.

Even such basic trick as rolling over, standing on the hind legs, or jumping up (all of which can be done inside the home as well) can provide additional exercise.

However, if you plan to challenge your yorkie with a real workout to raise his heart rate, remember not to push him too hard without first warming up with a brisk walk.

Do not forget to “cool him down” afterwards with a rhythmic trot until his heart rate returns t normal. Some yorkie owners jog with their dogs or take them along on bicycle excursions.

At the very least, however, play with your yorkie every day to keep him in good shape physically and mentally.

Don’t neglect your yorkie and leave him confined for long periods without attention from you, or time for exercise.

In order to obtain the maximum benefit of your yorkie, and to save your own pocket from wasted visits, it is as well to gather all the facts of the case before you go to the veterinarian.

It is of great help to the vet if you can give a comprehensive history, and you will not be laughed at if you take some notes with you.

Here are some suggested headings:

Yorkie’s age. If a puppy, write down where it was brought.

Vaccinations. Brand used and when done. Take the vaccination certificate if possible.

Illness. When first noticed, any contributing factors such as visit to kennels, a new diet, etc.

Diet. On what is the yorkie fed, how much he has, etc.

Drinking. Any increase in thirst, how much water is taken during the day?

Bitches. Date of last season, and pregnancies, pseudo or actual.

Human illnesses. Any unusual or undefined illness of child or adult in the household.

Urine and feces. Have these been normal in amount and consistency?

A sample of urine is often very helpful especially in cases of vague general illness. It is fairly easy to get a sample by using a long handled vessel, and whipping it out from behind your back at the appropriate time.

Containers must be scrupulously clean with no trace of sugars or fats and be, of course, thoroughly cleansed and sterilized after use. Transfer these samples once collected to a clean specimen bottle or jar with tight top and label carefully with the yorkie’s name and owner, date, and time of collection.

The first visit to the garden in the morning is the best time. Not a great deal is required, a tablespoonful will do. Urine samples must be submitted for examination the day they are collected. Feces samples are necessary for the diagnosis of digestive troubles, and the presence of worms.

It is easy to collect a freshly produced sample on a wooden spatula and to put it into a plastic box or tin and seal it with tape. Label again.

If the sample has to go to a laboratory for analysis, it is best to present the sample early in the week to avoid delay in the post. In cases where poisoning is suspected, it is wise to save a sample of any substance vomited.

Accidents in dogs are inevitable. In case your yorkie had an accident and injured himself, below are the most common accidents and the things you should do.

Fits

Fits are complications in some diseases or bodily disorders and will vary in intensity from a mild head shaking and tremor, to the classic fit with racing limbs and loss of consciousness.

Take care if handling your yorkie in a fit, and guard it from danger such as falling into a fire, or a pond. As soon as possible, get the yorkie into a darkened, quiet room and allow no noise at all. A large thick blanket may help in which the yorkie can be enveloped and “scooped” up.

Take great care to avoid injury to yourself. A yorkie in a fit is not in control of his actions. Seek urgent veterinary assistance and, if possible, take the yorkie to the vet or as instructed.

Fractures

The most common cause of fractures is road accidents. When a fracture is suspected, life the yorkie carefully, keeping the injured limb uppermost.

As always when an animal is in great pain, it is wise to tie a narrow piece of cloth or bandage round the muzzle and up behind the ears to tie in a bow, to prevent being bitten.

Even the sweetest dog may bite under stress. Keep the yorkie in a natural position and a large tray or blanket can be used as a stretcher. Most serious bone fractures can be treated and this may entail major surgery with steel pins or plates being applied to the fracture.

The yorkie will need a period of convalescence, but, if he is likely to make a good recovery, then the post-operative discomfort and financial outlay are worthwhile.

However, if your vet considers that the yorkie should be humanely destroyed and is not likely to make good recovery, then have the courage to afford your dog a quick and merciful end.

Poisoning

Poisoning is always a danger with such an unselective eater as the dog. Sudden vomiting and prostration must always be regarded as needing expert help at once.

Common substances to look out for, as they are dangerous to yorkies are: slug bait (a real killer, this), rat poison, weed killing sprays, and other harmful liquid substances.

Unless the yorkie is believed to have eaten a corrosive substance such as acid, vomiting can be encouraged by giving a tablespoon of salt water, or a nut-sized piece of washing soda.

If you are a teacup yorkie owner and you have an absolutely climb-proof and dig-proof run within your yard, it may be safe to leave your teacup yorkie bitch in season there.

But then again it may not be a wise idea, as there have been cases of male dogs mating with female dogs right through chain-link fencing. Just to be on the safe side, shut her indoors during her heat period and don’t let her outdoors until you are certain your teacup yorkie female’s heat season is over.

Never leave your teacup yorkie bitch in heat outdoors, unsupervised.

If you want to prevent the neighborhood dogs from hanging around your doorstep, as they inevitably will do when they discover your teacup yorkie bitch is in season, take her some distance away from the house before you let her do her business.

Otherwise, these canine suitors will be attracted to her by the arousing odor of her urine and they will know instinctively that she isn’t far from her scented “spot”. If you need to walk the teacup yorkie bitch, take her in the car to a nearby park or a field for a chance to exercise a bit.

Remember that after about three weeks – and this varies from dog to dog – you can let her go outside the house again without worrying that she can have puppies until the next heat season.

If you are seriously considering breeding your teacup yorkie, talk to as many experienced yorkie/teacup yorkie breeders as possible and read up on the subject in specific books and articles.

Only when you are fully aware of the demands and responsibilities of teacup yorkie breeding should you make your final decision. It must be stated here that there is no shortage of fine teacup yorkies in need of good homes, nor is there likely to be in the foreseeable future.

So, if your object in breeding is merely to produce more dogs – you are strongly encouraged to reconsider your objective.

It is usually best to breed your teacup yorkie bitch when she comes into her second or third season. Plan in advance the time of year which is best for you, taking into account your own schedule of activities (vacations, business trips, social engagements and so on).

Make sure you will be able to set aside plenty of time to assist your female teacup yorkie from mating her up to the time she gives birth.

All dogs, young and old, prefer to know what is going to happen and when. This develops proper house manners and keeps their people in line.

Always remember that dogs aren’t always aware of the changes that occur with weekends and holidays.

Despite the fact that he enjoys your company, these times can be disruptive to an old yorkie. Try to maintain the same “happening” hours throughout the day, every day.

Although the old yorkie has earned his right to be the top dog, this does not mean you should start to allow him to bend the rules. Many older dogs will become more insistent on getting their own way.

This especially happens if their people allow them to become sloppy in their responses to commands or let them do something one time because of an illness that they wouldn’t normally do, such as lying on the couch or bed.

Dogs have an “all or none” policy. They either do it all the time or not at all. This continues to hold true for older yorkies. There are no “gray” areas in the dog’s psyche. They don’t understand sometimes, maybe, and it’s ok this time but not next time.

They can either do something or not do it. When the old yorkie decides to test his parameters and not listen to a command, you’d best make him listen. Instead of repeating your command, make him sit. If he begins to sneak up on the couch at night, he’ll need to be corrected or confined to prevent the bad behavior.

A multi-dog household will require other changes to accommodate your old yorkie. First of all, his senior dog status means that he should also be treated as top dog.

This means that he is fed first, played with or worked first and, if both dogs come to you at the same time for attention – the old yorkie comes first.

He should be allowed his special place, closest to your side. The younger dogs will have their turns, so don’t feel badly.

It will be natural for two dominant dogs to quarrel from time to time. You will need to be sure that the younger dog is corrected for his behavior, allowing the old yorkie dog to “win”.

In general, he is to receive preferential treatment over the other young dogs.

To eliminate confusion in paper training your yorkie at an early age, it is especially important for the location of the paper to remain constant.

Change the paper regularly. But when first training, leave a small amount of the soiled paper as a reminder to draw your pet to it.

Later, the paper and its replacement alone will act as a trigger without the aid of a urine smell. Don’t leave newspaper down anywhere except in your yorkie puppy’s permanent toilet area.

If you do, it might be a temptation for him to go elsewhere. In fact, you’ll have to keep the puppy’s toilet area clean if you want him to use it.

Though animals return to an area where there is a smell, your yorkie puppy will not wade onto filthy, soggy paper; nor will he go into a filthy box. Instead, he will probably go onto a substitute such as your carpeting, or at least opt for right next to the paper.

Then he will go farther and farther away until his toilet area extends throughout your entire home.

To teach your yorkie puppy to go on the paper, take him over to it frequently: right after eating, playing, training, or whenever you see him acting restless. These are the things when he is most likely to want to go, so be especially diligent about getting him to the paper then.

Put him on the paper several other set times each day to assure him that he has plenty of opportunities to relieve himself.

On these occasions you can use the match suppositories to get him to defecate, and this will make him connect the paper with the action of relieving himself.

One or two hours may be all that some very young pups can hold out. Therefore, when you see your yorkie pup getting restless while confined – or sniffling, circling, or squatting when free under your observation – pick him up quickly and set him on the paper.

When he does what you want, praise him and reward him with some freedom. Make a fuss over things done right to let the yorkie puppy know he is being good. Dogs want to please, so let them know they have at every opportunity.

As your yorkie puppy progresses in the training, give him more freedom and more of an opportunity to do the right thing.

Crate is the key to ensuring everything in your house remains in good condition – including your relationship with your yorkie puppy – and the crate should be a secure, positive place for him. (more…)

With crate training accomplished, you can start housetraining your yorkie puppy in earnest. The basis of this is scheduling. (more…)

Upon teaching your teacup yorkie pup on how to play with his toy, you should choose one that is both safe and enticing to him. (more…)

While the teacup yorkie pup is with his mother, he nurses as often as three hours. This is important for the transfer of nutrients for normal development. (more…)

Bringing home a teacup yorkie puppy is similar to bringing home a newborn baby and there is so much to do! (more…)

Plan to bring your new yorkie puppy in the morning so that by nightfall he will have had some time to become acquainted with you and his new environment. (more…)

After a general look around the environment of your prospective teacup yorkie puppy and satisfying yourself on the points essential in choosing one, you may concentrate on the animal of choice. (more…)

Nursing teacup yorkie puppies receive all the protection they need from their mother’s milk. She transfers antibodies from herself through the milk and into her pups. (more…)

Never consider having a litter from a teacup yorkie bitch purely to make some money. Dog breeding is a very hazardous occupation and you could easily lose money, or at best, break even. (more…)

Two of the most contagious diseases to teacup yorkie puppies other than rabies are parvovirus and corona virus. These are carried through contact with an infected dog or its feces. (more…)

Paper training is another means of making sure your yorkie puppy relieves himself in the appropriate place. (more…)

The absolute fundamentals of leash training your yorkie to walk with you are to get him to move out when you do, stay by your side when you walk straight ahead, and come to a halt when you stop. (more…)