top of page

Puppy proof your home by removing medicines, cleaners, plants, electrical cords and poisonous foods out of reach of a curious puppy

​
 

SAFETY:

​

They are quick and easily injured if stepped on.

They can easily fall down stairs. Keep doors closed/locked and secure doorways with a gate.

Do not allow children to run or rough-house when the puppy is around.

Have children sit on the floor when holding the puppy; they can easily wiggle out of the child’s arms and fall or jump to the floor.

Be careful when closing doors.

Get into the habit of picking up your puppy when opening the door.

Small breed dogs are prone to a collapsed trachea, caused by collars. Rather use a harness.

Remove all extension cords and/or electrical wires that the puppy can get to and chew on.

If you own a recliner chair and are thinking about getting a Yorkie, you might want to choose one or the other. Yorkies love to get under or in between the open places in a recliner chair. They are small and they will get in there and be quiet and perfectly content. If you decide to get up and close the chair, your baby will easily be maimed or killed. Please think seriously about not having a recliner chair, especially in any rooms where your Yorkie will spend any of their time.

Cocoa mulch is very toxic to your dog. Many people use this in their gardens. It comes in a variety of brands. Please do not use this in your gardens if you own a dog, and also watch your dog when you walk him or her so that they don't ingest it from other gardens you may be walking near or around.

​

FEEDING:

​

I will send you home with the dry food that I recommend and the feeding schedule that I use. Have fresh water available at all times. Be sure your puppy is eating well. Do not feed your puppy any table scraps. I will provide you a list of acceptable foods that can be used for the occasional treat.

Avoid giving them foods high in fat; their systems cannot tolerate that much fat and it can cause pancreatitis.

If you want to switch foods do it gradually adding a little bit more of the new food each day while decreasing the amount of the old food.

​

Please read the stipulation in my contract about switching foods.

​

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can be fatal if not caught quickly. If your puppy appears to be weak or lethargic and has not been eating, give a small dime sized amount of Nutri-Cal, Nutra-Stat or Dark Karo Syrup on your finger. If they do not improve within 5 to 10 minutes, go to your vet immediately.

​

Please read my"Hypoglycemia" page for more information.

 

 

SLEEPING:

​

Your puppy needs a warm quiet place to go to get away from the family. Children should be taught not to disturb the puppy if it is sleeping.

The first few nights expect your puppy to cry when left alone, he/she is used to litter mates. Do not respond to the crying or they will continue to cry.

If letting them sleep in your room is an option, that will help. Don’t start this if you do not intend on making it a permanent situation. Rather don’t start anything that you don’t want to be a habit.

Some active play before bedtime will wear them out and they will sleep better.

 

CHEWING:

​

Make sure your puppy has plenty of appropriate things to chew on so that he will leave the furniture and kids shoes alone. If the puppy chews on something he shouldn't, quickly check him and then give him his own chew toy. Yorkie puppies will start to lose their puppy teeth at about 4-9 months old so they will want to chew a lot. I suggest and I use Bully Sticks. They are healthy, low-fat treats that last a long time.

Toys: Yorkies seem to love squeaky toys, balls, socks, and Bully Sticks.

​

 

GROOMING:

​

Wash/Groom your Yorkie once a week. I use and recommend Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner and I use Baby Shampoo for the face. I use the Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo and the 3-minute Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner. Yorkies are non-hypoallergenic and their hair is a lot like ours and this combo works great.

Brush your puppy everyday to keep their hair from knotting. Yorkie puppies hair mats easily until they blow their puppy coat so brushing everyday is essential. This gets them used to it.

Get them used to the sound of a blow dryer when they are small.

Trim the hair on their butts. This is important to prevent feces from becoming caked on. This is a very common problem with long haired dogs, but can cause impaction if they are unable to poop.

As the hair on their face gets longer, their eyes will get goop at the corners, you can trim those hairs, but if you want to let it grow out, clean their eyes regularly. Wet a wash cloth and wipe the corners of the eyes carefully and use a fine tooth comb to comb it out.

Frequently rub and massage their paws to get them used to having their nails clipped. Yorkies also need the hairs in the pads of their feet trimmed regularly. These hairs can get matted with food, dirt and debris and make it hard for them to walk. It also makes them slide on flooring cause their pads are sliding on hair.

​

​

POISONOUS PLANTS

 

Many plants are toxic to dogs. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to discourage them from chewing on or ingesting any vegetation, especially the following plants.

 

The following plants are the most toxic to dogs and should never be made available to them under any circumstances:

 

  • Castor bean or castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)

  • Cyclamen (Cyclamen spp.)

  • Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)

  • Hemlock (Conium maculatum)

  • English Ivy, both leaves and berries (Hedera helix)

  • Mistletoe (Viscum album)

  • Oleander (Nerium oleander)

  • Thorn apple or jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)

  • Yew (Taxus spp.)

  • Any mushroom you cannot identify as safe

 

These types of vegetation are to be avoided for a variety of reasons. Do not plant them near your home or bring them inside as plants or cut flowers:

 

  • Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp.)

  • Autumn crocus (Colochicum autumnale)

  • Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

  • Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

  • Chrysanthemum (Compositae spp.)

  • Flower bulbs of any kind

  • Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

  • Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)

  • Larkspur (Delphinium)

  • Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

  • Marijuana (Cannabis sativa)

  • Peace Lily or Mauna Loa Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)

  • Pothos (both Scindapsus and Epipremnum)

  • Rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum)

  • Schefflera (Schefflera and Brassaia actinophylla)

  • Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)

  • Tulip/Narcissus bulbs (Tulipa/Narcissus spp.)

  • Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

 

These tougher-leafed or woody specimens are also poisonous and should be avoided in and around your house.

 

  • Azalea

  • Box

  • Chinaberry tree

  • Horse Chestnut

  • Laburnum

  • Oleander

  • Privet

  • Sago Palm

  • Rhododendron

  • Wisteria

​

​

bottom of page