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New Puppy Care
There are so many books out there that tell you to have this
or that when bringing home a new puppy. They all tell us how to care for our
new pet and so many things we may not know. This page is basically going to
do the same as those books. Most of you have read all this before or
something similar to it.
Some basic puppy items:
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Decide whether to have canned or dry food for your pet, and
put him/her on a schedule. This will also help with house breaking.
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You will need a couple of bowls. Make sure they are heavy
and can't be dumped over. One is for food and the other is for the water.
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We all need a place to sleep, so why not your new pet. Get him/her a pet
bed, and if you buy the right size you won't be going out in a month or two
buying another.
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You should also think about getting a pet taxi and or crate. A pet taxi will
be handy when going to the veterinarian or road trip. The crate will be
handy for keeping your new pet confined to a small area for sleeping only,
and will also aid in house breaking.
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Collar and a leash are also needed. All pets like to take walks, and this
will help with this venture.
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Yorkies need to be combed almost every day. Especially if you are planning
to show your pet. You will need grooming supplies (combs, brushes, shampoo,
etc....)
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Some new owners might require a pen for outside use. This keeps the pet
confined in one area while outside.
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Some will take their pet out on a leash
or outdoor lead. This is your choice here.
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Always have a First-Aid Kit.
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Flea collars might be needed, depending on where you are located. I usually
recommend the new flea repellants out there that you just place a drop on
the shoulder blade. This seems to work great for me, and I live in the
country. So I guess what I could really suggest here is some type of flea
repellant.
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Chew items to help with teeth. Some suggestions are Nylabone and Gumabone.
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All pets love to play, so don't forget the play toy. There is such a large
selection, just remember the size of your new pet. My best toys have been
taking those leftover socks, you know the ones the washer and dryer eats the
other match to, and tying a knot in it. My pets love to play with those and
they are easy to find. :)
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Now for the best item to have. Treats! When your new pet does a good deed it
is always nice to have a reward. Don't forget these.
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Continue The Care of you Pet
- Now that you have all of these items you are ready to bring home that new
pet. After bringing him home you want to let him get use to you and your
family. By doing this keep him familiar with his food, and any other items
he arrives with, like a toy. This will help in his transition from one home
to yours.
- Very important is to find a veterinarian in your area that you can trust.
Provide quality health care for your pet with routine check-ups. Most
registered pets will come to your home with at least one or two vaccines
already done. You should continue these to maintain the health of your pet.
Don't forget Heartworm prevention!!
- Be sure to familiarize your children with the new pet. Don't let them pick
him/her up by the neck. This could really hurt your pet, or even cause
him/her to snap or bite at your child. Yorkies are normally very good with
children as long as they understand how fragile the new pet is.
- Don't let your new pet or any pet just run around outside without being
supervised. This could save the life of your pet, and also keep your
neighbors from complaining about him/her doing his deed in their yard. Also
with so many plants out there you never know when your pet might happen upon
one and it be one of those toxic plants.
- As mentioned above, set a schedule for eating and stick to it. This is good
for your pet and also aides in house breaking.
- As your pet becomes familiar with you and your family things will begin to
change and habits will form. One habit is to bath your yorkie. I know I
always feel really icky if I don't take a shower at least every other day.
When and how often to bath your yorkie will determine your time, and how bad
he/she looks. I know I try to bathe mine at least every two weeks, but
sometimes they will go a month. With a show yorkie, I am no expert on this,
but I think I would probable bathe mine every week and make sure that
combing was done daily.
- Exercise is important for your new pet. Take him/her out as often as you can
for a walk or just to run and play while you watch him/her.
- Many people don't think about this. I didn't, but yorkies have a tendency to
have really bad breath and if their teeth are not cared for properly they
will need to be pulled. Provide chew bones made just for keeping your pets
teeth healthy. I also found that a simple little finger brush and some teeth
cleaner does good also.
- So I brush my pets teeth weekly, but they also have
something to chew on.
- Most important is to love your new pet and take the best care of him/her
that you can.
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I thought about going into a detail list of when vaccines should be given,
but then decided that there are so many veterinarians., breeders, and books
that give so many different recommendations that I basically would be giving
you my theory and another theory isn't needed. My advise is to talk with
your veterinarian and go by his suggestion. Mine recommended vaccines until
the puppy is 20 weeks of age. For a total of 5 vaccines, at 6, 8, 12, 16, &
20 weeks with Lepto only being given during the 16 and 20 weeks vaccines. If
this helps some of you great, but I still recommend talking with your
veterinarian.
I hope that this page might help some of you raise a healthy pet. If you
have any questions please feel free to email me. Just click on the dancing
pencil below and send it my way.
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