I sincerely hope your puppy is at least 
3 months old. Yorkies are too young to 
leave home until that age. Between birth
and 3 months is when most health problems
will show up in Yorkies.
.
If you have a responsible breeder that you 
bought your puppy from, she or he will be in 
your lives for a long time. They will teach you
everything you need to know on shots, health,
feeding, signs to watch out for, bedding, toys 
(good and bad), bowel movements, hypo-
glycemia, etc. etc. etc... You will also have 
their phone number and will be able to 
call them day or night if you have a problem.
.
BUT.... Maybe you didn't buy your puppy 
from a good breeder. Or, maybe you would 
like to be a good breeder yourself and are 
just starting out, but don't really know all 
that much about raising puppies. This is why 
I am adding this article to my web site. Al-
though I raise and show Yorkies, this can 
apply to most small breeds.
.
The first thing you should do, if you know the
day you are getting your puppy, is to make an appointment with your Vet. Preferably the 
same day.
.
It is too easy to become attached to a pup and 
if there is something wrong with it, it will be a 
lot easier on you, if you have to take it back. 
If you absolutely can't, than make one as soon 
as possible.
.
Better yet, ask the breeder if the puppy has 
been taken to a Vet for a checkup, the date, 
and the Vet's name before you go see the 
puppy. Then you can call that Vet and get 
his advice on the health of the puppy before 
you see it and fall in love. This saves a lot of 
heartbreak.
.
The most important thing to know about in 
raising puppies or acquiring a new puppy is 
"Hypoglycemia". Click and read this article.
.
I think this is the most important subject in 
this whole article. It is very traumatic for a 
puppy to be taken away from its mother and 
go to a strange home with strange people in it. 
The puppy is very confused, lost and 
frightened.

New puppies should not be taken out with 
you and shown off to all your friends for at 
least a week or two. He needs to get to know 
and trust his new Mommy or Daddy and not 
be upset by strangers wanting to hold or play
with him.
.
When a puppy gets nervous or upset his 
sugar level drops drastically, and can cause 
the puppy to go into shock (they fall over and 
become rigid).  It can also cause death in 
extreme cases.

Hypoglycemia can also occur when a puppy 
is badly frightened, is hurt in some way, or is 
not eating enough.
.
The best way to tell a puppy's sugar level is 
by his gums.  If the gums are nice and pink, 
he is fine. If the gums are white, his sugar 
level has dropped.
.
You should check your puppy's gums often 
the first week he is in his new home.  Check 
them before he leaves his old home so you 
will be able to know if his level has dropped 
on entering his new home.
.
What to do if his sugar drops? That's easy.
Give him sugar. Karo syrup is my constant 
companion with my pups and I usually give 
them a dose (about 2 cc's) before they leave 
my home to go to their new one. I also give it 
to my older dogs when they play too rough or 
go to the shows and get stressed out.
.
Also "Nutra Cal" (comes in a tube and can be 
gotten from your Vet.) is a food supplement 
that is very rich. You just put a little on your 
finger and the puppy will usually lick it off.  If 
he doesn't, just open his mouth and put some 
behind his front teeth. This will also help 
bring his sugar up. I give both. First the Karo 
then the Nutra Cal.
.
Karo is also excellent for getting a new born 
puppy to start nursing.  Mix a little with
warm water and let the puppy suck it off 
your (clean) finger or put some in a dropper 
and give just a drop or two.
.
You should get a record of your puppy's 
shots. I usually don't sell mine until they 
have at least 2 shots in them. One at 6 weeks 
and the 2nd at 9 weeks.  They don't leave 
their mom till they're 3 months old though.
.
They need a total of 3 at three week intervals 
and than 1 at a year old, and 1 every year 
after. My older dogs that go to the shows get 
them every 9 months as a precaution. They 
are around so many dogs that may or may 
not have germs that I feel it's better to be safe
than sorry.  I would suggest that, if you take 
your pup out a lot to parks or places that 
other dogs have roamed, to give their yearly 
shot a little early.
.
I give everything but Leptosperosis, and 
Rabies.  It is now believed that giving Lepto 
too early can cause cataracts earlier when 
they get older.  I don't give Lepto until they 
are 6 months.  Rabies I don't give until much
later, about 9 months.

Update on shots....
New studies have come out that say a dog 
doesn't need the adult shots but once every
3 years.  If in doubt that your dog is 
protected, you can have your vet do a titter
test to check. I am now following this new
regime.  This is YOUR puppy that YOU are 
responsible for and you should do what you
feel comfortable with or your vet 
recommends. 
.
This part is for those who either give their 
own shots or want to give their own shots.
Remember this is just what "I" do. That 
doesn't mean you have to take it as gospel. 
And by all means follow your Vet's 
instructions over mine.
.
What "I" do is divide the first shot into 2 
shots. I give half a dose the first shot and a 
week later I give another half shot.  Two 
weeks later on the second shot I give the 
whole shot.  Our dogs are small and I just 
figure that if you give a big dog a whole shot, 
and our pups are half their size, that they 
don't need the whole thing at one time and 
it's safer.  I think it's just too much for their
small systems.  I like for their bodies to 
adjust to a smaller amount first.
.
I never use the same bottle twice.  If I only 
have one puppy, after I use the half shot I 
throw the bottle away and use a new one for
the second half shot and throw that away as
well. If I have 2 pups than I divide one shot 
in two and use the same bottle but 2 different
needles.
.
I once had a beautiful, perfect, Vet. checked 
puppy that I gave the whole shot to and it got
distemper and died. I say from the shot and 
my Vet. said that this was probably the case. 
All my dogs are vaccinated and the puppy 
had not been out of my home. The day it got 
the shot, it was fine. Two days later it had it's 
first seizure.
.
My next litter I let my Vet give my puppies 
their shots. She checked them over 
thoroughly and then gave them their shots. 
I had one small male that got ill the day after 
his shot and was left with partial sight.  She 
used the same vaccine.
.
I will not mention the name of the shot, but I 
will tell you that I am now using Pro guard 
(tm 5 Parvo Strain 154) (#16-P2-12) from 
Jeffers Pet Catalog (phone # 1-800-jeffers) 
for my pups.  I think you should know that 
it is important to keep up with which shot is 
rated best at the time you are giving shots. 
You can call your Veterinarian University in 
your area for this information.  My puppy 
contracts have all this information in it.
.
Now let's turn to a lighter subject.  Where 
does a puppy sleep when you get it home. 
Puppies are lost in a large area.  They need 
a small space that they can feel safe in 
without fear of getting stepped on or tripped 
over.  Ever try to get a puppy out from 
under a sofa or a bed?  It's no fun.
.
I suggest to the people who buy my puppies 
to get a  small cage or playpen.  A cage is 
really the ideal place for a puppy and you 
can use it forever as a safe place for your 
puppy when you can't watch it.  They can 
get into trouble faster than a speeding bullet.
I get mine from Central Metal. 
Toll Free: (800) 874-3647
Be sure to get the one that opens at the top 
and side. Also, you need the grate and stainless
pan. Do not get the metal pan. They rust after a 
while. It folds down so it can be taken on trips to 
be used in motels. 

Playpens you can pick up real cheap from a 
garage sale, thrift or good-will store.  You can 
get the smaller ones now too if you don't have 
a lot of space. I get them from $12 to $16 dollars.
This is only if you don't have a climber. 
Some Yorkies may climb out of a playpen so 
I suggest you watch your puppy closely to 
make sure he isn't a climber first.  You may 
want to put it in a corner with pillows all 
around just in case.  I've never had one that 
climbed, but someone told me that theirs did. 
.
In it, put the puppy's bed, food, water and 
paper in a corner to pee on.  I like the half
doughnut beds with one side open so they 
can cuddle up yet still crawl out of easily.
.
You can put their toys in there also.  I go to 
thrift stores a lot and you can buy a bag of 
soft toys for about $1.50.  I wash them and 
remove all the eyes and anything that they 
can chew off and maybe choke on or swallow. 
I don't give them the furry kind (that comes 
off in their mouths and they can get in their 
stomachs), only the material or lambs wool 
ones.  Usually I can find one with a wind up 
music box in it.  They like the music, it's 
soothing.  When they get to the stage that 
they chew them up, I go to the harder toys. 
The minute any toy looks like it's coming 
apart, throw it away.
.
We all lead busy lives today and have to go 
out at some time or other or we are just busy 
at home and want to know that our puppy is 
safe while we are not able to keep an eye on 
him.  I can't think of anything better than a 
playpen or, better yet, a small cage.
.
Please note, I'm not advocating you lock him 
up forever.  Only when you can't watch him.

It's also great for training your puppy to the 
paper.  If you take him out regularly he won't 
even mess his paper after a while.
.
Puppies are naturally curious. They will pick 
up anything off the floor and usually eat it or 
make a good job of trying to.  I knew a girl 
who bought a "cheep" puppy from an in-
different breeder who just sold her the puppy 
and said "so long".  She let her puppy loose 
all over the house and it found a pin on the 
floor and ate it.  After a day or so the puppy 
started bleeding from the rectum.  By the time 
she got it to the Vet. and he took x-rays and 
found the pin in its' stomach it was too late 
and the puppy died.

Never put a puppy on any furniture such as
sofa's, chairs, or anything that's higher than 
he is if he's not in your arms or in your lap.
Contrary to "their" beliefs, they don't 
bounce when they hit the floor... they crash. 
Broken bones are no fun to have to deal with
and Lord forbid.... what if he breaks his neck?

.
I know some people don't believe in cages or 
confining their pets in any way. Too bad.  I 
most certainly do.  Better caged than dead. 
Later, when the puppy is older, you can start
leaving him out more and more as you get to 
know your puppy better and can trust him 
without keeping your eye on him every second.
The reason I like the cage better than the playpen 
is also because you can leave the side door open,
put his bed in there and he'll go in and out for 
food, water and to sleep. They love their own 
special place.
.
Watch your puppies' stool.  It can tell you a 
lot about what's going on inside your pup.  If 
it's nice and firm and a good brown, it's OK. 
Make sure he goes every day and doesn't have 
to strain to do it.  Also make sure to keep the 
hair clipped around his rectum and check 
him often to make sure he isn't stopped up. 
Anything else, see your Vet.
.
Also watch your puppies' behavior.  New 
pups sleep a lot and that's normal, but if he 
seems sluggish when he's awake and just not 
himself, take his temperature. I use the
thermometer that beeps when done with a little
KY jelly on it.  A pups' temp. should be 101 
degrees.  Sometimes while playing or in the 
heat it can go to 102.  If it doesn't come down 
when he quieten's down and cools off, call 
your Vet.
.
I believe in feeding only good quality food. 
I'm not going to recommend one because I 
use them all.  For my older dogs I mix different 
brands so they don't get board.  I know I 
wouldn't like to eat the same thing every day 
of the year.  I have a 50 gallon metal garbage 
can that I line with a garbage bag and just 
mix everything together.  One bite one kind, 
next bite another kind.
.
They are so funny though.  One day they will 
pick out just one kind and the next another 
kind and the next three different kinds.  Any 
way they have their choice.  My dogs are used 
to this and it doesn't upset them.
.
For a puppy under 3 months old.....
I've gotten so many e-mails from people asking
what to feed their 6 week to 3 month old
puppy that I'm adding this.  First, you shouldn't
buy a puppy under 3 months, but if you did,
this is what I would recommend you feed it.
Read my "Buying a  puppy article".
.
When I wean my pups I use Hill's Growth food.
It comes in a green and white can and you
can get it from your vet. or Petsmart store.
 I use half a can and put it in a bowl.  I mix in 
about 1/2 cup of canned milk and then mash 
it up real good.  Then I add water until it's a 
real soft mush.  I feed them this mixture until 
they are 3 months old 5 times a day. 
.
As they grow, you can make the food
more solid and not quite so mushy.  Keep this
in your refrigerator and no longer than 3 days.
The other half a can you didn't use, give to
another pet or throw out.  Heat the mush a
little before you feed it to your puppy.  They're
used to warm milk from their mom and this 
will help them eat better. 

When they're 2 to 3 months old, I give them
Eukanauba growth small bites.  This is hard
food.  This I leave down for them to munch
on all the time.  At first they play with it, but
after a while they start eating it.  You have
to watch them to see how much they're 
eating of the Eukanauba. You can get this
at feed stores or your vets. 
.
They will gradually stop eating the mush 
and eat more of the hard food.  When they
do this, I then start giving them the Hills
growth right out of the can 3 times a day 
and still leave the Eukanauba down for them. 
.

For a puppy over 3 months...
When you buy your puppy, you should find
out what the breeder is feeding and make
sure you have some to take home with you
until you can get to the store and get some.
.
If you like the brand just keep using it.  If 
you don't like it change the food gradually. 
I don't recommend you do this the first week 
as the puppy has enough to deal with just 
going to a new home.  The less stress the
better.
.
By the next week when he's more used to you, 
start changing.  Just add a little bit of the food 
you want him to eat at first. Make sure he likes 
it.  If it's dry, offer him a piece and see if he 
will eat it.  If he does then go ahead with 
changing gradually.  A little more each day 
of the food you like and a little less of the 
original food.  I would do this over a weeks 
time.  If he doesn't like it at first just put a 
few pieces in a bowl and leave it there. 
Maybe he will decide later that it's not so
bad.
.
When the pieces are gone add a few more. 
Just keep going like this till he gets used to it. 
If he plain doesn't like it and won't eat it, then 
it's up to you to find another good brand you 
like and start the process all over again.
.
Always remember that the main thing is to 
keep him eating no matter what the food.  I 
have a friend whose puppy wouldn't eat 
anything but Gerber weenies.  He's 4 years 
old and still eats them for snacks and such. 
Maybe a little weenie juice on your food 
might do the trick.  If he plain won't eat 
anything, go ahead and give him the weenies. 
So what if you have a spoiled, rotten dog.
He'll get that way sooner or later anyway.
.
Even after they start eating dry food, I still 
give my puppies wet food twice a day.  After 
6 or 7 mo. I then go to once a day.  I like to 
put a little cottage cheese in their wet food. 
It's good for them and they love it.
.
Another thing I believe in is obedience 
training for your puppy starting at 3 months 
of age.  I don't mean the full training like for 
obedience trials or attack training.  I just 
mean a couple of simple commands to keep 
your puppy safe.
.
What if you answer your door and your pup 
runs out of the house and into the street? 
And of course a car is coming at the same 
time.  Wouldn't you like to know you could 
give your pup a command and he would stop immediately and come trotting back to you?

The best way to train him is to find an 
obedience club in your area. You would 
get to know a lot of nice people and have 
some support in your training efforts.
.
If none are available, I will give you some 
simple ways to do it yourself.  I trained and 
showed German Shepherds in obedience for 
many years, so I'm not a novice at this.  The 
first thing you do is leash train your pup to 
walk with you.
.
What I do is put the leash around his body up
close to his front shoulders.  I Hate pulling on 
a pup's neck.  Then I take him out in the grass 
and with short pulls encourage him to walk by
calling and coaxing.  Just keep pulling with 
short pulls, and he'll soon get the idea.  Work 
only about 10 to 15 minutes at a time.  Also 
give him breathers every few minutes.
.
When he's going good with the leash around 
his body, I then put the leash around his neck. 
I never use a harness while training.  This 
makes for a wild dog without control. 
.
From my friends on the Yorkie list, I have 
learned that a harness can be useful in certain
situations.  Who says an old dog like me can't 
learn new tricks? <smile> If you're out in 
public and a large dog without a lead comes
after your Yorkie, you can use the lead to 
yank your pup into your arms without
strangling him like you would with a neck 
lead. 
.
I do recommend having your pup leash 
trained first before you go to the harness
though. He needs to learn that you take him 
for a walk and not the other way around.
.
Once he's leash trained, then start the 
"Come" command.  Let's pretend your pups
name is Banjo (hee, hee).  I guess you know I
have a Banjo.  You let your pup walk around 
on the leash and then you say "Banjo come" 
in a strong voice.  You say his name first to 
get his attention, and then give the command
you want him to obey.
.
When you say the word "come", gently but 
firmly, pull the leash to you until he is right 
in front of you.  When he is in front of you,
lean down and give him lots and lots of praise. 
Let him know what a good boy he is.  Make 
sure the word come and the leash pulling 
occur at the same time.  Never say more than
these two words.  A dog only understands key
words when you talk to them.  While you're 
training, don't confuse him.
.
After you've loved on him a minute or two, 
let him go play again. Then repeat the 
"Banjo come" command.  I would do this 
about ten minutes in the morning and ten
in the evening.  You don't want to wear him 
out.
.
In about a week you shouldn't have to pull the 
leash at all and he will be coming to you on 
his own.  Then start doing it in the house off 
leash at different times of the day.  If he 
regresses, just put the leash back on a couple 
of times and he'll get the idea you're serious.
.
The next command is "down stay".  Suppose 
he gets out and runs across the street.  There 
is a lot of traffic and if he sees you he will try 
to cross the street to come to you and may get 
hurt.  With the "down stay" command you 
can avoid this disaster.  It's also good if you 
have to take a bath and don't want your little
darling jumping in the tub with you.
.
Put him down on his belly and say "Banjo 
down stay".  Keep your hand on his back and 
you can pet or scratch him while doing this 
and just keep repeating the command "Banjo 
down stay".  (You can do this while sitting on 
the floor watching TV.)
.
After he gets the idea and doesn't try to jump 
up every 5 seconds, then remove your hand. 
Every time he starts to jump up repeat the 
command and put him down again.
.
When he gets the hang of this in a couple of 
days, then start going further away from him.
When you can walk away from him to another
room and he doesn't follow, you're half way 
there.
.
The next step is to take him for a walk on his 
leash and stop every so often and give him the 
"Banjo down stay" command and if he doesn't 
do it on his own, put him down when you give
this command. You can renew the "Banjo 
come" command on the same outing.  In about 
a month or two you will have a nicely trained
puppy and you and he will be happier and
"safer" for it.
.
Like I said earlier, this is "my" way of raising 
puppies. I'm sure there are a lot more and 
even some better ideas around.  If you would 
like to send them to me, and they are good, I 
will post them below.  Till then, good luck 
with your new puppy.