Dog Information Yorkshire Terrier History The Yorkshire Terrier breed originated in England in the early 19th century and is referred to as a “man made” breed. Several different terrier types were bred together to ultimately become the Yorkshire Terrier. Its purpose was to be the best small dog to cover ground in the pursuit of vermin and other small animals. The English Kennel Club recognized the Yorkshire Terrier in 1886. By this time the breed was well established and much the same as we know it today. It is said that a few Yorkshire Terriers were seen in the United States as early as 1880 and the first dog to be registered in the US was in 1887. Although a toy dog, he possesses the spirit, stamina, and tenacity that truly defines the characteristics of a terrier. The exact origin and particulars on how this little dog was produced is not really known. It is believed to be the mixture of what was the Skye Terrier, the Clydesdale or Paisley Terrier and perhaps the Maltese. These were probably the favorable combinations that produced the Yorkshire Terrier we know today. The Clydesdale or Paisley Terrier, which no longer exists, seemed to play a large part in the make up of the Yorkie. This extinct breed resembled the Skye Terrier but was a sandy-red color and carried a shaggy coat. Another type had harsh hair, a short muzzle, and short legs and was a dirty white in color. A third type was smooth, sleek and usually black and tan in color. This mixture of coat textures and colors may account for the variation in coat types that we have today as well as coat color that ranges from silver to blue to black. Even though there is a difference of opinion as to the exact origin of the Yorkie, the same characteristics and terrier instincts have prevailed over the years. In the late 1800’s when the Yorkie was introduced to the US, American writers of the time made comment that these dogs did not seem to be consistent in size and type was not well fixed. The weights of these dogs could vary from 2 ¾ pounds to 13 pounds. This variation in weight can still be found in the Yorkie today. The Essence & Character of the Yorkshire Terrier Toy dogs are defined as a group of dogs characterized by a very small size—terrier being defined as a group of dogs used for hunting vermin. Add a compact, well-proportioned body not to exceed seven pounds, covered with silky coat of bright, shining, dark steel blue and rich, shaded golden tan. The eyes will impart a look of sparkling intelligence combined with an overall air of self-importance. This is the Yorkshire Terrier of today. What a unique little dog. Unique in the sense that he is first a terrier—being bred down to a toy size. It is difficult for us to imagine that the elegant Yorkies of today were once ratters. However, with the true temperament they should possess, it is easy to understand that these traits still do exist. Our early English breeders have imparted many tales of the Yorkie’s great love of hunting. Nonetheless, this is not a part of the criteria for today’s Yorkie. The temperament should display that of a terrier. Careful consideration should be given so that this quality not be lost as it is one of their most important assets. Temperament, to refresh your memory, may be defined as the combined physical, emotional and mental qualities that determine one’s whole nature—the whole nature of the dog being the appearance of vigor and self-importance, as the Standard so clearly states. This seven-pound giant is first a terrier at heart. A Yorkie should have a confident manner and give the appearance of vigor and self-confidence. He is proud and bold. Bold in the sense that he is not intimidated. He knows what he wants and how to obtain it. This bold attitude can be seen as he stands head forward in front of you, ears erect, tail up, eyes sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression—very attuned to his surroundings. A Yorkie is loyal—truly a devoted companion, protective of household, as well as possessive of his family and surroundings. You might think you own him, but actually, he really owns you—and your house, your car, your bed, and your favorite chair!! A Yorkie is adaptable. If placed in a new situation, he will adjust quite readily. This adaptability is a unique part of his temperament. A Yorkie is truly a big dog in a small package. Yorkshire Terriers are addictive—once you own one, you’ll never be without one. Some Unique Traits The Yorkie possesses unique traits. They are not the sissy dogs that their beautiful coat with a bow in the hair would indicate. The Yorkie does not shed hair as with most dogs and if they are bathed weekly are usually odorless. If the coat is clipped, they are very easy to maintain. The Yorkie is not devious in character; he is an extrovert and is all yours if you are willing to play. He has a great sense of humor and enjoys being laughed at, as he is a show off and a clown. Like all terriers, Yorkies are active and playful. They are game players and show offs. They can be tough competitors—just try to win at tug-of war or grab their favorite toy!! They are lightning fast and have a stick to it personality. These little guys are tough and have no sense of how small they are. So, it is necessary to watch them around other dogs or animals. Most Yorkies thrive on companionship and are compatible with another dog. But they are natural scrappers and are not in awe of meeting larger dogs, which can prove to be very dangerous. With other dogs their own size they are lively, inquisitive and full of fun. They should be kept on a leash when outside, or in the safety of a fenced yard. The Yorkie loves to travel and has a friendly way of greeting strangers. This is one of their most endearing charms. The Yorkie is openhearted and affectionate, particularly appreciative to the one who feeds and looks after him. He is ready to curl up at night with any of his loved ones and be the perfect companion dog. Size The breed standard calls for the Yorkie not to exceed 7 pounds. There are no teacup or miniature Yorkshire Terriers. Just the Yorkie…plain and simple. This is a misconception that has been created by the public’s love of the small and tiny dogs. A Yorkie’s average weight will normally be between 4 to 7 pounds. This is still a very small dog. A breeder will occasionally have a puppy less than 4 pounds or greater than 7 pounds. Small Yorkies can be a challenge due to health problems, potty training and frailty. Yorkies classified as Teacup or Tinies are either the runt of the litter or Yorkies that have been bred down to the smaller size. In both cases, they may experience health issues and may not live to a normal life expectancy. A breeder should never breed for a tiny yorkie on purpose. The breeding of tiny yorkies and calling them 'teacups' is how a disreputable breeder separates the gullible public from their hard earned money. A teacup Yorkie simply does NOT exist. Your breeder can give an educated guess on what size your puppy will be as an adult based on their genetics and previous puppies, however there is no "exact science" when it comes to determining adult size of yorkies. If you are concerned with getting a particular size of yorkie, it is best to purchase an older puppy (over six months) as the future size can be better determined than a 12 week old. As a new Yorkie owner, the most important thing to remember about size is the chance that you new puppy could become injured. While Yorkies learn quickly to stay out from under feet, there is a period of time they when they are unaware of danger. Puppies need supervision. Watch carefully when moving around while your new puppy is on the floor, shuffling your feet helps them to hear you and you to avoid stepping on them. Be careful when opening and closing doors, they will quickly learn to stay out of the way. Another danger is dropping your puppy. Yorkies are fast and shouldn’t be in the hands of young children unless they are sitting. Just use common sense and safety. Your puppy will only be 2 to 3 pounds. A Yorkie is roughly half to 2/3 it’s adult weight by 12 weeks of age. Feeding There are many theories to feeding dogs. Some people believe that purchased food is full of preservatives and choose to feed their dogs homemade dog food or feed a raw diet. These puppies have been raised on a mixture of Royal Canine puppy food along with cooked vegetables, meats (chicken, beef, or liver), rice and sea kelp. This is a diet I use for my show dogs and have found it to maintain a healthy dog, with shining coat and a healthy weight. If you choose to change your puppy’s diet, please do so gradually. Abrupt changes may result in diarrhea. Yorkies have tiny systems that react to change easily. I do believe that Yorkies need dry food and that is why I incorporate it in my Yorkie’s diet. Dry food helps combat dental problems. Yorkies are notorious for bad teeth, and the dry food helps to keep tarter from building up. I feel that makers of dog food have spent years getting the formula right for the health of the dog, and I am not knowledgeable enough to evaluate the nutritional content of a homemade diet. I also believe, that since all of our food has preservatives and additives, unless it is home grown, that dry food is no better or worse for you dog than cooking for him. I do add other foods for variety and to improve coat and skin condition. If you choose to use only dry food, please use a premium quality food to help maintain your puppy’s health. Yorkies are small and don't eat much. It's not going to break the bank to go for a high quality food for your puppy. Some brands we reccomend are Merrick, Blue, Innova, Taste Of The Wild, Natures Variety. Use canned food only if reccomended by your breeder, and only for a short period of time. Hypoglycemia Low Blood Sugar Hypoglycemia is a disorder of the central nervous system caused by low blood sugar. It occurs mostly in toy breeds, but can also be seen in larger breeds as well. Hypoglycemia can occur without warning when a puppy goes to a new home, misses a meal or doesn’t eat full meals, becomes chilled, overtired, or exhausted from too much handling or playing. Signs to look for are depression, weakness, wobbly or jerky, teeth tightly clamped, convulsions, seizures, or coma, which can result in death. The gums will appear white or gray instead of pink. Remember, this is a puppy. Compare it to an infant child, which requires extra care. You would not wake you baby up to show your friends or neighbors, so do not wake you puppy up..It needs its rest, too. This is very important!! Treatment: The blood levels of glucose must be restored IMMEDIATELY!!DO NOT HESITATE—YOUR PUPPY’S LIFE IS AT RISK. If your puppy is conscious, give it a little Karo syrup under its tongue, or rubbed on the gums. If you have a syringe, slowly give the puppy Karo syrup mixed 1 part to 3 parts water, no more than 1 cc at a time. Do not pour excessive amounts in the puppy’s mouth as it can easily choke or aspirate the syrup into its lungs. Nutrical also works well. Rub the puppy’s throat gently to stimulate the swallowing action. You should see improvement in 5 to 10 minutes. Once your puppy starts to improve, follow with protein in 10 to 15 minutes—mix an egg yolk with half and half and slowly syringe into mouth or let puppy lap up if he is able. If the puppy does not respond within 10 minutes or is unconscious, contact your vet immediately. The small puppies do not have much extra reserve to carry them, and they can die very quickly. Not every puppy experiences hypoglycemia, and they should outgrow it at about 4 months of age, but you need to be familiar with the signs and treatment in the event your puppy becomes hypoglycemic. If you do not see substantial improvement within 15 minutes, head immediately to your vet. If it is after hours, an ER vet is going to be your only option to try to save your puppy. The best method of treating Hypoglycemia, however is prevention! Your puppy will be equivilent to a newborn baby for the next few months after you bring him/her home. Treat them as such, and you should experience little or no problems in this area. Prevention: Feed your puppy several small meals of moist food a day. You may soak dry food in warm water, add 1 teaspoon of quality canned food as reccomended by your breeder, and once a day add a teaspoon of cottage cheese. Leave dry kibble available 24 hours a day for nibbling. Make sure your puppy eats! Do not just set food down and assume the puppy will eat it. Watch to make sure it eats. If you're experiencing sugar drops, add one teaspoon of Karo syrup to two cups fresh drinking water every day. Stir the Karo until it dissolves, or it will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Never feed your puppy chocolate, fried foods, or cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is good for young puppies. Do not allow your puppy to become over tired or chilled. Let your puppy rest and become adjusted to it’s new home. REMEMBER…STRESS WILL CAUSE A SUDDEN DROP IN Its BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL. AVOID STRESS. ANY TIME YOUR YORKIE APPEARS SICK FOR ANY REASON, TAKE IT TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. Retained Baby Teeth During teething, the roots of baby teeth are reabsorbed as adult teeth grow to take their place. Sometimes this does not happen. Toy breeds in particular, tend to retain their baby teeth as the adult ones erupt. The permanent teeth are then pushed out of alignment. You may also see what appears as a double set of teeth. Puppies 3 to 6 months should be checked periodically to see that their teeth are falling out and new teeth are emerging. Failure of the baby teeth (also know as milk teeth) to fall out on their own can also cause bacteria to build up between the baby and adult teeth, causing odor and decay. The vet should remove baby teeth if they do not come out on their own. This can be done at the same time that your puppy is spayed or neutered. During this time teething may cause your puppy’s ears to drop. Tape them up with masking tape to help them stand up until the puppy is done teething. Diarrhea Many different things can cause frequent, loose and watery stools. One or two loose movements may be the result of a minor upset. Three or more should be taken seriously as dehydration can result. Another factor to consider in how quickly you take your dog to the Vet is whether or not he is acting sick or has a fever. A normal temperature for a dog is 101 degrees. You can use a rectal thermometer, putting a little KY jelly on the end to take your dogs temperature with. Uncomplicated diarrhea can be treated for a day by withholding all food for 12 hours (if your puppy is above 3 lbs and has NEVER had a hypoglycemic attack, otherwise this is not reccomended), then feeding very bland food such as cooked chicken, boiled eggs, boiled rice and giving a teaspoon of Kaopectate every 6 hrs. If there is blood or mucous in the diarrhea, vomiting or fever or generalized sickness, consult your Veterinarian without delay. Health Issues Every breed has illnesses that they are more prone to. The Yorkie and Toy breeds are no exception. I have been told that if you are a breeder long enough, you will see just about everything. In general, this is a trouble free breed and most Yorkies live to be about 15 years or so. Hypoglycemia: Improper diet, stress, becoming chilled, a missed meal can cause low blood sugar, or too much energy used during play. Six to twelve week toy breeds are at the greatest risk. If you notice your puppy seeming depressed or lethargic give it a small amount of Karo syrup. This is discussed at length in an earlier part of this care manual. Luxating Patella: This is very common in toy breeds. The knee cap (hind legs) will slide from its normal position toward the inner leg. The most obvious symptom is a limp. There may or may not be any sign of pain. The only permanent cure is surgery, however most dogs with patella luxation have minor cases that seems to do fine without surgery. If you suspect this ailment ask your vet for advice. Many toy puppies will have some degree of looseness, but may not require surgery. Legg-Perthes: The head of the femur bone crumbles from a cut off blood supply. This can be the result of trauma or genetically transmitted. There is no documented proof to certify or disprove either claim. The affected dog will begin to limp and progressively use the affected leg less. The treatment is surgery and recovery is usually complete. This is a disease that may manifest itself at about 6-7 months of age. Liver Shunt: Congenital malformation of the portal vein which brings blood to the liver for cleansing. Symptoms can vary widely and include poor appetite, occasional vomiting and diarrhea, decreased ability to learn, poor coordination, seizures, blindness, coma and death. The only cure is surgery. Consult your vet if any symptoms are present. The good news here is that though selective breeding, and testing by concerned breeders a DNA marker may soon be discovered. It is now known that dogs with elevated Serum Bile Acid test results are more prone to Liver Shunt and Micro vascular Dysplasia (MVD), but these tests are not conclusive that the dog will develop either condition. House Training Begin house training you puppy right away. Establish a warm cozy environment for your puppy, and house training will be much easier, because his instinct is not to soil in his den or bed. Start by putting your puppy on a regular feeding schedule and by making frequent trips outside. If you are feeding a good quality puppy food, you will find that the training period will be shorter because your puppy’s feeding and elimination schedule will be more routine. There are certain signs you should watch for which would alert you that it is time to take your puppy outside. If your puppy walks around the floor in circles, sits or whines at the door, or voluntarily gives you the “look”—it is time to take your puppy outside. Always take your puppy outside to the same area, using the same door. Yorkies love routines. Use the same words..”Let’s go potty” “Good boy/girl.” Be consistent and positive. When your puppy had finished eliminating, praise him and bring him back inside. He’ll soon connect elimination outdoors with praise, and he will be anxious to please you. When to take your puppy out: First thing in the morning!! Right after his naps! Upon returning home to a puppy who has been left alone! Right after meals! Last thing in the evening! Whenever he gives you the “look”! Accidents do happen! Should you discover a mess, do not raise you voice, spank your pup or rub his nose in it. While he’ll certainly cower in fear, he’s too young to connect your reprimand with his mess. If he’s caught in the act, immediately take him outside to finish. When he does, praise him for his efforts. You must catch him in the act for him to understand what he is doing wrong. Clean up!! To clean up deodorizers and repellents work effectively. Do not use ammonia—ammonia and urine are very similar in chemical makeup, and will entice your puppy to repeat urination in the same area. Once you have cleaned the area, barricade the spot until it is dry. Otherwise, your puppy will be back to investigate the scent and may feel the urge to repeat the mess! House training your puppy will take time and patience, it does not happen overnight, and it will not happen at all unless you are dilligent about it. In other words, housebreaking is as much about training yourself as it is training the puppy. Grooming First you must decide if you want to groom your Yorkie yourself, or use a professional groomer. There are many good groomers available. A good way to locate one is to ask other Yorkie owners, or your vet. A Yorkie in full show coat is a beautiful sight, but that beautiful show coat does not happen without a lot of time and patience on the part of both the owner and the dog. A good short clip is so much easier for you and your dog. Your Yorkie will need to be bathed about once a week…more or less depending on if the dog gets into your prized flowerbed, or if it sleeps in your bed!! Be sure to dry your puppy with a hair dryer. Yorkies should not be allowed to get chilled. Bath time is a good time to look over your little one. Check his teeth, eyes, ears, skin, nails, nose and rear end. Remember to set some time aside for bathing, so that you are not rushed. At first you puppy will wiggle a lot, but be patient. Your Yorkie is getting used to a lot of new things! Be positive, praise, but also be firm. After a few baths, things will go much better! I recommend Pet Silk shampoo and conditioner. Remember your puppy will also need his/her ears cleaned during bath time. You can purchase ear cleaner at your first vet vistit for your puppy's well check after you've taken him home. I reccomend Vet Solutions. Regular cleaning of your puppy's ears is excellent way to eliminate earwax build up, which can cause infections. Grooming equipment recommended: Pin Brush Metal (Greyhound) comb and tiny "cat comb", Ear Trimmer-or mustache trimmer Shampoo/conditioner Hairdryer Latex bands for topknot Nail Clippers Kwik stop—for when nails are cut too close or other owies. It is my hope that this information will be informative and helpful to you, your family, and your new puppy. The Yorkshire Terrier is truly one of the most delightful breeds to own. Quite often people will have two. My husband says they are like potato chips!! Can’t have just one! Just remember your Yorkie is not a timid little lap dog. Bred to hunt, this little dog is ready for action at all times. That inquisitive and feisty nature could get your little friend into trouble!! I truly hope your experience with your Yorkie is a great one! My goal is happiness for you and the puppy has that left my home!