Yorkshire Terrier General Care

Care and Feeding of Your Puppy

Your puppy should have access to clean fresh water at all times.

• 6 to 8 weeks old, feed four times a day

• 8 to 12 weeks old, feed three times a day

• 12 to 24 weeks old, feed trice a day

• 6 months or older, feed once a day, unless puppy is extremely small.

Keep your puppy on a puppy food until he/she is one year old. I am feeding Science Diet right now. If you switch to another puppy food, add it gradually to the Science Diet so his/her stomach doesn't get upset. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to call Kim at (916) 214-0294.

You can free feed (leave food out at all times), or feed several times a day. For the first few weeks this should be at least four times a day. Dry food as well as moist food should be offered. Moist food means the dry food has been moistened with warm water, to about the consistency of oatmeal. As soon as you are sure the puppy is eating enough dry food, you can discontinue the moist. Moisten with water only…..Never milk.

If your puppy is not interested in eating the first few days, you can mix in a small amount of meat baby food or canned puppy food – but not too much. This is only to tempt and should not become a habit. YOUR PUPPY MUST EAT!!! Do not let him go over 6 hours without food, even if it means force feeding him.

Table food should not be started; this can cause digestive upset in puppies and cause weight gain and picky eating in adults. Greasy, spicy foods are not digested well by dogs. A good quality dog food is all your pup needs to stay healthy. The exception is the very tiny; sometimes you have to give them whatever it takes to get them to eat. Scrambled eggs, boiled chicken & rice, and cottage cheese are all good choices.

Any sign of vomiting or diarrhea must be taken care of immediately. It does not take much for these little ones to dehydrate, if the pup seems to feel good and is eating, but has a loose stool; you can give ¼ to ½ baby dose of Pepto Bismol or Kaopetate. Any sign of depression or listlessness, give sugar first, them….TAKE THE PUP TO THE VET NOW!!!!!

If your pup develops loose or bloody stools, and/or diarrhea, please get him medical attention. Small puppies can get several stomach disorders due to stress and change of water. A puppy can be lost quickly due to this. Have your Veterinarian check stool for Coccidia and Giardia.

Do not take your puppy to parks, Petco, Pet smart, or other areas where other dogs have been until his full shot schedule is complete (usually around 16 weeks of age). His immune system is immature and he is not totally immune to puppy diseases, until he has fully completed his shot schedule.

Puppies, like human babies, need a lot of rest. Never wake up your pup to play. It knows how much sleep it needs. Wait until it is ready to play.

For Pet Health Care and Pet Care Products, we recommend the following online businesses. They carry a diverse line of products and services to accommodate most everyone's needs.

Revival Animal Health:
http://www.revivalanimal.com

Pet Edge:
http://www.petedge.com

Eukanuba:
http://www.eukanuba.com

Pet Smart:
http://www.petsmart.com

Dr's, Foster & Smith
http://www.drsfostersmith.com

Merrick Pet Care
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/

Royal Canin
http://www.royalcanin.us/

Dr. Larry McDaniel - Veterinarian (Ask pet questions online)
http://www.purinaone.com/Experts/ExpertQuestionSubmit.aspx

The Pet Center - The Internet Animal Hospital Dog and Cat Health Care
http://www.thepetcenter.com/