The following is a list of items you should acquire prior to bringing a new Yorkie
companion into your home.
Crate - Vari-Kennel, plastic airline type crates are light weight and easy to clean.
The more open, epoxy coated wire crates with a removable tray may be nice for
females - - but are ineffective for housebreaking male dogs (they leg lift and
piddle out through the wires); metal crates are also rather heavy for travel use.
Airline type crates also provide
Leash - We prefer the nylon leashes, which can be purchased in a variety of colors
to match the adjustable dog collars. Do not use retractable leads as they have a
tendency to hit the dogs in the head if they accidentally are let go of.
Collar – We do not recommend collars other than for bling! We suggest extra
small harnesses. The newer nylon adjustable harness’s that "grow" with the puppy
are great. The extra small is a good fit for the typical Yorkie throughout his/her
lifetime. Identification tag for collar/harness.
Food and Water Bowls - Stainless steel works well, and is light weight for ease of
cleaning and travel. We find the 1/2 qt. size works nicely for Yorkies. Ceramic
bowls are wonderful for home use, especially for water, but too heavy for travel
convenience. Plastic bowls are not a good choice because they tend to grow algae
and are not easy to sanitize.
Treats - Healthy, bite-sized treats for training and rewards.
Dry Kibble (dog food) – Natural Balance high quality dry kibble petite race (small
breed puppy) is acceptable for the Yorkie. Keep the protein levels around 25%.
Just remember to make any changes in diet gradually to avoid digestive upsets,
and feed a puppy/growth formula until your Yorkie reaches maturity. Totally avoid
generic brands as they are usually not nutritionally complete. I use Forti Flora.
Use this in case of loose stools as well. You sprinkle it on the food. It is listed on
my contract!
Safe "Chew" Items - Nylabone, gumabone and nylafloss products are excellent,
safe outlets for your puppy's need to chew, as are smoked cow or lamb ears, and
cow hooves in moderation. Heavy knotted or pressed rawhide chews will also keep
your Yorkie entertained for hours; however, rawhide products must be used with
caution, as some dogs will try to swallow large pieces and could choke or
experience digestive problems. Pig ears and related items; these can cause upsets
due to the excessive grease, and recently have been shown to carry salmonella
bacteria.
Toys – Anything that does not have anything they can choke on. Beanie Babies are
not a good choice because of the beans.
Chris Christensen Brushes - For regular grooming of these long hair Yorkies.
www.chrissystems.com
They are expensive but well worth it. Here is the reason for the difference!
Do The Tip Test: Take the brush you have been using and run the pins down your
arm and you will see scratches on your arm. This is because those brushes have
not been ground and polished and they are very damaging and irritating to the skin
of your canine and not only to the skin, for if you were to look at those tips under a
magnifier you would find that they look like blades of a saw and they do break and
cut hair. In many cases when you see dander after brushing it is not dander at all,
it is skin that you have grated off while brushing, just like the scratches you now
have on your arm. Take that brush that you have just scratched your arm with and
do it a hundred strokes like you brush you canine and see how irritated and flaky
your skin will be after that experiment. Now, take any of Chris Christensen
Systems brushes and run the pins down your arm and you won't find a scratch, no
matter how hard or how many times you run that brush down your arm.
I use the MARK II SMALL HEAD SIZE, and the 20mm OBLONG BRUSH. I am a
hair stylist … these are the best of the best brushes.
Baby gate - or possibly an exercise pen. Look at Goodwill for baby gates. You can
get one there for around $3.00!
Cleaning Supplies for accidents! - Cleaners, disinfectants, odor neutralizer, air
freshener, carpet cleaner; consider getting a hand-held spot cleaning machine.
Nail Clippers - Toe nails need to be clipped every one to two weeks, depending on
the Yorkie and how much they naturally wear them down during daily activity. Plier
types are the best. Make sure the blade remains sharp, and discard or change
blades when dull, as a dull blade will pinch the nail and not cut as cleanly.
Kwik-stop Styptic Powder - Used to control bleeding, should you accidentally cut
the "quick" when trimming nails.
BOOKS Book’s about breed information, home-medical reference for dogs, puppy
care and training, dog behavior.
The following items are ones which you may not immediately need, but may find
helpful for the future:
Dog Shampoo - Any tearless puppy shampoo is good to start with.
Dog Conditioner – I use Eufora which is a salon quality shampoo and conditioner that
is aloe vera based. For something that is more economical get Pantene Sleek and
Smooth.
Bitter Apple - discourages chewing of inappropriate items.
Tooth Scaler - for occasional tartar removal.
Tooth brush and doggie toothpaste – Brush regularly for good oral hygiene.