TOY BREED PUPPY CARE 101


Thank you for visiting www.swankpets.com You’re either reading this because you just got a new toy breed puppy, or planning on getting a new toy breed puppy. Well, you’ve come to the right place. These small dog breeds need special attention and care when they are puppies. Within this article, you will get thorough instructions on almost everything you need to know to ensure your toy breed dog stays healthy, along with tips on potty training. Please keep in mind that this article was not written by a veterinarian. The information from this article is my opinion which comes from years of personal research and experience dealing specifically with toy breed dogs. Always consult a veterinarian for any questions regarding your dog.

We personally own Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies), and have grown a vast amount of experience dealing with this fantastic breed.  Below is our sweetie, "Munchkin", weighing in at just 1.5 lbs at over a year old.  Despite her weight, she's as healthy as can be.

                                  Our Crazy Critter "Munchkin".  Full Grown at 1.5 lbs!

The following information can pertain to any toy breed dog. There are countless joys of owning these little guys and girls, however, toy breeds need special attention during the young stages of their life. From young, we are referring to 8 weeks to one year old. If you have come across a breeder that sells pups before they are 8 weeks old, LEAVE! Small breed dogs must stay with their mothers for AT LEAST 8 weeks. Preferably, a puppy can leave their mothers at around 10-12 weeks. You can read more about choosing the right toy dog breeder here.



Hypoglycemia

The most important condition to look out for when you first get your puppy is known as hypoglycemia. This condition appears most frequently in toy breed dogs such as Yorkies, Maltese, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas etc. According to the US National Laboratory of Medicine, hypoglycemia is the sudden drop in the concentration of glucose (sugar) in the blood below normal levels. Although most commonly seen in puppies 5-16 weeks of age, adult “teacup” dogs can encounter this problem if not properly cared for. This condition occurs more frequently in smaller dogs due to the lack of muscle mass of “teacup” dogs. Less muscle mass equates to a tougher time in storing glucose, making toy dog breed more susceptible to hypoglycemia.

Your pup’s body utilizes glucose as the main source of energy. As long as your puppy eats on a regular basis (see the section on feeding below), their glucose levels should remain stable. However, certain events can speed up the onset of hypoglycemia such as stress, low body temperature, poor nutrition, change in food, and infections. (Please read below on easing your puppy into their new environment). Signs of hypoglycemia include laziness, lethargicness, drowsiness, stumbling around, shivering, depression, and in severe cases, a coma like state. One of the best methods for checking hypoglycemia involves feeling the gums. A healthy puppy’s gums will feel warm and have a nice pink color. If your puppy’s gums feel cold and look white, your puppy could be experiencing hypoglycemia.

If you notice any of the above mentioned symptoms, immediately feed them a high sugar supplement such as Karo syrup, Nutra-Cal or Nutri-Stat. Karo syrup can be found at most grocery stores, and the other two supplements at most pet stores. Since Karo syrup is mainly composed of glucose, this would be the preferred supplement to treat hypoglycemia. Simply place a dab of Karo syrup on your fingertip and allow the puppy to lick it off. Sometimes a puppy will refuse to lick the syrup from your finger. In this instance, gently open the puppy’s mouth and scrape the syrup off the back of their front teeth and allow them to swallow. Repeat the process a couple times until the gums turn back to normal, or until the above symptoms have passed. Most puppies can recover from mild hypoglycemia within 10-20 minutes. In severe cases where your puppy appears to be going into a coma like state, immediately bring them into to your local animal hospital while having a passenger force feeding them with Karo syrup on your way there.

All in all, severe and non-severe cases of hypoglycemia can be avoided by:

1. Paying close attention to your little puppy
2. Proper feeding
3. Rest

We recommend checking their gums every few hours just to ensure that your little one stays healthy. If you work during the day, come back at lunch or as often as you can to check on your puppy’s health. The next section will discuss methods on easing a puppy into a new environment to help alleviate rapid onsets of hypoglycemia.


The First Few Days After You Bring Your Puppy Home

When you first bring your new puppy home, they may experience some nervousness in their new environment. Everything from new sights, smells and people can be peculiar to your new puppy. You should allow them to explore their new surroundings and encourage them to play. Speaking quietly and calmly can help alleviate some nervousness and accommodate them to your voice. With a little patience, your new puppy will soon become acclimated to their new environment and enjoying their new home.

Purchasing a playpen will come in handy at night and at times where you cannot keep a good eye on your dog. Keeping your puppy in a playpen is not cruel; it only keeps them from getting into trouble when you can’t keep a proper watch over your dog. Remember, puppy’s can cause mischief faster than you can blink!

A good size playpen for toy breed puppies is about 3’ x 5’. Even a bit smaller size playpen will suffice. The point is to give your new puppy a nice place sleep and play, along with an area to go potty. Any larger, and your puppy can confuse where they sleep and where they use the bathroom. A bed for small dogs along with some soft baby blankets will be adequate for a sleep and play area. Also give your new pup some plush toys specifically for small dogs to play with. On the opposite side of the playpen, place a puppy potty pad or a few pieces of newspaper for them to handle their bathroom business. It is important to keep the bathroom area as far away from the sleep and play area. This helps them to discern where they should sleep and where they should go potty. A nice gadget to go along with the puppy potty pads is a potty pad holder. These work great on preventing them from shredding up newspapers and pee pads.

When it comes to bed time, your puppy will be accustomed to sleeping with their brothers and sisters. The abruptness of sleeping alone can invoke a feeling of loneliness causing them to cry for the first few nights. When your puppy cries out, simply touch their nose and tell them 'no' in a soft but stern voice. Many people make the mistake of running to hold their puppy as soon as they hear crying. However, you are actually letting them know that crying gets them what they want. In this situation, your new puppy is training YOU!


Feeding

This section will include a decent overview of how, when and what to feed your puppy. You can also read this full article for a review of dog food. Puppies require different food at different stages in their lives. The recommendations for food in the following section will flow along the life of the puppy.

Although we do not advocate buying a puppy before 3 months of age, many people still end up with puppies under this age. For that reason, the following section will give instruction on how to feed a puppy under the age of 3 months. To help wean a puppy from their mother’s milk, Hill’s Science Diet Growth Food is a good choice. It comes in a can, should be available at your local pet shop or vet’s office. Take about half the can of dog food and mix with half a cup of milk. Continue to mash up the two ingredients until you get a good mushy consistency. Next, add another half cup of water and continue mixing everything together. In the end, you will end up with a really soft and mushy consistency. Heating up this mixture can also help with feeding, as the warmth will remind them of their mother’s milk. Feed this mixture to your puppy about 3 – 5 times a day. The uneaten food should be kept refrigerated, but no longer than 3 days.

As your puppy approaches 3 months of age, slowly add less water to the mixture to get your puppy accustomed to harder food. You can toss little kibbles of Kirkland Brand Puppy food on the floor and leave it there throughout the day. Your puppy will probably begin by playing with the food, but they will eventually start eating the kibbles. The goal is to wean them off of the mushy food, and slowly get them accustomed to eating dry food.

After 3 months of age, your puppy should be eating dry food. A good portion to follow is ¼ cup of food (approximately 30 kibbles), 3 times a day. We recommend Kirkland Brand Puppy food. Not only is this food extremely healthy, but the price is great at your local Costco. Furthermore, keep in mind to stick to these portions even when your puppy seems to want more food. Proper portions will ensure your puppy does not become overweight, which can cause health problems further down the line.

If you have just brought your puppy home from the breeder, be sure to take home the same food your breeder has been using. A sudden change in diet coupled with a new environment can be extremely stressful for your new puppy. If you decide to change the brand of food, you must SLOWLY incorporate the new food into their diet. You can do this by simply mixing your puppy’s current food with the new food. Start slowly, and gradually increase the amount of new food into their diet. In some cases, their new diet can cause diarrhea. If this lasts more than a couple days, see a veterinarian. Also, VERY IMPORTANT: YOUR GOAL IS TO KEEP YOUR PUPPY EATING ON A REGULAR BASIS. If you notice that your puppy won’t eat the new food, you need to find another brand. If they won’t eat dog food, find something that they will eat whether it’s hot dogs or sausages. It is imperative that your puppy eats regularly or they face the risk of becoming hypoglycemic. Remember, toy breed puppies can face hypoglycemia quite quickly if they are deprived of food for too long.


Napping

Nap time is very important for a young puppy. Never disturb your puppy during sleep time. When your puppy is not playing or eating, they should be napping! Napping is important for the growth of health of your puppy.


Dental Concerns

All toy breeds are prone to dental disease. Small dogs naturally have smaller mouths, which crowd their little teeth together. This in turn makes them more susceptible to dental disease. We recommend brushing your puppies teeth starting at a young age. You can pretty much start at about 3 months of age. This will get them used to the idea of a little toothbrush in their mouths. We advise brushing their teeth at least once or twice a week. This toothbrush and toothpaste set come together as one, and are especially made for smaller breed dogs. Just keep in mind the more often you brush your puppy’s teeth, the less often you have to see the veterinarian for teeth cleaning. Some vets will put puppies under general anesthesia to clean their teeth. Having a toy breed puppy under anesthesia is risky business. Make sure your vet has experience with toy breed puppies or dogs before letting them put your puppy or dog under. Furthermore, to increase the awareness of teeth brushing, poor dental hygiene can affect other major organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver.

Vaccinations & De-worming

Always make sure your puppy is current on his/her vaccinations throughout their lifetime. Also, always get a record of your puppy’s shots from the breeder. Puppies must start their vaccinations anytime between 5-6 weeks with a parvovirus and corona virus. At 8 & 12 weeks, use a combination shot a.k.a. DAPPC (Distemper, Adeno/Hep, Parvo, Parainfluenza, Corona). At 16 weeks, the last combination of shots should be given for rabies vaccination. The last set of shots will come at one year of age, and then once every year after that. You may also want to consider taking your dog in at 9-month intervals as opposed to one year if your dog plays in dog parks constantly.

Next, you’ll want to make sure your puppy is given de-worming medication at each vaccination to prevent worms. If you ever encounter that your puppy is not their normal self, DO NOT give them any vaccines or worm medicine during this condition. Furthermore, if you notice loose stools or strange behavior after any vaccination for more than 2 days, without an alteration in diet, immediately take your puppy to the vet for an exam.

Bathing

You should only bathe your puppy if they are extremely dirty. Bathing your puppy can cause dry skin, sensitive skin, and irritations. At most, a puppy should be bathed 1-2 times a month, however their paws can be washed more often with antibacterial soap to prevent picking up any harmful bacteria. Antibacterial wipes are the best solution for wiping down a puppy, cleaning the paws, the rear end, etc. The wipes prove the best alternative to washing your puppy. Now as your puppy grows into adulthood it is your choice how often he/she will need grooming. This also depends on your dog’s hair length, style, etc. We personally groom our adult Yorkies once a month, and bathe them once or twice in between.



Now the Good Stuff…Potty Training!

One thing to remember is patience. Don’t get frustrated if your puppy doesn’t learn things immediately. They’re young, so give them some time to pick things. With proper training, your dog will be potty trained. If it seems your dog cannot be potty trained, its probably because the trainer is not doing his/her job correctly. It’s up to you to put in the time and train your new puppy correctly. Persistence, patience and repetition are the key.

Also keep in mind that toy dog must use the bathroom more often than larger dogs. They have much smaller bladders causing them to pee more often, thus requiring more supervision on your part.

Crate Training

Crate training is often the best choice - while learning not to soil in the house, your puppy also learns to accept the crate as a safe, secure area. Dogs instinctively want a safe 'den' or resting area and usually learn not to soil where they sleep. A crate offers a perfect choice. Also, many crate-trained dogs will tend to be less anxious when kenneled for trips to the groomer, veterinarian, boarding facility, etc.

It is very important to choose a crate size that is appropriate for your pet. For toy breed dogs puppies, you want to start with a smaller sized crate. A crate that is too large can confuse your puppy as too where they should sleep and go potty. Ideally, you don’t want your puppy to eliminate inside the crate. You don’t want them to confuse the crate as area where they sleep AND use the bathroom. If needed, you can block off a portion of the portion of the crate just make sure they don’t confused. The goal is to train your puppy to soil only in a designed spot outside of their crate such as a litter box, papered area, or grassy area outside.

You must begin crate training your puppy as soon as you bring them home from the breeder. At this point, your puppy should already know not to soil their living space. Begin by placing your puppy in their crate at one to two hour intervals for up to 3 hours at a time. You should also place your puppy in their crate when you cannot supervise for any reason at all such as answering a telephone or taking a shower.

The whole goal behind crate training is to predict when your puppy will go potty. This way you can take them to a designated potty location before they eliminate in the wrong place. Many people prefer to take their puppies outside to use the bathroom. However, many people choose toy breed dogs because they live in apartments where a nice grassy area cannot be easily accessed. In this situation, bringing your puppy to a potty pad or litter box is great alternative to grass.

So how can you predict when your puppy will eliminate? Well, the first step is getting your new found friend on a regular feeding schedule. Immediately after they finish eating, place them inside their crate for about 10 to 15 minutes. Next, remove them from their crate and take them to the designated potty area and tell them to “Go Potty”. After time, your puppy will eventually recognize this term and go potty almost on command. After they finish up their business, take them inside for some play time. After about half an hour of play, place your puppy back in their crate for a nice little nap. When they wake from their nap, immediately take them to potty again. Play with them if they go potty, but place them back in their crate if they don’t. Keep in mind anticipation and praise for good behavior. Repeat the above process every hour (longer as they grow older), along with taking them to potty after each meal and each nap. The following is a brief schedule as your puppy ages:

8 weeks – Potty every 1 hour
12 weeks – Potty every 2-3 hours
16 weeks – Potty every 3-4 hours
20 weeks and older – Potty every 5 hours

This is above is just a general schedule to go by. Certain dogs can hold themselves longer, while some must eliminate more often.

All of this obviously requires time on your side, but if done correctly, your puppy should be crate trained in no time.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article and hopefully you can walk away more educated on how to care for your new toy breed puppy. Again, I am not a veterinarian. The information provided in this article is only advice from someone experienced with toy breed dogs. You should always check with your veterinarian if you have questions about your new puppy.

Mike Hsiao,

Yorkie Lover

email: info@swankpets.com