the teacup yorkie

You'll find lots of sweaters, coats and more at my Growing Up Yorkie store at Amazon

Spring weather tips for small dogs

• monitor how long your dog is outside - they can get lost in the cold


• provide a warm, dry bed away from drafts


• wipe your dog's paws off after a walk - road salt residue from the winter can make him sick (try applying baby oil to the pads if your dog's feet are cracked or dry-looking)


• trim hair between your dog's toes to keep his feet cleaner

The Yorkshire Terrier hails from the industrial north of England where it was bred from Scottish dogs in the 1800s to find and kill rats and mice and other vermin in the coal mines and textile factories.

The Yorkie of those days was much larger than today's breed, but they have many of the same characteristics:

* feisty
* spirited
* ready for a fight
* high energy
* highly intelligent

Although the Kennel Clubs classify it in the Toy Dog Group because of its tiny size, the Yorkie is clearly a Terrier.

The Yorkie was introduced as one of the first 25 breeds registered by the American Kennel Club in 1878. During the Victorian era (1837 - 1902, Queen Victoria's time on the throne) Yorkshire Terriers were extremely popular as everyone around the world emulated the Victorian lifestyle.

Like all breeds, their popularity had ups and downs. By the 1940s war-bound North Americans were going with much larger dogs -- Yorkies like all other Toy size dogs, fell in popularity.

However times changed, and one Yorkie in particular, Smoky owned by Corporal William A. Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio, changed all that. Corporal Wynne picked up Smoky, a stray in the New Guineau Jungles, (southwest Pacific, just north of Australia) during World War II. The dog was such a fighter, he became a famous symbol of the times - even parachuting with Wynne's platoon. Yorkies became hugely popular again, and that's never changed.

In fact in New York City, Yorkshire Terriers are the #1 registered purebred dog.

The American Kennel Club Breed Standard says "Ranging in size from four to seven pounds."

That's the experts' word.

In fact, show breeders prefer a 5 to 7 lb. dog to show, so that it is better proportioned, able to stand up to the rigours of the ring, travel and more.

According to breed standards, the Yorkie is to be "Well proportioned and very compact. The back is rather short, the back line level, with height at shoulder the same as at the rump.

The Canadian Kennel Club says Yorkies weight is not to exceed 7 lb. (3 kg) but they don't mention a minimum size. However many of the "faults" in a show dog, can result from the dog being too small, and not well enough developed, such as:

* excessive shyness
* cottony or woolly texture coat
* overshot or undershot bite

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine

-- all these products contain something called methylxanthines which cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death.

Alcohol

- because it depresses the central nervous system, alcohol is dangerous for all dogs, especially really small ones.

Avocado

leaves, fruit, seeds and even the bark of the tree all contain Persin which can cause serious vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.

Macadamia Nuts

can cause real problems for dogs that eat them... .resulting in weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia. Symptoms can take up to 12 hours to appear, and last from 12 to 48 hours more.

Grapes & Raisins

can cause kidney failure!

Onions, Garlic, Chives

can cause gastro-intestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. The smaller the dog, the more careful you need to be about common additives like these.

Milk

is very hard for dogs to digest since they don't have much lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk). Results? A nasty case of diarrhea.

Too much salt

will not only make your Yorkie thirsty, but could lead to sodium ion poisoning.

A healthy Yorkie in the weight range of 4 to 7 lbs will easily live 8-15 years but an under-sized Yorkie (3 pounds or less) usually has a shorter life span because

(i) they are prone to health problems, such as chronic diarrhea and vomiting,
(ii) they're very sensitive to anesthesia,
(iii) are more easily injured and
(iv) they don't always have the strength or stamina to endure some of the common problems of Yorkshire Terriers.

You can read more details about Yorkie Health problems here

What health problems are common to the Yorkshire Terrier? The big ones are:

Luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps or a trick knee). When the knee cap is out of place, your dog will be lame and may refuse to bear weight, or the knee may be "locked". Unfortunately Yorkies and some other toy size dogs are susceptible to this condition, smaller dogs in particular.

Liver shunts. Yorkshire terriers are reported to have a higher than normal incidence of liver shunts....a broad term that covers several different types of "shunt" or blood/liver diseases where the blood does not travel through the liver -- nature's filter -- properly. This causes the accumulation of toxins in the liver, one of the body's most important filters. As a result, the liver does not work as well as it should and blood is not cleansed properly leading to multiple problems without corrective surgery. For a very small Yorkie, the toxins in the blood stream can be difficult to deal with, and teacups are not good candidates for surgery because of their tiny hearts.

Legg-Perthes disease, which causes the top of the femur (thigh bone) to degenerate, occurs in Yorkies more than in any other breed. LCP disease attacks the hip joints of small breeds of dogs that causes limping, pain, and eventually arthritis.

Tracheal collapse -- the trachea is the windpipe -- caused by a progressive weakening of the walls of the trachea, occurs in many toy breeds, especially very tiny Yorkies.

Poor teeth. Yorkshire Terriers are sometimes prone to tooth problems, even early tooth decay which can bring on even more health problems including heart disease.

Yorkie Hypoglycemia or Yorkshire Terrier Hypoglycemia is a very serious and real threat for your Yorkie Puppy while she is still under 5 pounds, and a forever-threat to your teacup Yorkie!

Yorkshire Terrier Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar shock can be fatal to your Yorkie, and can strike very quickly.

What causes it?
Yorkie Hypoglycemia can be brought on in small dogs (under 5 lbs.) from a number of causes including:
* stress
* over-handling
* shipping
* not enough food
* cold
* intestinal parasites
* infection

... And it can be fatal.

What are the signs of Hypoglycemia in my Yorkie?

Your dog will suddenly go limp, and may breath shallowly... His gums may turn very pale pink... She may vomit some green bile or a foamy liquid....unsteady, shaky almost drunk walking.... drowsiness, shivering, collapsing, disorientation, seizures, listlessness, depression, muscle weakness and tremors.


This is very serious and you must act quickly!!

First, we're not veterinarians.

But here are some tips to help your Yorkie right away if he or she shows signs of Hypoglycemia...

* be prepared and keep corn syrup on hand -- Rub it on the puppy's gums, under the tongue, and on the roof of the mouth.
* warm the puppy against your body or use a hot water bottle

The puppy should revive quickly. If not, call the Vet immediately - your Yorkie is in serious danger. Let the Vet know that you have a hypoglycemic yorkie puppy.

1 A Walk A Day will go a long way toward helping your Yorkie stay fit and healthy. We're not talking a huge walk or a really fast pace... just a brisk walk around the block a few times, for a total of 20 minutes a day can help your Yorkie maintain even blood sugar - especially important for a teacup, and a great way to ensure any size Yorkie doesn't become Porkie!

2 Good quality dog food, and dog food only. Teacups in particular, have very small livers and digestive systems. Don't strain them with people food, even the tiniest treat. When we gave our new Yorkie just the smallest piece of chicken (no skin no fat) from a popular takeout, she had extreme diarrhea and became dehydrated within a day... just from one bite!

3 Regular Vet Visits... I know, it's pretty expensive to go to a veterinarian, but it's really important. Your Vet can look for some of the problems Yorkies and Teacup Yorkies suffer, and treat them before they're more serious. Impacted baby teeth for example, can be removed, and teeth can be kept tartar-free to cut down on dangerous bacteria.

Exercise, good quality food and proper Vet care will all go a long way to increase your Yorkie's life span AND enjoyment of life.

Crafted of high quality materials, this tote bag features a large image of the Yorkie, accented by real leather trim and handles.

Sturdy metal rings and feet add fashion flair and durability while the zipper top and front pocket open to lined compartments that hold your belongings.

Complete with a Yorkie sculpted metal charm on the front zipper for a delightful tribute to your beloved pet or to give as a unique dog lover gift.



Faithful Friend Dog-Themed Tote Bag: Unique Dog Lover Gift