How to Feed a Yorkie Puppy
Yorkshire terriers, or Yorkies, are a smart, stubborn breed that is undeniably adorable. These dogs are relatively hardy compared to other toy dogs, but they do have special nutritional considerations due to their small stature and unique dietary system.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Decide if your dog qualifies as an indoor dog. Indoor dogs, particularly toy breeds like Yorkies that are intended to be mainly lap dogs, should get slightly different amounts of calories than outdoor dogs. This will help keep them healthy and growing at the proper rate, but will prevent them from getting fat. If your Yorkie lives indoors, it will not get as much exercise as an outdoor dog that has a yard at its disposal. Yorkies are well-suited to apartment and condo living, but this needs to be factored into their diet.
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2
Keep Karo syrup on hand. Yorkie puppies are prone to hypoglycemia. This can cause them to be less active, wobble when they walk or even lapse into a coma. Keep an eye dropper and a small can of Karo syrup handy, and if your puppy starts to stumble, just give him several drops of syrup and he should straighten up.
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3
Consider mixing wet and dry. Dry food is generally better for Yorkies' teeth, because the breed is prone to tartar buildup, which dry food helps keep to a minimum. However, Yorkies are often finicky, so if you cannot convince your puppy to eat dry food, you may have to mix up wet and dry.
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Feed your Yorkie puppy at least twice a day. Yorkies are very small and do not eat much, but they also are quite active and love to play. Your puppy needs to eat twice a day, and can also have one or two treats in the interim. This will help keep her "engine" running and her body sufficiently fueled.
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Keep treats small. Remember, to a dog that weighs 6 lbs., a regular treat is almost the size of a meal. You can give your Yorkie puppy small treats several times a day, or, if he is very active, one large treat as a third meal in the middle of the day. If you want to give him treats more often, consider cutting them up so the pieces are quite small.
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Tips & Warnings
If your dog regularly needs doses of karo syrup, consult your veterinarian to determine if he is lacking something in his diet.
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- Photo Credit yorkshire terrier image by Bine from Fotolia.com
Comments
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dawncreach
Dec 10, 2009
My yorkie "peanut" will only eat when he is alone and no one is watching him. I have a crate for him that he sleeps in at night, but it is also used for him a private place to eat during the day. He is very protective towards his food, if the other dogs get close he throws a fit. House breaking is something I have never been able to completely do with him, he will pee on the floor if I don't take him with me, even though he has a perfectly good doggy door to lead him outside. Carpet is not an option at our house with that little 3.5lb bundle of joy....but he is soooooo cute!!!!
