How to Care for a Yorkie Puppy

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Puppies, in particular, require special care in order to grow strong and healthy. If you are considering getting a dog or are just curious about the breed, you may be wondering how to care for a Yorkie puppy.

How to Care for a Yorkie Puppy

Taking care of a puppy can be a complicated task if you are a first-timer. Especially if you adopt a Yorkshire Terrier from a very young age. It is very important to know the most basic care for these breeds, after all, there are mistakes that can affect them as they grow up.

Yorkshire terrier with black and white coatings playing cake toy on a woven fabric

For example, one of the most important things to do when getting a dog is to examine it and vaccinate it. Without vaccinations, the puppy can contract very dangerous diseases such as parvovirus, or worse, rabies. These illnesses can put your puppy in serious danger, which is why they need to be prevented.

And of course, you should always keep in mind that dogs can be considered a financial commitment. Before adopting or buying one you should consider if you can cover all their needs without a problem.

Training Your Yorkie

After your Yorkie is one or two months old, you can start training them to do simple stuff, like reacting to its name. Do this by calling their name and giving them a treat when they react to it. Also, as they are going to be brushed every day, you can begin softly caressing or brushing their bodies to adapt them to the sensation.

On top of that, since they will have very long hair, they might get very dirty sometimes. Therefore you should start teaching them how to behave while having a bath. To do this, you only need to give them treats and positive reaffirmations when you are giving them a bath.

If they are being messy, you can stop giving them treats, and start using words such as ‘’Stop’’. These words will become commands in their heads, and eventually, they will learn to follow them. However, due to their personalities, they might be a bit energetic and chaotic.

They Might Be Stubborn

Despite their great intelligence, their energetic and outgoing personality makes Yorkshire Terrier difficult to potty train. They would rather urinate anywhere at home than go on a walk. That being said, you need to be patient when training them, and never get desperate.

This can be addressed with early training. Positive reinforcement will allow you to train a Yorkshire Terrier to comply and begin going potty outside of the house. To do it, you only need to reward the good things they do. For instance, if they go potty outside, you need to give them a treat.

You can do this with almost everything you want them to learn.

They Might Bark a Lot

Yorkies can be very communicative about their feelings, so they will probably start barking a lot if they sense strangers. If you want to train them to stop barking, never shout at them or talk to them loudly. They will not understand you, in fact, they might think you are barking too.

To effectively train them to stop barking so often, you need to softly hold their snout and say a command such as ‘’stop’’ or ‘’quiet’. Once they stop barking, give them a treat. Do this every time they start barking at things such as squirrels, or the mailmen.

Two Yorkshire terrier puppies with black and white coatings wearing ribbons

Feeding Your Yorkie

When it comes to food, you need to create a balanced diet for your Yorkie. Since they don’t usually eat a lot, you can feed them with high-quality kibbles between 2 and 3 times daily. Also, you can give them treats throughout the day.

Though, you need to remember that Yorkie’s healthy weight is between 3 to 7 pounds. Therefore, if they are below or above this average, you might need to consult a vet for a better diet for them. A dog with dietary problems can develop bigger problems such as diabetes.

Grooming and Brushing Your Yorkie

Yorkshire Terriers have very long and silky hair that needs to be brushed daily so it doesn’t become entangled. Doing it is very simple, you just need to pick a comb and start brushing your Yorkie. Then, you can start searching for spots where you think their hair might be too long.

You need to check their ears, eyes, paws, and mouth. If they have too much hair in those places, they need a haircut. When the hair is too long, it can block their eyes and make it more difficult for them to walk and eat. Therefore, they need constant haircuts and grooming.

If you would like to keep the hair around their eyes long, you can just choose to fix it in a bun.

Exercising and Socializing Your Yorkie

Since Yorkies are very energetic, you need to exercise them for at least 45 minutes a day. To do this you can just take them for a walk or play games such as ‘’fetch’’. Also, they need to socialize. Once they are fully vaccinated, they can start meeting dogs and other strangers.

Here you can see what to do to socialize with a Yorkshire Terrier

  • Take them to dog parks
  • Let them play with other dogs
  • Introduce them to other people
  • Let other people play with them
A brown and black Yorkshire terrier wearing a pink clip sticking its tongue out

Related Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about caring for a Yorkie puppy.

Are Yorkshire Terriers Smart Dogs?

Yes. The Yorkshire Terrier stands in 27th place among the 90 most intelligent breeds. This means that, although they might be a bit stubborn, Yorkie can learn tricks and commands quicker than other breeds. For instance, they can learn how to catch a ball and return it to you from a very young age.

Do Yorkie Puppies Sleep Through the Night?

Yes. Yorkie puppies tend to sleep a lot, from 16 to even 22 hours of sleep. Therefore, they will not cause trouble at night. However, if something wakes them up and alerts them, they might begin barking.

Are Yorkie Dogs Hard to Take Care Of?

No. Yorkies are often very lovable and affectionate dogs that are easy to take care of. Though, since they are very energetic, they might require a lot of time. If they are not given enough attention, they might get depressed.

Conclusion

Taking care of a Yorkie can be considered simple, however, you need to know all of the basics in order to prevent problems. Also, although training them might be a bit tedious, they are prone to learn very quickly.