Items to Buy for a Yorkie Puppy

Shop for a Yorkie as you would a baby: Focus on safety and comfort.
i yorkie puppy image by Joy Fera from Fotolia.com

Be sure to purchase all the supplies you'll need ahead of your Yorkie puppy's homecoming. Doing so means you won't have to leave the pup unattended while you shop and you'll be able to focus all your attention on the excitement of bringing a new Yorkie into your home.

Kennel and Kennel Bedding

A Yorkie's kennel or crate need not be large. The kennel should be spacious enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around when he is full grown, but much larger will make it seem cavernous to the dog and less inviting. For a pup, even the smallest of kennels may seem too large. But think long-term usage when you choose one. Place at least one machine-washable blanket on the bottom of the kennel. Puppies chill easily, and a snuggly blanket will help reduce that cold tendency. Having a second blanket ready to go while the first is in the laundry ensures that the pup is never without the cozy comfort of a warm blanket.

Baby Gates

Your puppy essentially is the canine version of a baby. As he grows, he becomes a canine version of a toddler. He needs protection from dangerous parts of the home, and you need the ability to keep the puppy in an area you can easily monitor. Baby gates at the end of stairs or in doorways to rooms that are off limits keep the puppy in a safe environment.

Identification Tag

Attach an identification tag with the dog's name and your address and telephone number to your puppy's collar as soon as you take possession of it. Keeping a second tag on hand at home will reduce time without proper identification if your pup loses his collar. Puppies can escape from cars or backyards quite easily, subsequently becoming lost. Proper identification will speed up the reunion process in such an event.

Washable Potty-Training Pads

The convenience of being able to simply toss disposable potty training pads is handy when traveling with a puppy. However, these paper-based products don't stand up to the puppies that will chew on, shred and play with them. Having torn-up urine-stained paper products on the floor defeats the purpose of potty training. For dog owners living in apartments where dogs often do their business indoors anyway, the reusable pads are a long-term money saver.

Food and Water Bowls

It might not be obvious that your Yorkie puppy will need to eat food and drink water from bowls that are smaller or shallower than those they'll use in their adulthood. Puppy Yorkies should eat and drink from bowls with sides that are significantly low to the ground so as not to strain their short necks as they stretch to find the water level in a high-lipped container.

Grooming Supplies

A lot of the appeal of the Yorkie for many people is the opportunity to style their hair in ponytails between their ears and top them off with colorful bows. A puppy brush and comb, puppy ponytail holders that don't catch individual strands of hair, and an assortment of bows will get you and your puppy off to a stylish start. Although the puppy will lose its baby teeth, get the puppy used to having its teeth brushed now to maintain his dental health for a lifetime. Specialized puppy-size toothbrushes are available at most pet stores. Because the skin of a puppy dries out easily, bathe them as infrequently as possible and use only shampoos formulated for their delicate skin.

Food

Chances are good your new Yorkie will be hungry upon arrival at his new home, so have the right food on hand. Investigate the types of puppy foods available and select one that is best formulated to meet the needs of a small-breed puppy. Equally important is determining what your dog's breeder fed your Yorkie and securing at least a small supply of that: Slowly mix in the new food with the breeder's diet to ease the pup's transition to your home.

Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.

the nest

×