How should I feed yorkshire terrier?

Four of a kind

I've a 9 week old yorkshire terrier. its my first dog. I'd like to know how exactly I should go about feeding him....as in how many times a day? Do i leave food and water available to him at all times or just when I want him to eat? Theres abit of conflicting info on the net regarding this.

thanks

arybvtcw0eolkf

There should be feeding instructions on most good dog food packages.

I like to overfeed a little when their youngster's, as at that age their growing like a weed.

But other's will say this is the stage when you set disciplines for the dog.

Btw, any photos of the little fella?.

Ruby Soho

I disagree there, i would never overfeed a pup. Its better, Imo, to have them a bit on the slim side than anyway over weight, as they will reach their adult weight / height too early and start to pack on fat cells. The aim when feeding youngsters is to feed enough so they reach their adult weight *slowly*. Once the dog has a large amount of fat cells, even if they lose weight later on in life, its very very easy for them to pile on the pounds again. Too many yorkies are allowed to become obese, and that leads to a significant amount of weight related health problems, which I could list... but I don't want to scaremonger too much!! Make sure the pup is on a very high quality dry food suitable for its size and lifestage, follow the guidelines on the back, bearing in mind that these are only guidelines, and not set in stone. Divide the food up into approx 4 meals per day, decreasing the frequency so it will be on two meals per day at approx 4-5 months.

Four of a kind

Any idea on how I can get him to stop getting too exciting and whining when i'm getting his food ready? he just doesn't stop once he knows food is coming

Ignore him- he'll soon get the message. I know it sounds cruel as they are sooooo sweet! I had a toy yorkshire but the german shepherd killed her.

Four of a kind

if i ignore him while i prepare his food and he keeps yelping...wouldl'nt that make him think that he just has to keep yelping to get the food?

No-if you give him the food when he is yelping he sees that as a reward for yelping and will do it every time. Also, you must leave fresh water available to him at all times.

Four of a kind

ok thanks

Also it would be better if you prepared the food out of sight before presenting it. Teach him to sit before putting it down and you will have a beautifully mannered doggie. Best of luck and ENJOY him.

The Artist

Four of a kind wrote: »

I've a 9 week old yorkshire terrier. its my first dog. I'd like to know how exactly I should go about feeding him....as in how many times a day? Do i leave food and water available to him at all times or just when I want him to eat? Theres abit of conflicting info on the net regarding this.

thanks

what food are ye starting your dog?

Four of a kind

butchers puppy can food and some pedigree small bite mixer? What would you recommend?

The Artist

Four of a kind wrote: »

butchers puppy can food and some pedigree small bite mixer? What would you recommend?

il recomend pedigree puppy food ,feed puppys three times a day as it should sayon the can.Puppy is not ready for small bite mixer as the stomach needs to devlope.And milk with warm porridge in the mornings as it only a pup.Water is a bit to early.

SuzyS1972

What was the breeder feeding him and how often - did they not tell you - change of food can very much upset the digestion of a small pup like that !
Also would recommend a high grade food like Burns Puppy or Rayal Canin Puppy to ensure they are getting the balance of nutrition - canned food is total rubbish -

The Artist

SuzyS1972 wrote: »

What was the breeder feeding him and how often - did they not tell you - change of food can very much upset the digestion of a small pup like that !
Also would recommend a high grade food like Burns Puppy or Rayal Canin Puppy to ensure they are getting the balance of nutrition - canned food is total rubbish -

why is canned food rubbish,my dogs are much healthier with pedigree chum.

michelleans

Puppies should be fed 3-4 times a day in small amounts. When he is fully grown I'd cut it to 2 times a day, some say once a day is fine, but I always feed my boy once in the morning and once in the evening, as 24 hours is a long time to wait for food.

I too would recommend keeping him lean, not skinny, but slightly underweight until he is finished growing, though it will only take up to 12 months for such a small breed. You should be able to feel the ribs slightly but not see them. And he should have a waist when viewed from above.

A high quality dry food such as Royal Canin, Science Hills etc would be the best way to go as regards which food. Canned food is ok on occasion but contains alot of fat and is not good for dogs to be fed on each day.

Fresh drinking water should be always available. However, when feeding feed the required amount, and if the dogs eats it fine, if however, he does not eat it all, leave it there for up to 10-15 minutes, then remove what is not eaten. Leaving food out constantly is not a good idea. If the dog loves it's food, it will eat and eat and eat and become overweight. Even if the dog does not do this, he can develop the idea that, as food is always available to him, it is HIS food and he is in control of it, this may lead to aggression, dominance issues, or eating problems later on.

While giving him his food, if he is yelping, simply ignore the behaviour. Teach him to sit, then ask him to do it before getting his food. This way, he will learn that sitting is the appropriate thing to do to get food not yelp. My boy will sit and wait until I release him using the "ok" command before eating. After a while he got so used to it that even when I drop something on the ground edible he looks at me first before going for it. Very useful especially if you drop say a chicken bone on the floor.

Good luck with your new puppy

The Artist

michelleans wrote: »

Puppies should be fed 3-4 times a day in small amounts. When he is fully grown I'd cut it to 2 times a day, some say once a day is fine, but I always feed my boy once in the morning and once in the evening, as 24 hours is a long time to wait for food.

I too would recommend keeping him lean, not skinny, but slightly underweight until he is finished growing, though it will only take up to 12 months for such a small breed. You should be able to feel the ribs slightly but not see them. And he should have a waist when viewed from above.

A high quality dry food such as Royal Canin, Science Hills etc would be the best way to go as regards which food. Canned food is ok on occasion but contains alot of fat and is not good for dogs to be fed on each day.

Fresh drinking water should be always available. However, when feeding feed the required amount, and if the dogs eats it fine, if however, he does not eat it all, leave it there for up to 10-15 minutes, then remove what is not eaten. Leaving food out constantly is not a good idea. If the dog loves it's food, it will eat and eat and eat and become overweight. Even if the dog does not do this, he can develop the idea that, as food is always available to him, it is HIS food and he is in control of it, this may lead to aggression, dominance issues, or eating problems later on.

While giving him his food, if he is yelping, simply ignore the behaviour. Teach him to sit, then ask him to do it before getting his food. This way, he will learn that sitting is the appropriate thing to do to get food not yelp. My boy will sit and wait until I release him using the "ok" command before eating. After a while he got so used to it that even when I drop something on the ground edible he looks at me first before going for it. Very useful especially if you drop say a chicken bone on the floor.

Good luck with your new puppy

good edit michelleans
just one more thing,the worm doses and up to date injections from the vets.

davey180

There is canned food and canned food. Read the tin. Pedigree chum is the best of the lot without doubt. Most other brands are made from minced up skin, feathers, etc etc. Total rubbish. And the SMELL when they are opened:eek:

davey180 wrote: »

why is canned food rubbish,my dogs are much healthier with pedigree chum.

The Artist

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

There is canned food and canned food. Read the tin. Pedigree chum is the best of the lot without doubt. Most other brands are made from minced up skin, feathers, etc etc. Total rubbish. And the SMELL when they are opened:eek:

feathers? first ive heard,thanks for saying pc is the best.

http://www.squires-cafe.co.uk/assets/images/pedigree-1.jpg
the smell is lovelyyyyyy!

stewiegriffin08

Four of a kind wrote: »

How should I feed yorkshire terrier?

With a shotgun

The Artist

stewiegriffin08 wrote: »

With a shotgun

noted;reported

Our man in Havana

davey180 wrote: »

noted;reported

And Banned!

Four of a kind

on a side note....i've noticed that the little fella constantly has a big of dried poo sticking out from his rear. any suggestions on how to stop this from happening and how to remove it ;p

Yes, that is a Yorkie thing alright. Its actually poo thats stuck onto his long bum hair. You need to keep an eye on this regularly and simply get a scissors, the short sharp hairdresser kind, hold him firmly and snip away the long hair carefully. He'll be ever so grateful and stop dragging his bum on the ground!! How are you getting on with him?

davey180

Another thing I noticed about poor quality canned food....... last year while I was away on holiday I got a supply of canned food in so my sister could feed my boxer. when I returned the poor fella was licking his legs bald. And it definitely was the canned food that caused it. I had got a variety of flavours of Brand X (not Pedigree Chum). The stuff was revolting.:eek:

davey180 wrote: »

why is canned food rubbish,my dogs are much healthier with pedigree chum.

The Artist

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

Another thing I noticed about poor quality canned food....... last year while I was away on holiday I got a supply of canned food in so my sister could feed my boxer. when I returned the poor fella was licking his legs bald. And it definitely was the canned food that caused it. I had got a variety of flavours of Brand X (not Pedigree Chum). The stuff was revolting.:eek:

how trying your boxer on dry nut with a little bit of dog food (pc) or a good complete food mix if that helps.

davey180

I did. He's on Burns now, with some Pedigree chum can, or spuds/bread/veg etc. I treated his legs with TeaTree oil. He didn't like the taste which stopped the licking and the oil also healed it up.:)

davey180 wrote: »

how trying your boxer on dry nut with a little bit of dog food (pc) or a good complete food mix if that helps.

The Artist

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

I did. He's on Burns now, with some Pedigree chum can, or spuds/bread/veg etc. I treated his legs with TeaTree oil. He didn't like the taste which stopped the licking and the oil also healed it up.:)

thats good.just a question does the teatree oil work as my bulldog has a slight baldness on his left leg from constantly licking it.

davey180

Definitely. In fact I keep a bottle of teatree oil specially for my dogs now. And I also give them cod liver oil on their food every morning.

davey180 wrote: »

thats good.just a question does the teatree oil work as my bulldog has a slight baldness on his left leg from constantly licking it.

Four of a kind

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

Yes, that is a Yorkie thing alright. Its actually poo thats stuck onto his long bum hair. You need to keep an eye on this regularly and simply get a scissors, the short sharp hairdresser kind, hold him firmly and snip away the long hair carefully. He'll be ever so grateful and stop dragging his bum on the ground!! How are you getting on with him?

im getting along fine. Its my first pet so it's all new to me. he's 9 weeks old so do you know what I should be doing or not doing with him regarding training?

Well, I presume you are taking out straightaway after eating to do his business, to the same place each time. It soon becomes automatic. I usually teach Sit first. Once he has the hang of that you can move on to the next lesson. Is he wearing a collar? If not put one on and label him. He will get used to it around his neck. Then you can attach a light lead to it and let it trail and he will get used to that. Finally you will be able to hold onto the lead for walks. Basic beginning stuff. And get a Yorkie book from a good bookshop. They are invaluable. Regarding grooming, he needs a lot of it. Check his bum every day. Using a damp cloth clean off the goo that comes out of his inner eyes and sticks on his face. His nails will need carefull trimming. The first few goes are scary but you soon become an old hand at it. And he will love it-my little one used to love being washed and combed etc. Best of luck. Oh yes, ask the vet too about putting flea drops on him, vital.

Four of a kind

great stuff thanks. I mite pm you if I need any more tips/advice if thats ok?

The Artist

Four of a kind wrote: »

I've a 9 week old yorkshire terrier. its my first dog. I'd like to know how exactly I should go about feeding him....as in how many times a day? Do i leave food and water available to him at all times or just when I want him to eat? Theres abit of conflicting info on the net regarding this.

thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Terrier
Is this any help Four of a kind .

andreac

Hi personally i wouldnt feed any type of canned food. it is mostly made up of water so there is no nutrional value in it either for the dog. A good quality dry food from a pet shop would be much better. there are so many out there. royal canin, burns, red mills, belcando, and so on. i wouldnt feed pedigree chum either as it is full of artificial colours and flavours. i feed a food called Kronch by Henne Pet from Denmark, cant be bought in the shops.I get it directly from a supplier up the north and works out quite good. its €45 for a 15kg bag and lasts nearly a month and i have a rottweiler.
A good quality dry food will have a higher digestible quality so you wouldnt need to feed as much of it. Thats just my personal view of it.

Four of a kind

Four of a kind wrote: »

on a side note....i've noticed that the little fella constantly has a big of dried poo sticking out from his rear. any suggestions on how to stop this from happening and how to remove it ;p

I've tried to bath him in the hope that the warm water would help the poo fall off the end of him bum. But its stuck very hard onto his rear end and I couldn't seem to break it off. It looks as if it is glued to his anus. He is also trying to bite his bum the past day and is very aware that it is there. I was going to bring him to the vet, but since he's booked for a visit next week to get his booster, I thought would it be ok to leave him untill then?

I've changed his diet today....got pedigree dry food and mixing that with some canned food until i make the full change over to dry. Could the diet he was on up till now have caused this "butt plug"?

I wouldn't think his diet caused it cos I have never seen a constipated dog. You could leave it for the vet but he will be uncomfortable till then. Don a pair of gloves if you dont want to handle it, but you will be able to snip it off with a small sharp scissors. And yes, feel free to PM me anytime.

andreac

I have never heard of Kronch. Is it available in the Republic?

andreac wrote: »

Hi personally i wouldnt feed any type of canned food. it is mostly made up of water so there is no nutrional value in it either for the dog. A good quality dry food from a pet shop would be much better. there are so many out there. royal canin, burns, red mills, belcando, and so on. i wouldnt feed pedigree chum either as it is full of artificial colours and flavours. i feed a food called Kronch by Henne Pet from Denmark, cant be bought in the shops.I get it directly from a supplier up the north and works out quite good. its €45 for a 15kg bag and lasts nearly a month and i have a rottweiler.
A good quality dry food will have a higher digestible quality so you wouldnt need to feed as much of it. Thats just my personal view of it.

The Artist

OsciiBoscii wrote: »

I have never heard of Kronch. Is it available in the Republic?

they are only pet treats
http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.paddypaw.com/images/products/laske_kronch_salmontreats_large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.paddypaw.com/products_lakse_salmon_treats.html&h=400&w=400&sz=88&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=uFeMxq7acEHrCM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKronch%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

andreac

No its not only treats. Please, get your facts straight before you say something.
i buy it for my rottweiler. it comes in a big 15kg bag. a company called paddypaw supplies it. now they are based up the north but are down at the dog shows regularly here and they also deliver. its a very high quality dog food and isnt available in the shops. if you go to their website www.paddypaw.com it has all the food that they have on it.

peasant

Four of a kind wrote: »

I've tried to bath him in the hope that the warm water would help the poo fall off the end of him bum. But its stuck very hard onto his rear end and I couldn't seem to break it off. It looks as if it is glued to his anus. He is also trying to bite his bum the past day and is very aware that it is there. I was going to bring him to the vet, but since he's booked for a visit next week to get his booster, I thought would it be ok to leave him untill then?

I've changed his diet today....got pedigree dry food and mixing that with some canned food until i make the full change over to dry. Could the diet he was on up till now have caused this "butt plug"?

Don't be so squeamish, just get it off !

If however, it doesn't come off and actually is like a plug that isn't just stuck to the outside but goes right through the anus into the inestines, then get the little fella to the vet immediatedly.

Dogs can and do get constipated and it isn't good for them at all ...especially not for a little pup.

The Artist

andreac wrote: »

No its not only treats. Please, get your facts straight before you say something.
i buy it for my rottweiler. it comes in a big 15kg bag. a company called paddypaw supplies it. now they are based up the north but are down at the dog shows regularly here and they also deliver. its a very high quality dog food and isnt available in the shops. if you go to their website www.paddypaw.com it has all the food that they have on it.

im sorry as i havent seen these before and looked it up and couldnt find where it could be got as i only found them as in treats in the link i found.So how am i to know you can get them here in large bags.I didnt say 'you can ONLY get them as treats'

Please, get your facts straight before you say something

touchy!
As for info for paddypaw thankyou for that i preicieate(cant spell this word)that Thanks.

Four of a kind

peasant wrote: »

Don't be so squeamish, just get it off !

If however, it doesn't come off and actually is like a plug that isn't just stuck to the outside but goes right through the anus into the inestines, then get the little fella to the vet immediatedly.

Dogs can and do get constipated and it isn't good for them at all ...especially not for a little pup.

yes brought him to the vet and he was indeed constipated. She ripped it out of him and it must have hurt the wee fella. anyways, he's getting 5mls of parafin oil a day for a couple of days the flush it out of him.

thanks

The Artist

Four of a kind wrote: »

yes brought him to the vet and he was indeed constipated. She ripped it out of him and it must have hurt the wee fella. anyways, he's getting 5mls of parafin oil a day for a couple of days the flush it out of him.

thanks

Well done peasant for telling Four of a kind what to do for her dog,Four of a kind must be relieved after the vet helped her dog WELL DONE!

andreac

actually DAVEY you did say they were only treats. read your previous post. You're welcome for the advice. Its a good company and they do a salmon oil too which is great for their coats and skin.

The Artist

andreac wrote: »

actually DAVEY you did say they were only treats. read your previous post. You're welcome for the advice. Its a good company and they do a salmon oil too which is great for their coats and skin.

it was only the link i posted as i didnt look at the product section of the site i only saw the hompage of it.As for the advice your welcome too.

Glad to read FourofaKinds puppy is sorted out. I have never come across a plugged up doggie before and always assumed it didn't occur. I also looked up PaddyPaws website. Their range looks impressive. I normally buy burns as it seems to be the best in the Vets shop and I give my dogs cod liver oil for their skin, hair and joints. Does anybody use the salmon oil like PaddyPaws use? Is it effective? I know cod liver oil is very effective because when I was out of it for a while my old boxer RIP used to get lame within days and would improve again when I got more.

peasant

re constipation:

The usual cause is an overdose of bones, where too much calcium makes the poo go rock-hard.

But any kind of food / stomach upset can cause constipation.

gollyitsolly

Four of a kind wrote: »

yes brought him to the vet and he was indeed constipated. She ripped it out of him and it must have hurt the wee fella. anyways, he's getting 5mls of parafin oil a day for a couple of days the flush it out of him.

thanks

Thats terrible. I wouldnt like her to be my vet! I have a yorkie and this used to happen when he got wet food or nicked the cats food. I would stand him in the sink with warm water and pour baby oil on his rear end. Wear your marigolds and massage the oil in ,then keep pouring warm wter on it to soften it.Reafing it off would hurt him. He looked so embarassed when I was doing it but he would jump around afterwards!

Four of a kind

Thanks for all the advice guys/girls. one more small bit of help needed :cool:

I started him on the pedigree dry puppy nuts yesterday and he does'nt eat them at all? I've softened them with hot water before I feed them to him but still no good. Is there something i'm missing or not doing?

peasant

It's better to change food gradually.

Mix some dry food with his usual canned stuff and increase the percentage of dry every day.

(btw ...pedigree dry food is crap ...full of colourants and artificial flavours)

andreac

i use the salmon oil on my rottie and its brill his coat and skin is in great shape. really soft and shiny and everyone comments on it.
Pedigree is crap, i already said it. like peasant said its full of artificial colours and flavours.
There are much better quality foods in any pet shops. redmills, burns, eukanuba, royal canin, james wellbeloved, belcando.

Four of a kind

Maybe he just doesn't like them. My Yorkie was 7 yrs old when she died and she never once ate dry nuts for me. Refused point blank and would even stay hungry rather than eat them. I then used to get her those little mini Caesar trays and thats all she would eat for me. How fussy is that?????

Four of a kind wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice guys/girls. one more small bit of help needed :cool:

I started him on the pedigree dry puppy nuts yesterday and he does'nt eat them at all? I've softened them with hot water before I feed them to him but still no good. Is there something i'm missing or not doing?