[Jason C]

Hello all,
I am new to the forum so hopefully I am posting in the right section. We have recently put a deposit down on a Yorkie who is going to be smaller than the average Yorkie. The breeder does not breed for teacups, he just happened to be a tiny guy. The breeder says she will feed him Royal Canin puppy food, which I am not a super big fan of. We are fairly new to being dog owners but I want to make sure Little Toby(our Yorkie) is eating good quality ingredients. I have been doing A LOT research on my own and there are so many dog foods, it is overwhelming. I want to get a good puppy food for him and then eventually transition to a small breed dog food. We will be getting our little guy in about 2 weeks, the breeder wanted to keep him longer because he was so small, to ensure his health.

I am looking at doing this for the puppy food: Here

Then I am looking to transition to this dog food when he is an “adult” Here

I am very open to any suggestions and I could definitely use help on what treats to get as well. I would like to get the little guy some treats(for potty training) and something to chew on to help his teething and teeth down the road. I don’t want bad quality items that can cause health issue. I also don’t know if I should get a higher content of protein or fat food for an undersized Yorkie. The breeder thinks he will only get about 3lbs, I am hoping he can get up to 4 or 5lbs. His health is good and I want to make sure he has a nice healthy, happy life.

Thanks,
Jason C

[anonymous]

Start brushing his teeth every evening (once a day) small breeds are notorious for having lousy teeth and you may be able to get away with only one or two cleanings per lifetime, see YouTube for how to videos.
Chewing bones are controversial, you could get him a small bone marrow bone (raw) from the market and let him work on it for 20 minutes here and there. Supervised, don’t leave him unattended with it. Raw carrots work too. Be aware that bones can result in GI blockage (even finely ground bone) and broken teeth, anything raw is potentially loaded with bacteria.
For science-based veterinary medicine go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
Find a vet that you like and trust, listen to whatever advice the breeder has to offer (assuming that her dogs look healthy).
PS: My small breed dogs do well on Nutrisca kibble as a base with a variety of toppers and a splash of water added. See Chewy dot com for reviews.

[anonymous]

How old is the puppy and what does he weigh now? Have you had a look at his parents? What do they weigh? That would be a good indicator. It depends, but for small breeds they are about halfway to their adult weight at around 5 months (based on my experience).

PS: I had a yorkie that lived to be 16, he weighed between 7 and 9 pounds, he was tiny when I got him and the breeder thought he wouldn’t exceed 5 pounds.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by anonymous.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by anonymous.

[Jason C]

Thanks for the input. He will be 8 weeks December 8th. He does weighs just under 1lb now. His mom is 7lbs and his dad is 5lbs. The breeder thinks he will be a smaller dog around 3lbs based on how small he currently is. He was also the only one out of his litter, which you would think he would be a bigger dog. Nutrisca food says it is good for all sizes and all stages of life. Would you recommend it for a puppy? We will probably get him at 10 weeks old since he was so small.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by Jason C.

[anonymous]

Ten to 12 weeks is good, the longer they can stay with the mother and sibs the better. They learn how to play and soft bite with each other, socialize.
I would guess 6 pounds at the most, based on the parents. Of course if he is the runt he might be lighter.
I usually don’t bother with puppy food, I would presoak the kibble over night in the fridg, feed measured amounts 3 or 4 times a day (small meals) with a topper such as a little chopped up boiled chicken, scrambled egg or something mixed in and add some water.
The Nutrisca is a small size kibble, so it works, but , there are other good brands out there too.

Take him outside every 2 hours, if possible, to housebreak 🙂

[Jason C]

What do you brush your dogs teeth with by the way? Thanks

[anonymous]

I like Petrodex, I get the 6.2 oz chicken flavor (most economical) at Chewy dot com, for little ones I use a child size medium toothbrush and focus on the back and sides (insides too) that is where the tartar builds up. It seems like a lot of work, but, for 1 dog it’s about 5-10 minutes a day at the most. Worth it, imo. If you start now (gently) the dog gets used to it and it’s not a big deal, my dogs look forward to it, they think it is a treat (chicken flavor).

[Jason C]

Perfect, thank you so much for your help. Is this the dog food you use? There are several different types.

Chicken Nutrisca

[anonymous]

Yes, I have used the chicken kibble, without any problems, but, I tend to get the Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea, because my 9 pound poodle mix with a sensitive stomach does the best on it.
So, I get the big bag (cost effective) and my other dog likes it too.
I also use Vitality Chicken and Oats (Dogswell) for my terrier, I mix it with the Nutrisca as a base.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 2 months ago by anonymous.

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