The Yorkie New Year's Resolution Challenge

Yorkshire Terrier New Year
Yorkshire Terrier New Year

7 Resolutions for the New Year... 

Which do you pledge to follow? 

The new year is the perfect time to reassess your Yorkie's care. There may be tasks or care elements that got a bit sidetracked in the past year or just need a bit of improvement.


So, our challenge to you is to choose one, some, or all of the following pledges and make it your goal to abide by them for the next year. It's a great way to help ensure a safer, healthier new year for your little guy or gal. 

#1
I pledge to make sure
my Yorkie receives daily exercise

What to know:


The benefits of regular exercise cannot be understated. Physically, it can help extend your Yorkie's life span, keeps the heart and other major organs healthy, strengthens the immune system, helps maintain muscle, helps prevent lessening mobility as a dog ages, and can even help prevent canine cognitive dysfunction (the canine equivalent of dementia).


Mentally, regular exercise can help prevent or treat restlessness, help treat boredom and/or depression, allows a dog the satisfaction of engaging their senses, and can decrease negative behaviors such as excessive barking and destructive chewing. Additionally, exposure to outside stimuli can eventually decrease response (i.e. barking at other dogs, etc.)

What to do: Set a schedule of at least 2 exercise sessions per day, lasting for a minimum of 20 minutes. Walks are one of the best forms of exercise (as long as you keep your Yorkie trotting along at a brisk pace), as well as bouts of cardio-inducing activity such as fetch. 

Tips: 

Prepare weather-wise. If you, your Yorkie, or both of you are cold or wet, walks will be cut short. If you live in an area with cold winters, choose a quality coat or vest sized for tiny dogs. A cute one is the Kuoser Cozy Waterproof Windproof Vest; the extra-small fits dogs 4 to 6 pounds. 
If it's raining and your little guy or gal doesn't like to get wet, bring along an extra-large umbrella or consider a raincoat for your Yorkie like the Fashion Pet Rainy Days Slicker. 
Treat your puppy or dog's paws with a quality wax, to help with traction and to protect from cold walking surfaces in the winter, hot walking surfaces in the summer, irritants (lawn care products, ice melt chemicals, road salt), and 'snow balling' (when tiny pieces of snow get wedged in between paw pads or toes, melts, and then refreezes and stretches the skin there). For this, Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax is an excellent choice year-round. It absorbs quickly, stays on for up to 2 weeks, and allows the paws to breathe while offering protection. 
For fetch, mini tennis balls like Midlee X-Small Tennis Balls are great for this tiny breed. And, if you're looking for something softer for indoor activity, there are indoor-specific fetch toys such as the Chuckit! Indoor Roller Toy for Small Dogs, which can be lots of fun. 

#2
I pledge to protect my Yorkie
from neck injury

What to know:

Toy breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier are prone to a condition called collapsed trachea, in which genetically weakened tracheal rings surrounding the windpipe collapse inward. It is often terribly painful and difficult to treat.


One of the non-surgical palliative treatments for collapsed trachea is also one of the prevention methods: Use a harness, not a collar. Harnesses keep the neck free from the direct pressure of taut leashes. Instead, tension is displaced along the much stronger shoulders, back, and chest. 

What to do:

Never use a collar for leash attachment. Always use a harness instead.


Tips:


There are several types of harnesses. One of the easiest to place on a puppy or dog is a 'step in' harness, since nothing needs to go over the head. And sizing is important, since dogs can sometimes wiggle out of loose harnesses.

If you're looking for a comfortable harness that is super-easy to place on, the Puppia Harness Soft B Vest is ideal. This is a step-in design, there is an 'easy close' Velcro flap on the back, there are two d-rings for the leash attachment, and it starts at size extra-small which fits dogs as tiny as a 7.5" neck measurement. As an added plus, it's available in 13 different colors.  

#3
I pledge to help keep my Yorkie's teeth
clean and healthy

What to know:

Far too many Yorkshire Terrier adults and seniors are missing teeth after a painful journey of dental care neglect. Without routine cleaning, plaque will build up on the teeth and it is extremely destructive. It can lead to tooth decay, periodontal disease, localized infections, bone loss in the jaw, and eventual tooth loss. 

Additional complications include jaw fractures, organ damage, and possible full-body sepsis which can be fatal. 

What to do: 

Speak to the veterinarian regarding the need for a dental exam to identify any existing issues and to scrape off plaque or tartar from the teeth (including under the gum line). From that point on, take a proactive stance by brushing the teeth daily, using a spray, and/or offering dental chews. 

Tips: 
Brushing is very effective, and all it takes is 3 to 5 minutes a day. Be sure that the toothbrush or finger brush is properly sized and that the paste is designed for dogs (non-foaming, meant to be swallowed, and fluoride-free). 

The Kissable Dog Dental Kit is a great set for this that has a small toothbrush, a finger-brush, and two great choices for paste: vanilla & tea tree oil or cucumber mint. Note that the ‘small dog' option works works well for this breed.  
If your Yorkie has trouble tolerating having their teeth brushed, there are other options, including a spray. One that can be effective with regular use is Premium Pet Dental Spray by Pets Are Kids Too which is used in two ways: it's sprayed onto a dog’s teeth and it's added to drinking water (if you choose this, be sure to do both methods). This has no grain alcohol, works via a blend of plant extracts (aloe vera, peppermint, spearmint) and baking soda, and is made in the USA.  
In addition to one of the above methods, offer a daily canine dental chew. These work by removing some plaque via their hard texture. Since these are hard by design, always supervise, throwing away any small pieces that may break off. One of the most popular ones is Greenie Teenie Grain-Free Dental Treats which is sized for dogs as small as 5 pounds. 

#4
I pledge to keep my Yorkie safe
when in the car

What to know:

Having a dog free and unrestrained in the car presents several risks. It's distracting for drivers and can result in severe injury for a dog even with slow-moving accidents. For example, in an accident involving a vehicle that is traveling at 35 mph, a dog that weighs 5 pounds (2.26 kg) and is unrestrained can be thrown with the force of a 225 pound object (102 kg) object.


In addition, motion sickness is often at its worst when a dog is left free to sway with each turn and stop and/or when a small breed like the Yorkie is down on the seat and unable to see out of the window or feel the air from an opened window.


In addition to this, in some locales, securing a pet in the car is the law. For example, New Jersey has laws against leaving a pet free in the car, it falls under 'improperly transporting an animal' and carries a $250 to $1000 fine. Hawaii has law against having an unrestrained pet in the car; fines vary depending on if a dog is on the driver's lap or loose in the car. And other states, such as Arizona, Connecticut and Maine have distracted-driving laws which can be enforced in regard to pets. 

What to do:


Secure your Yorkie in the car, just as you would buckle-up a child. Use a canine car seat, not a carry crate.

Tips:

With toy breeds, a raised booster seat often works best since it allows a small dog to have line-of-sight out of the windows and be close to air currents from a partially opened window. Note that a dog must be wearing a harness (not a collar) when secured into a car seat; see previous pledge #2; there is an inner buckle in the seat that will attach to the d-ring on the harness.

If you're looking for a booster seat for your Yorkie, one that we like is the PetSafe Happy Ride Booster Seat; it's raised up nicely for small toy breeds, is durable, adjustable, and easy to install. 

#5
I pledge to only give my Yorkie
spring or filtered water

What to know:

Lots of pet parents assume tap water is perfectly safe for dogs. But this just is not true in many areas of the US and other countries.

Though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for monitoring tap water in the US, it is filled with contaminants. The EPA maintains a list of known carcinogens and toxins linked to major health issues (ranging from organ disease to neurological damage) found in tap water at ‘safe’ levels. Yet, these levels are continually exceeded by municipalities across the country. 

Just a few examples: The Flint MI water crisis due to high levels of lead, San Diego country tap water has 23 toxins over the ‘safe’ limit, over 200 million Americans spread out over 50 states have chromium-6 (a known cancer-causing chemical) in their tap water, and fluoride (proven to cause osteosarcoma, which is the #1 cause of bone tumors in canines, developing in 8,000+ dogs each year in the US.) is in over 70% of US tap water (as of 2015). 

One of the most recent, unsettling pieces of news involves findings by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), based off of a report of unpublished EPA data, showing drinking water in the US is widely contaminated with 'forever chemicals', linked to cancers, liver damage, and other health problems.

What to do:


Do not give your Yorkie unfiltered tap water. Alternatives include bottled spring water or using a filtering method.


Filter choices include 'under the sink' water filtration systems, replaceable filters that attach to faucets like the Waterdrop Faucet Filtration System , and portable devices such as filtering pitchers.

#6
I pledge to not allow
my Yorkie to consume harmful
food additives & ingredients

What to know:

Dog treats and kibble laden with chemical preservatives, artificial coloring dye, flavor enhancers, by-products, generic meats or oils, high-gluten fillers, or other subpar or risky additives are far too common. Some of the most well-known brands are the worst offenders. 

Synthetic additives are linked to a wide range of disturbing health issues from allergic reactions to neurological issues to organ damage. And cheap fillers like feed-grade corn, cereal by-products, and high levels of wheat and grains are also linked to allergic reactions, as well as gastrointestinal distress and other conditions. 

What to do: 

Make a pledge to have your Yorkie on a healthier, cleaner, diet of 100% all-natural, wholesome meals, snacks, and training treats. 

Tips:

Start off by knowing the rating of your Yorkie’s food. A good resource for this is the DogFoodAdvisor site which lists Alpo, Atta Boy, Cesar, Gravy Train, Kibbles n' Bits, Pedigree, and Purina as 1-star brands. Defender, Evolution, several of the Hill's Science and Ideal formulas, and Iams are 2-star brands. Beneful, some Blue Buffalo recipes, and Eukanuba are 3-star brands. 
Opt for a 4 or 5-star kibble. An example of a great one is Wellness Complete Health for Toy Breeds which has a chicken and brown rice base and has no wheat, corn, soy, artificial additives, fillers, by-products, or chemical preservatives (it uses a blend of vitamins, listed as mixed tocopherols). There are also good levels of omega-3, glucosamine, and chondroitin. 
For snacks, look for all-natural, wholesome brands without any chemicals, additives or preservatives. And look for those made in the USA or North American (which includes Canada). One of our favorites is Fruitables Crunchy Dog Treats. These come in a variety of tasty fruity flavors and are super healthy. 

#7
I will make and keep veterinary 
wellness checks for my Yorkie

What to know:

Routine wellness checks play a very important role in keeping dogs healthy and able to reach their expected life span.

Though a wide range of testing including stool samples, urinalysis, CBC (complete blood count), and a physical exam, the veterinarian will be able to screen for conditions that commonly affect dogs and catch any issues early for the best possible prognosis.


This routine exam will allow you and the vet to go over your Yorkie's physical activity, behavior, eating patterns, and more. And is the perfect time for you to ask questions.

What to do:

Once the round of puppy vaccinations are complete, Yorkies should be seen once a year for their wellness checks. Those 8 years and older should be seen twice-per-year.


If you do not feel comfortable or confident with your Yorkie's veterinarian (a common reason for avoiding visits), take the time to locate a new vet. In some cases, this may mean traveling a town or two over, but can be worth the extra driving.

You may also like:

Yorkshire Terrier Dos and Don'ts - A super-helpful list of the most important dos and most vital don'ts for this breed. Applies to Yorkies of all ages.

Yorkie Care Tips - A great round-up of all of the things you can do to keep your Yorkshire Terrier happy, healthy, and comfortable. 
Yorkie Safety Tips - A helpful list of all of the potential dangers for this small toy breed and how to keep your Yorkshire Terrier super-safe. 
How to Keep a Yorkie Clean - The easiest and most effective methods for keeping a Yorkshire Terrier clean and smelling great. 
Yorkie Dry Skin - This is a common issue in the wintertime. See what causes this to happen, how to offer immediate relief, and how to prevent this.