Big Dog | May 22nd, 2009
Dogs suffer from a range of conditions that are common to humans. None are more unpleasant and embarrassing than hair conditions.
Many dogs go bald, especially in the latter stages of their lives. Some breeds suffer pattern baldness while others are afflicted by alopecia. As with humans, there is no known cure for baldness in dogs.
Dogs also suffer from dandruff.
Many breeds suffer from a condition called seborrhoea. This is connected to the sebaceous gland which normally keep the coat well oiled but in this case produces flaky deposits much like human dandruff.
The most unpleasant variety of this condition results in a nasty condition called DO or Doggy Odour.
In this case the sebaceous gland produces too much oil in the dog’s coat and makes the dog’s coat greasy, sticky and extremely smelly.
Fortunately, there are good shampoos and treatments for both seborrhoea and DO. Ask your vet or local pet shop for guidance.
4 Paws Medicated Aloe Shampoo, 12 oz.,
Big Dog | March 12th, 2009
Dogs have become such an important part of our society, that the need for them to fit in well with other human beings and not pose a threat or a disturbance is critical to their long term acceptance by our neighbors and others around us. Not all people are dog lovers and to make sure that they’re not inconvenienced by our pets, training is essential. Training dogs is a specialized skill since the key difficulty lies in how to communicate efficiently with them.
Dog training is a repetition of the basic principle of reward and punishment in various forms and combinations. Communication of these signals is the key to proper training. One very important thing to remember is consistency of signals. The reliability of the training depends on how well a dog is able to be sure of what your signals mean.
An important factor is the emotional state of the dog. A dog that is frightened, anxious, or insecure doesn’t train well and this reflects the importance of factors like proper socialization of puppies.
A lot of studies have shown that proper puppy socialization goes a long way towards ensuring a good temperament and receptivity towards training. Lots of handling, petting and generally being around humans in their everyday life goes a long way towards making a dog well behaved and easy to train.
Training Yorkie puppies should not begin too early however, as there is evidence to show that before a certain age, the brains of puppies are not significantly developed enough to process complex learning.
Professional dog trainers are best when it comes to training your Yorkie as they will ensure that the proper habits are set for life, including how to behave around strangers. For the safety of your Yorkie, it is your duty as an owner to ensure that he or she is well trained.
D Dog Fan | April 11th, 2008
Now tell me you can say no to those faces!
D Dog Fan | April 4th, 2008
A little history of the Yorkshire Terrier through the ages as seen through the eyes of the artist: Douglas Rickard.
D Dog Fan | March 13th, 2008
Yorkshire Terriers were first known as Brokenhaired Scotch Terriers and arrived in the States in 1880.
D Dog Fan | March 13th, 2008
As an avid fan of this little dog breed, I often scout the intenet, looking for other Yorkie Terrier blogs. I found a great Miniature Yorkie Blog, and its contents are trully inspiring. The author posed a very interesting question: ” Is it better to get a male or a female Yorkie?”
Well, let us analyse this point a bit. According to my research:
- Male yorkies are usually more affectionate, exuberant, and attentive as compared to females. They seek your attention and are very attached to their people. They also tend to be more steadfast, reliable, and less moody.
- Most females will usually come to you for attention, but as soon as she has had enough, she will move away. Males are always waiting for your attention and close by.
- In the dog pack framework, females usually rule the roost, and initiate more fights than males do.
- Because female yorkies are, more independent, stubborn, territorial and male yorkies are easily motivated by praise, and are very eager to please, it is often people’s experience that training a male is easier.
- Males on the other hand lose interest far quicker than females do.
- Females are much more intent upon exercising their dominance by participating in alpha behaviors such as humping and in fighting.
- Male yorkies tend to bond to the woman in the household and female yorkies bond to the man in the household.
I guess the bottom line is that there is no correct answer. What are your beliefs? Are male of female Yorkies better to have as pets?
D Dog Fan | February 7th, 2008
The breed standard for a Yorkie requires that the hair be perfectly straight and not wavy. For show purposes, the coat is grown-out long, while being parted down the middle of the back. It can also be may trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance. Hair on the feet and the tips of ears are also usually trimmed. The traditional long coat is extremely high maintenance, requiring hours of daily brushing, but if you are into showing your beloved Yorkie, then that is a sacrifice you must make.
To maintain the long coats of show dogs (between exhibitions), the hair may be wrapped in rice paper, tissue paper or plastic, after a light oiling with a coat oil made for show coats. This helps to prevent the hairs from being broken easily and keeps the coat in top condition. The oil has to be washed out once a week and the wraps must be fixed periodically during the week to prevent them from sliding down and breaking the hair. As a more practical alternative, many Yorkie-owners opt to keep the dog’s coat trimmed to a shorter all-over length, but then showing is not longer a possibility
D Dog Fan | January 18th, 2008
Although the Yorkie is considered to be a toy breed, the Terrier personality is totally noticable in this little dog. There may be differences of course in every Individual dog but Yorkies all tend to be courageous, intelligent and independent little dogs. Yorkshire Terriers are quick to determine where they fit in a household’s “pack.” Often aloof and untrusting of strangers, Yorkies are more family-oriented dogs and share this trait with their cousins: the Biewer Yorkie. Some Yorkies however, may be very friendly and outgoing towards strangers, so this does vary. But as a character trait, they are more aloof than friendly with outsiders. These differences can be attributed to how an owner socializes these little dogs from the start.
The breed standard dictates that they should be assertive, confident and vigorous although some Yorkies may be timid or nervous, which is not at all common. In a home, where there are many breeds, Yorkies usually assert themselves as the “alpha” dog. They love to play with other dogs, and get along with many breeds without a problem. Its asserted boldness comes from an instinct to protect, from latent inquisitiveness and a great dose of self-confidence! Often being unaware of their small size, they may challenge a larger dog too! Although it all seems rather funny and ridiculous, Yorkies are very tough and would like to be respected for their assertiveness. After all, no good being a loving pet, if they can’t defend those they love, right? Sadly a lot of Yorkies get injured, by this very same stubborn streak. Dynamite comes in small packages…seems to be the case! Like Josh Groban sings…”Everybody wants to be understood”…This applies for a Yorkie too, I reckon.
D Dog Fan | January 18th, 2008
One of cutest and most popular dog breed blogs welcomes you. The Yorkshire Terrier…lovingly nicknamed the Yorkie has been made famous by so many celebrities owning one -if not more!- of them. From Paris Hilton to Britney Spears….there are numerous celebrities who have popularized this little dog, to make it the 2nd most popular dog breed in the USA in 2007! This blog is dedicated to all the Yorkies out there as well as to their loving owners. Welcome to you all!
