Tips on Bringing a Yorkie Puppy Home to Other Animals

Yorkies present issues similar to any other new pet introduced into the household, but they also have a few special needs of their own. You want to supervise the interaction between all the animals as much as possible in the beginning. Be on the lookout for jealous animals and provide the small Yorkie a safe spot that is just for her.

  1. Size

    • Yorkies are a small breed, with the standard weighing up to 10 pounds and the toy variety weighing as little as 1 or 2 pounds. Due to their size bigger animals in the house can injure them accidentally during regular play. If you have large breeds already at home, it is very important to supervise all play between them and the new Yorkie and even limit play while the Yorkie is young and his bones aren't fully developed. Ensure that the Yorkie always has a protected area to retreat to where he can get away from the bigger dogs.

      Ideally try to have dogs that are roughly the same size so that nobody is dramatically outmatched.

    Jealousy

    • Yorkies are a small breed and especially when young are almost comically cute. The Yorkie puppy may get more than her share of attention and affection, which can lead to jealousy on the part of the other animals. It is important for animals to work out their own hierarchy, especially dogs that naturally have a pack mentality. Try to give everyone the same amount of affection and treats. Do not spoil the new pet as this could lead to the other animals feeling the need to put her in her place. Most dog fights in the home occur when trying to introduce another pet.

    Supervision

    • Supervise your animals as much as possible for the first month or so after bringing the new dog home. Introduce them slowly in short play sessions frequently throughout the day. Help them get to know each other by playing referee when the play gets too rough.Do not leave the dogs alone unsupervised while you go to work; they may get into trouble while you're gone. Crate them or simply put them in different rooms.The longer you go without an incident between them, the less likely you are to have one at all.