They usually grow being small and light varieties. Hence, owners do not mind having their pets on their lap almost all day. Moreover, this usual bonding activity usually transforms this lap dog into a bright, playful, and loyal companion pet.

The following are some of the basic facts breeders would really love to know about Yorkies:

Category: Toy (Terrier)

Living Environment: indoors (highly recommended); outdoors (fenced yard)

Coat: silky, glossy, long and fine; no undercoat

Colors: black when young but they attain the colors tan and blue as they mature . Height: between 8 and 9 inches

Weight: between 3 and 7 pounds

Temperament:

Naturally,

ï they are territorial and like their privacy to be respected
ï they are intelligent and fearless
ï they are assertive and independent

When properly trained,

ï they develop close affinity with older children
ï they become really playful and lively
ï they become extremely affectionate
ï they do not mind having other pets at home
ï they focus much of their attention and affection toward their owner

Breeders should note of the following health issues:

ï Alopecia, or losing hair
ï Cataract, or loss of transparency of one or both lenses of the eyes
ï Cryptorchidism, wherein testicles do not descend into the scrotum
ï Dwarfism
ï Entropion, a disorder with the eyelid; lashes on the eyelid that irritate the eyeballs could lead to other complications
ï Glaucoma, a condition that causes an increase pressure within the eye
ï Hydrocephalus
ï Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or the reduction of tear production
ï Low blood sugar
ï Patellar luxation, a disorder in the kneecap
ï Portosystemic shunt, or the accumulation of blood toxins in the liver
ï Urolithiasis, an infection of the urinary tract leading to the formation of bladder stones.

Care and Exercise:

ï They require daily grooming.
ï Ears and eyes must be cleaned and checked regularly.
ï Dental hygiene must be regularly maintained.
ï They are fit only for short strides.
ï They should have a regular play time while lying under the sunbeams, chasing shadows, and joining tug-of-war.

Origin/History:

In the 19th century, a number of weavers from Scotland migrated to England and brought with them different terriers that were bred to hunt rats. Through time, these terriers were crossed and terriers with “broken hairs” were produced.

In 1870, a “broken-haired Scotch terrier” was named as a Yorkshire terrier by a reporter. He argued that the breed should be called as such because his types were bred in a town called Yorkshire.

Though the Yorkies were originally bred as working dogs, they became fashionable pets is England in the latter part of the Victorian era. In 1972, Yorkies were brought to the United States and became the country’s favorite pet.

You can say that the Yorkies developed into tough breeds because of their ancestors’ reputation as rat-hunters. However, their size, and playful and bright character have actually captured the attention and affection of most pet owners. Most proud owners would boast that they have the great giants inside the bodies of these little dogs. If you want a small but terrible breed of dog, grab a Yorkie now! Just a friendly reminder, they would really need your attention and companionship than any other terriers.

We treat them as part of the household; we are obliged to give proper care and attention for them to make them look good and healthy, just like what we are doing to other family members.

There are different pet parlors where you can bring your pet dogs and cats to have them groomed properly. Pet parlor owners also give some basic home pet grooming tips and advices for pet owners to follow so that they can personally attend to their petsí grooming needs.

Have your Dog the Best Look

Pet dogs are one of the most adventurous pet animals. They tend to exploreó different parts of the house, backyard, and even in the streets. Because of this, they acquire different smell (a stinky one, for instance), their furs are stained, and different parasites sticks to their body and make them itchy.

Proper hygiene practices that are similar to human beings are one of the basics in dog grooming. It is important that you give your dog the best bath. Below are the tips to help you bathe your dog successfully.

ï Prepare the bathtub and the bath supplies that you will use in bathing your pet dog. Make the bathroom comfortably warm so that you can encourage your dog to have it bathe. Gather all the pet bath supplies such as dog shampoo, bucket, towel, and hair dryer that will be used before bringing them into the bathroom.

ï After you have gathered these bath supplies, bring your dog to the bathroom. Pet them and make them comfortable while you are waiting for the water to reach a soothing temperature ideal for them.

ï Bathe them in the tub by using a bucket to splash water on their body. You can also use a hose with a sprayer on the end.

ï Use medicated dog shampoos against fleas and ticks. You can also have shampoos of sweet scent and good for your dogís sensitive skin.

ï Just a reminder: Never use dish soaps or your own shampoo because it will plague your dog with painful skin irritations. If you are not sure of what dog shampoos and soaps are fit for them, consult your veterinarian first.

ï Once you have splashed their body with water, apply now their shampoo. Be sure that you will not let the shampoo reach their eyes. Massage their body carefully. Rinse it with water once again.

ï Dry them using a towel first. Wipe their paws gently. Give extra attention to their ears, for any moisture cam lead to wax and bacteria build up that can lead to ear infections.

ï Then use a hair dryer. Set the dryer to its medium setting and place it at least six inches from your dogís fur so that it will not burn. Continue drying until their furs are dry, but not completely. Then brush through their hair as you dry it to give it style.

Hydrophobic Cat Grooming Tips

It is a well-known fact that cats are really afraid of water. It is a challenge for you to lure your pet cat to take a bathe. Here are some pointers that you can consider in bathing your pet:

ï Make the water warm. Cats have high body temperature than ours, so it will make them comfortable if you will bathe them in warm water. Nevertheless, it must not be too hot for them.

ï Have them bathe in a flat surface. You can also place it in a rubber mat so that they will not slip.

ï Splash a little amount of water on their body. Use a hose with sprayer if necessary.

ï Apply a little amount of cat shampoo in their furs. Be sure it will not get into their eyes or else it will irritate them. Use shampoos specifically intended for them.

ï After rinsing, dry them by using a towel and then later on a hair dryer in medium setting. Be sure you will not dry their furs completely. Use a brush to style their furs.

So there you have the basic tips in grooming your pet dogs and cats. Make them the most-groomed pets you ever had.

Take for instance, most dogs enjoy going for car rides and generally most cats donít. You would most likely take your dog camping with you than you would your cat. Dogs seem to make the best travel companions than a cat would, especially on long car rides. Of course, there are those exceptions. Bottom line is your pet would much prefer to be near you than in a kennel somewhere, but only if this is a good idea. You donít want to take a dog with you that has panic attacks in the car or one that will crawl all over you while you are trying to drive.

If you plan on traveling with your pet, consider these travel tips to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as possible.

1. Schedule your pet a check up with its veterinarian and ask for a certificate of health, along with proof of current vaccinations such as the rabies, distemper, and bordetella. It would also be a good idea to have your pet micro chipped, in case it should get lost. You would want to have your pet returned to you as quickly as possible, especially if you are traveling out of state.

2. If your pet is on medication, bring plenty of it so youíre not running out of medication when itís needed. It would also be a good idea to have your veterinarian contact information in case you loose the medication, so the vet can call in a prescription should the other get lost.

3. Is your pet well socialized? A well socialized pet will travel more easily and tolerate the stress of traveling better than a pet that is not used to be in a car or around other people. You want the trip to be enjoyable for both you and your pet.

4. Is your pet well behaved? Although there are now many places that allow pets, no one wants to listen to a dog barking all night or during the day. You also want to keep your pet occupied so itís not chewing on the hotel furniture or going potty on the carpet. You donít want your hotel room to smell like a kennel and neither does the hotel staff or your next door neighbors.

5. Find out ahead of time that the hotel you make reservations at will accept pets. You donít want to assume that there is a pet friendly hotel in a town you intend to stay in and when you get there, youíre turned away for having a pet or the oneís that allow the pets are all booked up.

6. Make sure your pet wears a collar with tags. One tag should be a current rabies tag and the other tag should have the dogs name, your name, address, town, state, and phone numbers. If you have a cell phone, add your cell phone number to the ID tag.

7. Most people choose to travel with their pets by car. Airline travel can be very stressful for pets, because they are treated like cargo and not like living beings. If you choose to travel by air plane, then contact the airline and ask them what their policy is for pets. Some airlines will allow small dogs to be a carry on as long as you have the proper airline carrier that is found in most pet stores.

You should also consider bringing along your pets food dishes, bed or pillow and a couple of its favorite toys. Having familiar items along for the trip can help ease the stress of traveling and make the trip more enjoyable for both you and your animal companion.