It’s been a while since I posted, and I want to apologize for that. It’s been a pretty hectic last few months for me. I don’t typically spend much time talking about my personal life because, let’s face it, you came here for the Yorkies, but I wanted everyone to know, I haven’t forgotten about you.
So, over the course of the last 6 months, through the moves and restructuring my life, I have spent some time maximizing the Yorkie-friendliness of our living space. Catherine has been happier than ever with our new life, and this most recent move didn’t stress her out at all. I wanted to share a few things about what we have set up for her so you can make your home a little more Yorkie friendly.
First is the crate – this is a a must. While we were moving, there were tons of people in and out of the house Catherine was safely crated and not getting stepped on or escaping. I have a DocBob crate that I picked up at Tractor Supply a while back. I don’t generally keep her enclosed in it, she can go in and out as she pleases, and she likes to go in her crate and sleep when it’s hectic around the house. She also likes the privacy the crate creates for meal time. We have another dog and a cat and neither of them bother her food when it’s in her crate. Keep a puppy pad on the bottom of your crate for accidents or spills, something soft to sleep on, food and water, and keep it clean. Fairly simple. You can also cover the crate with a blanket when things are especially hectic, like on the 4th of July, or if your Yorkie gets nervous during storms.
Next is the Pet Steps – also a must for little Yorkies and big beds, or even tall couches. Pet stairs are essential for keeping your Yorkie’s joints healthy. Whether your Yorkie has a condition like Luxating Patella or not, it’s important to reduce the impact jumping has on their joints. My Catherine is just over 4 pounds and she’s got a very small frame. She also has a low grade Luxating Patella on her right hindquarter. Catherine is capable of jumping fairly high, but when she jumps down, it’s rough on her joints, and that impact, over time, can create problems. It’s like Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Take Ben’s advice and take steps early on to reduce or prevent damage to the joints and you’ll avoid many joint issues later in your Yorkie’s life.
Finally, the toy bin – this makes life so much easier. It seems like such a small thing, but it does make a big difference. Catherine knows where her toys are and when she wants to play, she knows right where to go. It’s easy to keep they toys off the floor and out of my way (I’m notorious for tripping over things, I guess I don’t ever look at the path in front of me, I wonder what that says about me… ). Even during the move, Catherine knew where her toys were and I think that was comforting to her. All of her “things” were right where they were supposed to be. She’s a little OCD with her toys, and she knows which ones she likes… it’s pretty cute to watch her dig though the bin to find the one she’s looking for.
So, those are my three tips for making your home a little more Yorkie-friendly – crate, pet steps, and a toy bin. I’m sure there are more things that you can do to make your house the perfect Yorkie home.
