The first few days are incredibly important to the well being of your new Shorkie puppy. Please read these instructions carefully and keep them for future reference.
STRESS: No
matter how much
you love your
new shorkie, it
is going to
experience
stress. Leaving
everything that
is secure and
familiar to
him/her is going
to cause some
fear and
confusion. It is
so vital to
recognize the
signs of stress
and help your
Shorkie through
this tough
time. Signs are
timidity,
failure to eat,
lethargy,
diarrhea or
vomiting, and
crying. Please
be patient with
the baby. He's
looking to you
to comfort,
protect and lead
him. You should
pick up your new
Shorkie
when you have at
least a day or
two to spend
with him before
leaving him
alone. If you
are off of work
on weekends,
pick up your
Shorkie on
Friday or
Saturday and
make plans to
spend the
weekend making
him a priority
or take a day
off of work if
you have to.
It's cruel to
bring a
Shorkie into
a completely
unfamiliar
environment and
then leave him
alone for 8-10
hours while you
go off to work.
Please have some
empathy for how
frightening that
must be and plan
ahead to avoid
such stress. If
possible, come
home for lunch
if you work, or
ask a friend to
check in on him.
FAILURE TO EAT:
Your Shorkie
must eat often
to survive. If
he's off his
feed, give him a
food supplement
such as NutriCal.
This will keep
his blood sugar
levels stable.
If he refuses
the NutriCal,
put some on your
finger and rub
it on the roof
of his mouth.
Make sure you
keep some canned
food on hand for
times that he's
off his normal
feeding routine.
YOUR PUPPY
MUST EAT! Do
what you have to
do to entice him
to eat. Cook him
some chicken or
a hamburger if
you have to. But
make sure that
he eats. The
NutriCal is only
a short term
fix. But it can
be a life saver
if your
Shorkie puppy
ever gets sick,
overheated,
chilled,
injured, or
stressed. Keep
some on hand at
all times.
FEEDING YOUR PUPPY:
Shorkie can be nibblers. Make food and water available to him/her AT ALL TIMES-24/7. Shorkie puppies eat very small quantities at a time so you cannot put them on a once or twice daily feeding schedule like some dogs. This may be difficult if you have other breeds in the home, but it is vital that you heed this warning.
IF YOUR PUPPY
IS SICK:
Seek professional help. CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN. You have chosen to have a tiny breed as your new family member. With tiny breeds such as Shorkie, you must act quickly if your puppy becomes ill. Their size prohibits waiting to get help. At least call your vet. Many will give you tips over the phone as to what you can do before taking them to the vet's office. Of course, you can call us, the breeder, anytime you have a problem or concern about your Shorkie puppy. The first thing to do is to make sure your puppy is eating and drinking. If not, give NutriCal. If there is not immediate improvement, take your puppy to the vet. If it is after hours, don't wait until morning. At least call your veterinarian and they will tell you if the puppy should be seen. If you cannot afford to go to the vet, you should not be purchasing a puppy. If you already have the puppy, take responsibility for his/her health and life. Make payments if you have to. Your puppy cannot help himself. You have to take care of him.
ALLOW YOUR
PUPPY TIME
TO REST:
A good rule of thumb for tiny puppies is 15 minutes of play requires 45 minutes of rest. Of course, as they get used to you and their new home, those times will change. But is important at a young age not to wear them out. This is especially an issue around children. Puppies typically love kids and will play until they literally fall over. Like children, they don't know when to quit sometimes. Make sure never to leave a Shorkie unattended with small children. Teach children to allow the puppy time to rest. If the puppy has been playing very hard, give a little NutriCal to boost his energy and blood sugar reserves and let him sleep.
GROOMING:
Shorkie puppies require regular brushing to maintain their beautiful hair coats and to avoid painful matting of the hair. It is also necessary to keep the hair trimmed around their eyes to allow good vision and comfort. Hair sticking in their eyes is obviously painful and irritating and can cause damage as it scratches the eye. For cleanliness, trim hair around buttocks and genital areas. Bathe your Shorkie puppy as needed or every couple of weeks. Bathing too often can cause dry skin and hair.
CALL OR EMAIL US
ANYTIME!
We love these Shorkie puppies and hope you will too. We want your puppy to live a long happy life. If your puppy should have any problems, please let us know. We may be able to help answer any questions or deal with problems