Puppy-Proofing the Home
Yorkies are small, but don't make the mistake of thinking they can't be destructive. They will leave smaller tooth marks, dig smaller holes, and have more trouble reaching tall objects such as the garbage can, but they'll still do plenty to disrupt and destroy your surroundings if you don't train, plan, and supervise effectively.
Before your puppy comes home, take the time to move items you cherish and anything that could be dangerous out of the reach of those paws and jaws. Lie down on the floor to develop a Yorkie's-eye view of all rooms and their contents.
If you truly want to understand how the world looks and feels to a toy dog, lie down with your head on the floor in a busy area of the house and let your family go about their business as usual for a half-hour. You will quickly learn what frightens, excites, and even harms a Yorkie.
Kitchen and Bathroom
Either the kitchen or a bathroom is often chosen as the puppy's safe room because the floors (commonly tile or linoleum) are impervious to liquids and easily cleaned.
However, these rooms also contain several items that are certainly not safe for a Yorkshire terrier. Cleaning products, certain foods, and sharp utensils should be kept high off the ground or secured in locked cabinets. Childproof locks are a good way to keep a dog away from these items.
It is also important to know that despite their size, Yorkies can jump. Counter height is actually attainable by many of these dogs. Rolls of toilet paper can be considered chew toys, and an especially spry pup could leap and land in the toilet if the lid isn't kept down. A Yorkie might even use a covered toilet seat as a ladder rung on his way to the vanity, so don't leave any hazards there either. Put away hair dryers, curling irons, razors, deodorant, and other potentially harmful items when not in use.
In the kitchen, Yorkies may not have enough heft to tip over a garbage can, but they can chew through the bottom. Dangling dishtowels will also be fair game. Be careful not to provide any objects that could serve as stepping stones to climbing to the counters or the top of the refrigerator. A Yorkie may not be able to gauge his height off the ground, and a jump or a fall could result in serious injury.
Getting into the garbage is particularly hazardous for a Yorkshire terrier. They're small, inclined to pancreatitis, and tenacious once they decide on some course of action (such as chewing up a bone). Lock the garbage can under the kitchen sink, put it up in a closet, or find some other way to hide it from your Yorkie.
Main Living Areas
The main living areas of the home often contain prized personal possessions; toys, if there are children in the house; plenty of electrical cords; and perhaps houseplants or even other pets.
If this is the case in your home, explain to everyone (children aren't the only ones who need reminders) that items left on the floor, whether homework, toys, or the remote control, may be destroyed by the dog. Also, reiterate that the dog will not be held responsible if this happens — the person will.
Block electrical outlets and cords with furniture, if possible. Do not attempt to hide cords by running them under rugs — this creates an electrical fire hazard. For any cords that can't be blocked, you can use a taste deterrent such as one with bitter apple flavor. If the dog attempts to chew on the cord, he should be repelled by the bitter taste. This does not deter all dogs, however, so you'll still need to supervise. Also be mindful not to leave heavy or breakable objects on wobbly tables. Even a little Yorkie can knock over a small pedestal table, and falling objects that a Labrador would hardly notice could kill a Yorkshire terrier.
Birdcages, fish tanks, and hamster or gerbil cages might also be found somewhere in your home. As long as the birdcage or fish tank can't be knocked over, there should be no problems there. The small furry pocket pets, on the other hand, should be kept well out of the Yorkie's reach. True to their ratting heritage, Yorkies may have the instinct to harass these small pets.
At what age is a Yorkie old enough not to be supervised all the time?
Fortunately for you, toy dogs tend to mature more quickly than their larger counterparts. While an eighteen-month-old Labrador should still be considered an adolescent that must be kept out of trouble, a six-month-old Yorkie will often start to show fewer puppy foibles and a more responsible attitude.
Plants offer a variety of risks as well. Yorkies may deem a mid-sized pot just the right area to serve as a digging pit or a potty box. They might chew on the plants themselves, which can have potential dire consequences. Some popular houseplants are noxious and others are downright toxic. You can find various lists of plants that are dangerous to dogs on the Web. Still, it's wise not to take any chances — put all plants out of reach of the dog.
Home Office
Look under any computer desk or behind any home entertainment center, and you're likely to find a tangled mess of wires. The entertainment center can be shoved up tight to the wall, with the wires safely captured behind it. The computer desk, however, will require a bit more care. You can get hooks that attach under the desk and hold the cables up out of the way.
This still leaves you with all the electrical cords, usually plugged into an outlet strip. The simplest solution is to keep the pup out of the office, but if this is where you spend a lot of your time, you may want to invest in an exercise pen — a wire puppy playpen — to keep your pup close by but out of harm's way.
You may think the image of a Yorkie chewing on a shoelace is cute. Let's face it — a Yorkie doing almost anything is cute. But swallowing pieces of shoelaces can lead to an impaction in the digestive system and emergency surgery. Give your pup only safe, approved chew toys.
Bedroom and Laundry Room
These two areas are related in this discussion because many puppy transgressions will involve clothes and shoes. Your Yorkie may be small enough to fit inside your running shoe, but that doesn't mean he can't chew sizable holes in it. Your clothes are equally vulnerable to a puppy chewing attack (socks are particular favorites).
To avoid damage to these items, keep all clothes picked up, shoes put away, and closet doors closed. Put laundry baskets inside closets or elevated on tables. Also, don't leave dresser drawers hanging open; a dangling scarf is never safe from a curious Yorkie.
Garage, Basement, and Attic
Frankly, you don't live in these areas and neither should your dog. Dogs are pack animals, and your family is now your dog's pack. Leaving a dog alone in a garage, basement, or attic can cause a myriad of problems. These places generally hold many hazards, from antifreeze and herbicides to rat poison and cleaning products. If the dog were to ingest any of these toxic substances, it could cause serious internal problems or even death.
Photograph by Jean Fogle
Keep your Yorkie safe by puppy-proofing your home and yard.
Aside from harmful substances, these areas often contain heavy tools, sharp implements, and dirty or rusty equipment. Contact with these items could injure the dog in a number of ways. Simply put, it's safest to keep your pup away from these areas.
The Great Outdoors
No matter how much they're trying your nerves, puppies should not be put outside unattended, even in a fenced yard. Too many things can go wrong.
If your yard sprouts poisonous mushrooms or any mushrooms at all — most people aren't very adept at mushroom identification — it won't take much more than a nibble to put your Yorkie in serious jeopardy. Landscape plants can also be toxic, and danger lists often mingle plants that may only produce digestive upset with those that can be deadly. These lists also don't explain that it may only be the bulbs or the berries that cause problems.
Do not use an electronic fence to keep your Yorkie in your yard. Puppies should not have to suffer the shocks the collar provides if they venture too near the boundary. Also, the buried wire does nothing to prevent any roaming animal from entering your yard, and your Yorkie may fall prey to larger dogs, raccoons, coyotes, or other threats.
On the “better safe than sorry” premise, do not leave your Yorkie alone with plants of any sort. Certainly don't use pesticides, herbicides, or toxic snail baits in areas where your Yorkie will be allowed — choose safe alternatives instead.
Fences must be extremely secure to thwart the escape of a dog as small as a Yorkshire terrier. Any hole could be an invitation to explore the wider world, and don't think a Yorkie can't dig under your fencing. Also be sure there are no sharp points of wood or wire to injure your Yorkie.
