TAKING CARE OF YOUR NEW Shorkie
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 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
