With the first litter there were a few things I learned to make the process just a little better:


1. Put puppy pads in the box with them and they will learn to use it as they grow. I was surprised at how well this worked.

2. I also bought baby blankets that could easily be changed out during the day to help keep the puppies as clean as possible.

3. Baby crib pads are great for protecting the box or play pen from the soak throughs as the babies grow. I placed them under the puppy pads.

4. Keep the puppies warm and they will stay happy. I used a small space heater, but some people use heating pads.

5. Keep mom feed with puppy food an calcium supplements to protect her bones. The babies will pull a lot of calcium from her if your not careful. Also, watch her hair as the puppies can get caught in it get hung and watch her breast to make sure she does not get mastitis. You may need to milk her breast if the puppies are not feeding from all of them.

6. I looked at getting pet insurance for my yorkies, but the coverage did not meet my needs. Instead of insurance, I opened a savings account for my dogs. I deposit monthly what my insurance premiums would have been. This has given me more than enough money to pay their regular visits as well as anything else that may come up. I also am able to buy their food and other needs this way. When a litter is sold, I deposit the money received into their account for any needs they may have.

Miscellaneous Information:

Keep benadryl liquid around in case your yorkie is bitten by a red ant, bee or wasp. Check with your vet as to the amount to give ahead of time. This could save your babies life.Your yorkie can also take many of the same meds that you take. Check with your vet about what you can give to your dog for upset stomachs, pain, and other common ailments. You can get some information at VetInfo4Dogs.Watch that your yorkie doesn't get a hold of some food that he can choke on. Cujo grabbed some fat and started choking. I grabbed him, held him upside down and started hitting his back. The fat was dislodged, but I was scared to death.  Make sure that you clear out any rat poison you may have bought in the past. My mom almost lost Zach to poison that was put out over 6 years earlier.