Q

From Barbara

I have a yorkie pup almost 4 months old. He tears up everything, barks and bites a lot, and chases my 3 yr old. How can I calm him down?  Also, what is the way to groom him a certain look? His hair is oily is that right? 

A

Hi Barbara!  Sounds like your new puppy is keeping you busy.

The short answer is that your puppy has a lot of excess energy and drive and until he matures a bit, you may need to provide him with an outlet.  I highly recommend 'busy' toys such as feeding cubes and balls in which you place your dog's regular meals and he has to work at getting the food out by rolling or nosing the cube/ball around.  If you feed your puppy 3 times a day this way, it can really get those chewing/biting tendencies out.  Also, my favorite toy for dogs who like to chew is a Kong toy (those hollow rubber beehive looking toys).  Put a teaspoon of peanut butter inside and freeze it.  Once frozen, it will keep your puppy busy until it thaws as it soothes those sore gums during teething.

As for the barking, it is one of the most difficult behaviors to work with.  I can only recommend that you do not scold or yell at the puppy when he barks, as that tends to excite or confuse them.  Ignoring him and turning your back to him when he barks may help.  Try to lather him with praise during his quiet periods (but try not to get him excited to the point of barking) and he will learn that being quiet means getting extra attention.

Puppies like to chase and bark at young children because their jerky movements and intermittent sounds excite, interest, or sometimes startle them.  If you focus on the above recommendations, it should help distract your puppy.  However, make sure you never leave your child alone with your dog.

As for the oily skin, this may change as he develops, but I would have him examined by your veterinarian prior to making any changes.  Although supplements high in omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E may help.

Enjoy your new puppy and take care!

Craig Galbraith, DVM