MILESTONES & MORE

PUPPY Milestones

Monthly Milestones for the American Morkshire Terrier

1-Month: milk teeth are coming in and weaning can begin.
1.5-Months: nipping, play fighting, chewing and about 70% of the adult brain mass is present.
2-Months: begin house-breaking and integration with children and other pets within the household. Begin talking with your veterinarian about vaccination protocol and the benefits of spaying and neutering. (typical time when puppies are adopted).
3-Months: chasing animals, their own tail and thrown objects. Recognizes their own name and about 90% of the adult brain mass is present.
4-Months: responds to command "come" if you use it. Puppy can be expected to hold elimination for 4 hours.
5-Months: puppy training classes are suggested to begin after puppy vaccinations are completed. Approaching their adult height and weight for small breeds.
6-Months: can respond to "heel," "sit," "down," "stay," "fetch." Fetching toys remain important through adulthood. Sexual maturity starts for some small breed dogs.
7-Months: permanent teeth are in and milk teeth are lost.
8-Months: puppy should be expected to hold elimination for 8 hours at this time.
9-Months: puppy training classes if begun should be complete by now.
12-Months: puppy is now considered an adult and should be transitioning to an adult dog food.

Grooming

The following basic grooming techniques are written & illustrated for the American Morkshire Terrier, but these techniques are the same for (long coat toy breeds):

We'll help you learn the grooming basics which include brushing ~ Brush your dog 2 ~ 3 times a week, Bathe your dog once a month. Morkshire's can be prone to skin problems, so be careful not to over-bathe, as this will remove essential oils and dry the dog's skin and make it itch. Use a puppy shampoo for puppies and a mild shampoo (lavender, oatmeal) for adults ensuring you dry your puppy/dog thoroughly after the bath. Use of a blow dryer for drying is a good practice starting at the puppy stage ~ and should be on a low heat setting.

Maintaining a long coat requires daily or weekly work. To avoid eye irritation always keep the head hair tied up in a top knot or trimmed short. The long body coat should be clean and free of debris, urine or feces. You may choose instead to have a professional groomer trim the coat into an easy to care for cut. Clipping your dog's nails (illustration below). Many people have learned to trim their Morkshire at home after a few trips to a professional groomer offering some great bonding time with your pooch! The following videos are some examples to washing and grooming your American Morkshire Terrier:

Grooming Video: https://youtu.be/oQvSsDrEI1c
Washing Video: https://youtu.be/i3CGzrfY4gs

How to Clip Toenails

Nail Trimming

This is an essential part of dog grooming, and trim nails are one clear sign of your dog’s good health and hygiene. Professional groomers will perform the task for squeamish owners, but dog nail trimming is a simple procedure if done correctly. *Tip: It helps if you frequently touch and hold your puppy’s paws (gently and cheerfully) right from the first day, so they won’t become sensitive to having their feet handled.

There are several types of dog nail trimmers, including scissors, grinder tools specifically designed for dogs, and guillotine types. You can use whatever type you are most comfortable with, or whatever works best for your dog. It’s a good idea to have some styptic powder or other clotting powder on hand to stop bleeding in case you cut a nail too short. Here are the steps to follow to properly trim your dog’s nails:

Pick up a paw and firmly, but gently, place your thumb on the pad of a toe and your forefinger on the top of the toe on the skin above the nail. Make sure none of your dog’s fur is in the way.
Push your thumb slightly up and backward on the pad, while pushing your forefinger forward. This extends the nail.
Clip only the tip of the nail, straight across. Include the dewclaws, located on the inner side of the paw.
Avoid clipping past the curve of the nail or you risk hitting what is called the quick (the pink area of the nail that contains the blood vessels). A nick there is painful and will bleed. For dogs with dark nails, watch for a chalky white ring.

Be sure and cut at a 45 degree angle
Start with the hind legs – they’re usually less sensitive
Get someone to help you keep your dog still if necessary
Don’t forget plenty of praise for your pup throughout the process

How to Grind Your Dog’s Nails properly

Using a safe tool, such as ConairPRO Dog and Cat™ Professional Corded Nail Grinder

Only grind a small part of your dog’s nail at a time. Support the dog’s toe firmly but gently.
Grind across the bottom of the nail and then carefully in from the tip of the nail, smoothing rough edges.
For better control, hold the grinder higher up, towards the top.
Keep your dogs comfortable and take note of any sensitivities
If your dog has long hair, make sure to keep it back from the grinding tool so it doesn’t get caught.

The ConairPRO Dog and Cat Professional Corded Nail Grinder is corded with a quiet motor that will not easily intimidate a pet. The design is ergonomic, lightweight, and comes with a protective and adjustable safety guard cover. Included are replacement grinding bands and finishing stones. Buy on Chewy

The ConairPRO Dog and Cat Small/Large Nail Clipper includes a built-in safety guard and an ergonomic soft-grip handle to make trimming safer and more comfortable. Buy on Chewy

Replacement tips for the Professional Corded Nail Grinder. Buy on Chewy

How to Brush your Morkshire's teeth

These tips are for the American Morkshire Terrier breed.

Steps to Brushing Teeth

Choose a calm time for teeth brushing. It should be you and the dog without a living room full of active children or other pets. Be sure to start slow and be patient.
Buy a dog toothbrush. Dog Toothbrushes are available at pet stores or online pet supply outlets. They have a longer, curved handle that makes it easy to reach the back teeth. Only use Toothpaste that is Specifically for Dogs. While it works well for us, human toothpaste can have ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Start with back teeth - they're usually the easiest to develop buildup.
Select a good spot for teeth brushing. Make sure you have good lighting so you can see what you’re doing, and make sure your dog is comfortable. Get someone to help you keep your dog still if necessary.
Introduce the toothpaste to the dog. Start by showing your dog the toothpaste and letting them lick it from your finger. Don’t forget plenty of praise for your pup throughout the process.
Touch the toothbrush to the teeth. Touch the front, side, and back teeth on the top and bottom. Don't forget plenty of praise and reward your dog for tolerating this step.
Reward and Praise. You can also give the dog a Treat after brushing! This seems counterintuitive because you just finished cleaning the teeth and then giving some food. However, the initial goal is teaching the skill and later you can work on removing food from the equation.

Is your dog Shaking or Scratching their head?

Are they whining a lot? They could be suffering from Problems listed below:

*AMTC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs (Chewy) designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amarescuedogs.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale, but proceeds will go to AMRA for Rescued dogs.