Small Dogs, Big Hearts
A Guide to Caring for Your Little Dog
Chapter One
The Toy Neonate
If you think the Toy dog is small when he's full-grown, think about how tiny he is when he's
first born. Breeding these fragile, palm-size handfuls of life is best left to experienced, responsible
breeders, because the tiny size that makes them so irresistible also makes them so vulnerable.
Breeding small dogs can often be heartbreaking.
Toy mothers usually have very small litters, and that presents its own set of problems.
Puppies need other puppies to keep themselves warm and calm-and later to play and
socialize with. Singleton pups are usually given a stuffed animal to cuddle with as a substitute
littermate, but the pup's breeder must also work extra hard to socialize an only puppy.
Caring for the New Puppy
The newborn Toy weighs mere ounces. Their very small size means it's more difficult even
for a veterinarian to treat them than to care for a larger breed pup who may weigh a pound.
Weight is a factor in other ways, too. If a fourteen- ... read full excerpt from Small Dogs, Big Hearts: A Guide to Caring for Your Little Dog ebook
