shivering yorkie

Question
I have a small male yorkie that is about 18 months old.  I just purchased him a couple of weeks ago.  I've never owned a yorkie before this, so I didn't know what to expect.  He shivers almost all of the time (except when he sleeps).  Is this normal for the breed or should I be concerned and take him to the vet?  Is there something I can get over-the-counter to give him?  Thanks for any help or advise.


Answer
Marcia -

Yorkies are prone to some shivering.

It can be because they are fairly highly strung and anxious, or because they are cold.

Assuming you are keeping your kiddo at the right temperature, odds are that he is anxious.

I would recommend doing as much socialization as possible, and ideally an obedience class series to help your little friend gain confidence.  It's less about obedience per se than it is about gaining confidence. Somehow once dogs learn that they can learn new things they start feeling better about themselves.

I sure hope you can help him learn to relax, but it is true that he may still just be very high strung.

-Beth