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Old 12-17-2009, 07:03 PM   #1
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Default New to YT but I could really use your help!

Let me start by saying this website is absolutely amazing!! And the community is all so nice and kind. With that being said YT I have a problem...My boyfriend and I have recently
moved into our new apartment. We have discussed getting a puppy yorkie prior to us moving in. (He prefers big dogs, so conviencing him for a yorkie was like pulling teeth!!) I
finally have found a great breeder that isn't too far from our home. I have been talking to the breeder about receiving my pup after christmas. Everything was good until my
boyfriend told me that he's having second thoughts. His reasons are because a friend of his told him that he spends approx. $200 a mnth on his girlfriends yorkie. And he was like
What if we move to where there are no pets allowed, then what. I understand about the moving part, but that's so long from now what if we decide to stay? What if we love our
Baby so much we find another pet friendly apartment. He keeps mentioning the monthly budget of a yorkie. Can you guys help me? Is getting a yorkie right now such a bad idea?
Please be honest. How do I convince him again? This is killing me. I was so excited until now ....


Ps. He just mentioned house training. He's afraid of our apartment having a doggy odor. Can you heLp?!!
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Old 12-17-2009, 07:23 PM   #2
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Unless there is a big vet bill for your dog, I can't imagine spending $200 a month for one yorkie. Make sure your puppy is from a reputable breeder, and that it is healthy -- have it checked immediately by a vet you trust.

As far as housebreaking, with a puppy I would recommend crate training to start with. You can use pee pads or take the puppy outside. Mine are trained to do either one, whichever is available. I don't use my dog door, because I don't want to break their coats. So a dog door isn't necessary.

Having a puppy is an added responsibility however. Do you think your boyfriend is actually concerned about having to accommodate a puppy's schedule rather than the training or expense of the puppy?
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Old 12-17-2009, 07:28 PM   #3
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Having a dog is a huge commitment. Some people easily spend $200 a month by the time you add up food and vet bills and some people spoil their pups with all kinds of things like toys and clothes and treats. I don't think you have to do that but some people choose to. On the other hand, some people have pups who are sick and a serious problem could easily cost you a few thousand dollars. I'm afraid I'm not much help.... I just think that it is a big commitment and if he's not ready for that then maybe it's not the best time. But I will say that having a small dog, I believe is much easier than having a big dog and even my hubby, who was not a small dog person at all before we got our yorkies, has been converted!
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Old 12-17-2009, 07:43 PM   #4
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The figure of $200 a month sounds right to me. Of course, you won't spend it every month, but some months you will spend more if you've got a vet bill in there, even if it's a routine dental, physical, etc.

It's best to think of it as an annual expense and $2,400 a year is right in the middle according to this chart.

The Cost of Owning a Dog

When your puppy is young the bills aren't that bad, but as they age they can rack up the vet bills. At age 14, Lady costs me about $5,000 a year just in medications, routine exams, bloodwork, etc. Food, emergencies, etc. are all on top of that.

One bout of pancreatitis requiring hospitalization can easily result in a $1500 vet bill. You absolutely need money set aside in a separate account for emergencies. ER vets require payment upfront and they will turn you away if you can't pay.

Our Health and Sick sections are full of posts from desperate owners faced with unexpected vet bills they don't have the funds for.

I know moving seems like a long way off, but remember that you will hopefully have your Yorkie for 15 years. Finding pet friendly housing can be challenging in some areas of the country.

Yorkies are notoriously difficult to housebreak.

I am very glad you found YT. Spend some time here and read, read, read. You'll get a good idea of what Yorkie ownership is like, the pros and the cons.

It's good you and your BF are discussing this beforehand. It's important for all family members to be on board when adding a pet to the family. Pet ownership is wonderful, but it also requires work and commitment.
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Old 12-17-2009, 08:52 PM   #5
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The expense is not my worry. I believe it is his worry. I have been doing TONS AND TONS of research. I am still going to go with it, he mentioned that if its what I want then we can work as a team. I just didn't want to be selfish and not consider his feelings. I think this is better than having kids at the moment. I am not ready for that, but I think a puppy will introduce us to parenting. Thank guys!
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Old 12-17-2009, 09:36 PM   #6
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I'm sort of in the same situation. I live with my girlfriend [we're 24 and 23 respectively]. I have never owned a small dog so she had to convince me. I have a Doberman that I love dearly. We are also in the process of finding a home and moving. I think that it's much more responsible to secure housing first. I can understand the budget concerns as pets are a fairly large expense. We have been doing our research for housing and yorkies. I think that it is probably best to make sure you find the apartment/house that you want that fulfills your needs FIRST. We're going to wait a few months until we're settled and have passed those unforeseen costs that come with a new rental/ownership. I think at the point, everyone has enough time to do thorough research and find a reputable breeder while making sure that everything on the homefront is going to be secure. I can't help but think that the costs associated with moving and new puppy ownership would probably more than overwhelm us. Just my opinion of course. Good luck to you two!
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Old 12-17-2009, 11:23 PM   #7
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I can't say whether you should or shouldn't get a pup because I really don't know anything about your lifestyle, but I think your boyfriend has very valid points.

Yorkies can be hard to house train. The pup will likely go all over the carpet at first (and in some cases, even as adults they still prefer the carpet to grass). It isn't uncommon for carpet to need replacing.

Animal friendly housing can be hard to find. Sometimes rehoming is necessary due to unforseen circumstances, but it wouldn't be fair to the dog to get it knowing that you may not be able to keep it. So it's important to make sure housing will be available before getting the pup. It is a 12-15 (and sometimes even 18) year commitment.

A lot of Yorkies just love to bark and neighbors get upset easily. Getting kicked out for noise wouldn't be unheard of, so depending on the dog, quite a bit of no bark training may be needed.

You said something about maybe having kids someday. Since Yorkies are so small and somewhat fragile, they have to be watched around young kids at all times. Some also don't tolerate kids well.

We usually set aside about $75 a month for Ellie. That is for routine care and a couple things she needs for health issues. For the last little bit, another $50 was added on for a certain drug. I groom her myself or that would be more money. She gets homecooked food, so I don't know exactly how much we spend, but probably between $12-$28 a month. This doesn't include dentals, her spay, emergencies, anything beyond a mild ear infection or something...

I don't want to talk you out of getting one because they are really awesome to own, but they aren't right for everyone.
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Old 12-17-2009, 11:49 PM   #8
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I can say there has been maybe 1 time that i've spent $200 on Ella in a month and that's when i 1st. got her and took her to the vet and got her some puppy goods. I know, b/c i'm looking for a pet friendly apt. now, that it is hard to find a place that will allow dogs. Just keep looking and eventually you'll find a place. As far as expenses for a yorkie, remind your bf that a big dog will have alot more expenses that a small dog will.
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Old 12-17-2009, 11:52 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellie May View Post

We usually set aside about $75 a month for Ellie. That is for routine care and a couple things she needs for health issues. For the last little bit, another $50 was added on for a certain drug. I groom her myself or that would be more money. She gets homecooked food, so I don't know exactly how much we spend, but probably between $12-$28 a month. This doesn't include dentals, her spay, emergencies, anything beyond a mild ear infection or something...

I don't want to talk you out of getting one because they are really awesome to own, but they aren't right for everyone.
You are pretty much accurate on about how much we spend on Ella too. Between 12-28 sounds good. =]
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Old 12-18-2009, 12:06 AM   #10
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I know why I've been around this site for so long. It's because of people like you that are so helpful.

You go ... Boy, would I be rich today if I never got a puppy, but look at all the love I would have missed in my life. It was worth every penny for the joy they have brought to my life and I do it again in a minute.
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Old 12-18-2009, 04:39 AM   #11
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Well, I can tell you I spend at least 100 a month between food, treats, clothes, leashes, bows, etc, although they are not all nessesary.
With out clothing a new bed here and there I would probally spend 50 on food and treats or something she needs.
Last month she got pancreatitis , my vet bill was 500.00, when she was a puppy she had an ear infection that was like a 150.00 vet visit with meds. But vetting is very expensive here. You really do need a set aside a credit card or put X amount of dollars in an account incase something happens.
But its NOT cheap to own a yorkie or any dog for that matter.
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Old 12-18-2009, 07:38 AM   #12
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It is nice to hear that you both are not jumping in to this. If you purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder, who breeds to the standard as well as testing on both dam & sire, your chances of a healthy puppy increase. I do agree that the expense of being a dog owner is not inexpensive if you are properly raising the dog. Premium dog food is not cheap, but only having one mouth to feed, you would not go through alot of food. I treat mine with liver snaps, I also treat with fresh fruits and vegetables. Monthly heartworm and flea prevention will be around $35.00. If you both do not agree it is the right time, maybe you should hold off until the right time arises. Best of luck and keep us posted.
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Old 12-18-2009, 08:07 AM   #13
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Default Good Thinking, Do Your Research and Serious Thinking

We rehomed Bella, our very first dog when she was 7 months old. So my memories are fresh. We didn't plan on her joining the family so we went into the whole thing nieve an blind. But, she has added so much to our life that we can't imagine not having her. I'm going to list all the concerns/challenges we have faced in the 7 months we have had her.

1. Potty training: takes LOTS of time and patience. Bella is still having accidents in the home. We often don't see her sitting by the door when she has to go out and she doesn't bark etc. So, it's more our fault due to proximity than hers. This is a big area with Yorkies. Bella was easy to train because we were giving it 100% attention, it can't be done without true dedication to task.

2. Need for Attention: the first 3 months she needed my attention constantly! I wasn't prepared for this and at times I felt overwhelmed by her always being by my feet/side/back, etc. Now I have grown to love it. She is less needy about constant physical attention and is happy to be in very close proximity.

3. Physical Care: grooming, bathing, teeth, ears, etc. They need good physical care and this is a daily requirement (brushing, teeth). I love the weekly bath, it is so much fun to watch her do the "crazy puppy" routine when
she is put down after being towel-dried.

4. Vet visits: Yes, they need medical preventive care. We have insurance for Bella and it really helps reduce expenses. Yorkies can have allergies requiring special food and medications. Bella has been very healthy, but she is on medication/food for allergies.

5. Behavior Training: classes are wonderful. Well worth the expense.

I guess I would say, just be prepared. Make sure you are truly in agreement about this as it is very hard on a Yorkie to be rehomed. They are such loyal little lovers. Believe me, they are prep for parenting as they take true responsibilty on the part of the owner if you are doing the dog ownership role correctly.

Good luck! We've NEVER regretted our decision to take Bella into our home. She is the joy of our life and now we just take the many aspects we felt were overwhelming in the beginning in stride.
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Old 12-18-2009, 09:07 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ellaYORKIE View Post
I can say there has been maybe 1 time that i've spent $200 on Ella in a month and that's when i 1st. got her and took her to the vet and got her some puppy goods. I know, b/c i'm looking for a pet friendly apt. now, that it is hard to find a place that will allow dogs. Just keep looking and eventually you'll find a place. As far as expenses for a yorkie, remind your bf that a big dog will have alot more expenses that a small dog will.

My bf is still on the bang wagon. I guess he just is thinking ahead. Thanks, I will be sure to tell him a bigger dog is more expensive b/c he doesnt seem to think so. lol
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Old 12-18-2009, 09:14 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smallmans View Post
We rehomed Bella, our very first dog when she was 7 months old. So my memories are fresh. We didn't plan on her joining the family so we went into the whole thing nieve an blind. But, she has added so much to our life that we can't imagine not having her. I'm going to list all the concerns/challenges we have faced in the 7 months we have had her.

1. Potty training: takes LOTS of time and patience. Bella is still having accidents in the home. We often don't see her sitting by the door when she has to go out and she doesn't bark etc. So, it's more our fault due to proximity than hers. This is a big area with Yorkies. Bella was easy to train because we were giving it 100% attention, it can't be done without true dedication to task.

2. Need for Attention: the first 3 months she needed my attention constantly! I wasn't prepared for this and at times I felt overwhelmed by her always being by my feet/side/back, etc. Now I have grown to love it. She is less needy about constant physical attention and is happy to be in very close proximity.

3. Physical Care: grooming, bathing, teeth, ears, etc. They need good physical care and this is a daily requirement (brushing, teeth). I love the weekly bath, it is so much fun to watch her do the "crazy puppy" routine when
she is put down after being towel-dried.

4. Vet visits: Yes, they need medical preventive care. We have insurance for Bella and it really helps reduce expenses. Yorkies can have allergies requiring special food and medications. Bella has been very healthy, but she is on medication/food for allergies.

5. Behavior Training: classes are wonderful. Well worth the expense.

I guess I would say, just be prepared. Make sure you are truly in agreement about this as it is very hard on a Yorkie to be rehomed. They are such loyal little lovers. Believe me, they are prep for parenting as they take true responsibilty on the part of the owner if you are doing the dog ownership role correctly.

Good luck! We've NEVER regretted our decision to take Bella into our home. She is the joy of our life and now we just take the many aspects we felt were overwhelming in the beginning in stride.


Thanks for all the great information you provided! My boyfriend and I read it together and it helped a lot on our decison. Thank you!! Very helpful!
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