Is a rescue Yorkie a possibility?

[Vegas771]

Looking to get a Yorkie soon. I'm not picky over it being a purebred, just 'Yorkie looking'.

Anyway, there are so many animals that are disposed of for various reasons and I'm wondering if an older Yorkie adoption might be a good fit?

Do any of you have any experiences with adopting a Yorkie rescue? With regards to breed, are Yorkies any better/same/worse than others in such a situation.

I know I'm asking questions that could have a wide variety of answers, just wondering if anyone has experience. Thanks!

[lovestiny]

I think if you can find a rescue, that would be wonderful! I tried to get a rescue before I got my ella. We couldn't find a young one or a healthy one. They were older and/or had health issues. I have heard of so many great rescues though, so I think it is worth checking into!

[lilgidget]

Friends of mine adopted 2 yorkies (at different times) from a yorkie rescue. They were both about a year old and they had no problems. Good luck to you in finding the right fit for you and your family.

[Maximo]

Rescue is a great idea!

I know lots of people here and on Facebook who have adopted/rescued Yorkies and Yorkie mixes of all ages. Some had medical issues or behavior challenges, but many do not.

Best wishes in your search.

[yavenay]

I have had one rescue. Depending on the severity of the circumstances the rescue came from, their may be some residual effects you may have to work through. My rescue was from a backyard breeder and she was kept in her crate a majority of her life so I really had to work a little extra hard on things like potty training and separation anxiety. It was extra work but so worth it.....to see her go from this submissive, scared of her shadow little yorkie to a full pledge diva was awesome. She gave me 7 wonderful years before she passed away at the age of 13. I am convinced that had she not spent the first 6 years of her life breeding, her last 7 years of her life would not have been so painful......she just suffered so many health issues because the breeder never took her to the vet.

I like to say I rescued her but the reality.......we rescued each other.

There's an excellent post on rehabbing a rescue. It has some excellent tips for helping a rescue. Rescue animals are like the best because it's like they understand they are being rescued and show so much appreciation for it. All of my pets with the exception of one have either been strays or rescued. I had one cat that was store bought but she was a present for my mom who had him for over 15 years.

[aweitzm1]

Both of mine are rescues and they are wonderful. It took me a while because I was very picky. Mine are both purebreds and in great health. One thing I did compromise on is getting them older in age mine are around 6-7 years old the Vet is not sure. I was really looking for one that was 1-3 years old. I think with a rescue you may need to compromise on certain things but if you look hard enough and are patient you will find one. I was only looking for one but ended up with two and couldn't be happier.

[Bamboo15]

My boyfriend's mom just rescued an 8 year old Yorkie. It's definitely a possibility. I think there are also some rescues that are dedicated to Yorkies and Yorkie mixes. Good luck!

[Vegas771]

Thanks for all the insight!

[KairaPup]

Yes!! Kaira is not purebred yorkie. She is half chihuahua. But she was found as a stray running the streets in oakland california and wound up on the death list. Down there they have way too many tiny dogs, and they give them only a couple of days to get adopted before they put them down, no matter how sweet they are.

A local shelter takes in these dogs. Up here, we have too few tiny dogs, not enough for all the homes who want them. So they put them on a plane and they find homes up here in Idaho.

Kaira was lucky and she was brought up here. I got her as a service dog prospect- she's finished training now and is a full on service dog for my autism. She's sweet, gentle, and all around a great dog.

So yes! Rescue is a great way to go.

[Cha-Chamama]

I adopted my ltitle girl from the pound. She is full blooded, all trained and sooo sweet. She was 6 years old and did end up with some health problems but we have worked through them. I think that is why they gave her up. If I had to do it all again I would grab her in an instant. She is the princess around here and totally worth it all. Don't give up and don't forget the dog pounds as well.

[matese]

I rescued a 2.5 yo lil boy. Not abused, just NOT WANTED. We are a team for 2.5 years now. He was loved much and spoiled rotten by his prev. owner until she become pregnant, had the baby, dog got sick, she had no money for his medical issue, he was going to a kill shelter. My vets rescue team stepped in and picked him up. His medical issue was taken care of by my vet. He is a PERFECT lil boy, very smart, learns new commands, tricks very, very fast. I won't tell him, but, he rescued me as I had just lost my 17 yo girl 6 weeks earlier. There are many pure bred yorkies and mix yorkies, all shapes, sizes and age. Bless you for wanting a rescue. Good luck in your quest to find that special lil baby that will fill your heart with LOVE.

[gemy]

My best suggestion is to be really honest with the rescue, about your circumstances and experiences. If you have no prior training experience, say so.

Rescues for the most part have an unknown background and it is not unusual to have one or more issues to sort through.

Our Yorkie rescue here in Toronto has a hard time placing the older and the ones with health issues.

[Mayzoo]

Mario is from a rescue. He came from a pound actually. He is not purebred (yorkie mix), but he is an awesome little fella. He was a mixed bag of gold (ie smart as a tack, eager to please, and very attentive) and coal (abused and completely untrained) when we got him. After a great deal of time, love and training, he is now an awesome family member and my daughter's service dog. Getting him was one of the best decisions we have made in.

We have another rescue (airdale or labradoodle mix) who was diagnosed with sarcoptic mange, severe neglect, life threatening parasite load, etc. We nursed him through and a chunk of change latter, he is also an amazing companion and addition to our family.

If you do not have unrealistic expectations, you should be fine. Pups from rescues rarely come with a clean background. Not all, but quite a few have minor to serious issues. Usually, these issues can be overcome with love, patience, training, love, patience, and more love and patience. You need to be honest with yourself if you are able to deal with potential rescue pup behaviour. Just to name a few you may run into:

1. Seperation anxiety
2. Past abuse issues.
3. No, bad or negative training from their past.
4. Nipping or outright biting, usually from fear.
5. Bad/no housetrainning habits
6. Resource guarding/hording

Before you pick up a rescue ask yourself these: Am I willing to make a life-long commitment, regardless of how my dog turns out to be (rare exceptions of course)? Am I willing to help this dog integrate into my life and family no matter what behaviours present (baring the rare exceptions)? Can you handle training the dog yourself, or can you afford a trainer should one be needed?

Rescues can be amazing additions to a family, but they can have issues that need to be addressed and overcome. Not everyone is suited to rehoming rescues, even though they may make great puupy/dog parents. Personally, I feel truly blessed to have my two amazing "little men" in my life now!!

I hope this helps you some, even though it only partly addresses your specific questions.

[fauna]

That's a good choice if you choose to adopt than buying to any breeders even if it has a good reputation. Good luck on your searching.

[anniernc]

It's your choice. I have gotten several from breeders and rescued several others both young and older. I will never buy another baby from a breeder because there are so many unwanted little ones that need homes and from what I've noticed the rescued one's seem to be so appreciative and loving. There are alot of purebreed babies out there if you just take your time to find them. One of mine was a rehome that I found on this site. Good luck to you.