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Originally Posted by MauiGirl  It is wonderful that you are learning so much before getting your Yorkie. I assume much of what you are learning is by reading this forum or books, but I hope you are also finding a way to actually meet, see, hold and play with real live Yorkies too. That will give you a tremendous sense of what they are really like, and of size differences. Your weight limit of 5# and under is quite restrictive. My Yorkie Tiki is now 7#, and still a very small dog; and with her bone structure she is actually too skinny. Even seeing the parents won't guarantee the adult weight of pups, and many many people here have been surprised to end up with Yorkies that exceed their expectations, yet they love them just as much.
It would be great if you could go to a Yorkie meetup or club activity to get a hands on feel for them and see what a variety of colors, sizes, personalities, etc. exist in this wonderful breed.
Good luck with this and your own weight goals. |
Maui Girl, I've pretty much realized now that the 5 pounds is more or less a roll of the dice. I would like her to be 7 or under though since that as I understand, is the cut-off point to be classified as the toy classification. Even that is not a problem since I don't intend to show her or breed her. I just want to be sure that she does not get too heavy on a skeletal frame meant to support a lighter dog. I personally know the pain of joints carrying too much weight and I would never wish that on my Yorkie who cannot detail pain to a doctor. I will want the vet to tell me an ideal weight for her and I will do my best to help her maintain that optimum weight for her health. You have to realize that before I began reading and studying, I thought I wanted a "teacup" Yorkie. It only took one night's reading and research to realize that I most definitely did not due to possible genetic problems.
Lest I offend someone, I know there are healthy, small Yorkies but I made the personal decision that night that I would eliminate the thought of a "purse" puppy in my mind. (I had been calling her that to my husband...) Rather than a 2-pounder, jumping up to 5 pounds seemed dramatic but I do agree that even a 7-pounder still in the breed classification would be fine.
I am still learning. I can also see that as I learn and express my personal opinions as to what I think, some of the owners are taking my written words as some type of affront to their Yorkie. That has never been my intent and if my words have been interpreted in that way, I apologize. For me to move from 2 to 5 pounds seemed to be a great increase. After I read the AKC breed definition for the toy class, I realized the weight can go as high as 7 pounds.
Since I am still in the learning stage, I most definitely reserve the right to change my opinion as I continue to learn...LOL
Again, I appreciate everyone's love and loyalty to their Yorkie...that is exactly as it should be. I have almost 9 more months of study before I get my puppy. If my girl tips the scales at 7.1 or higher, will I dispose of her? Absolutely not! However, I do understand classification of breeds and know that she will not be classified as a toy above 7 pounds. Since I do not plan to breed or show her, it will not be a problem as long as her vet decides she is not overweight for her frame.
Since I am not trained as a vet nor have the experience of a breeder, I will most definitely do my best to follow their suggestions as to her weight. I want her to have an active, healthy life for as long as she possibly can. Isn't that what all responsible owners want for their Yorkies?
One further word and then I'm putting this issue to rest since I don't even have my puppy yet. (And Maui Girl, please don't think this post is addressed to you personally even though I started out to respond to you. Thank you for writing...but I have had so many people criticize me for my comments on adult Yorkie weight that it's beginning to dilute my joy. Don't worry though...all I have to do is look at photos and videos and I'll get it back...LOL I love your suggestion of playing with someone else's Yorkie. Thank you for a great idea!)
Many of you have posed the question in the thread and personal messages as to why the weight of my Yorkie is an issue. Obviously, many of you have not lived a life of obesity. The weight of my Yorkie will matter to me because I know I will have a tendency to reward often with treats. I've been reading about training and of course, being a retired teacher, I know quite a bit about behavior modification. I will have to really watch that I don't overdo the treats but use them wisely. I just want my little girl to be healthy and happy...and trust me, if she's overweight, she'll be neither.
I've chosen a wonderful breeder who will give her a great start in life. When it's our time to take over, I want my husband and I to "first do no harm" and help her to thrive in our home. Surely if 9 months is long enough to prepare for a human child, we can prepare for our Yorkie in that same length of time. Thank you all for the help and suggestions. Keep them coming but please, let's drop the weight issue. I want a Yorkie of the toy group which is classified as between 4 and 7 pounds according to AKC guidelines.