I'm a college student right now and will be moving in to a 510 square feet dorm in mid-September, which I will be living in for about 2 years. The dorm will be a single (all to myself). I've been in a single for the past 2 years but get a little lonely sometimes, so I figured having a dog can keep me company and I can take good care of it and give it complete attention. I've been reading about Yorkies for the past two weeks and think it's the perfect breed for my situation, since the place I'm staying at only allows very small dogs and cats.
Note that I have never owned a dog before (though both my parents grew up with them). I have salt water fish which I started to keep last summer. People on some fish forum I went to hated that I was being "arrogant" in jumping into their field so quickly (a week after reading all about how to take care of fish and stuff), yet not a single fish has died and I consistently (almost obsessively) take care of them and their enviorment. I would do the same thing with any dog I got, despite the fact that I am inexperienced with owning one.
Questions (in no particular order)...
1. I know Yorkies can be yelpy, but are their barks loud enough for people walking by - outside of your apartment - to hear them? It's hard to tell from the videos on YouTube how loud they are.
2. Would the dog get stressed if it was consistantly living in two different places? On the weekends I always go home to my family, so the dog would be home for about 2.5 days each week and at my dorm the other 4.5.
3. How much do Yorkie puppies typically cost? I feel so uncomfortable looking for one to buy because the prices range anywhere from free, to $200, to $2000.
4. Does anyone know a good place to buy a Yorkie in SoCal, specifically within Orange County?
5. Will the Yorkie get stressed if I have odd hours at times? Sometimes I'm awake at 7 in the morning and go to bed at 1, other times not until 12 PM and staying up until 3 or 4 AM. It varies widly depending on the quarter at school. I would still be at my dorm for hours and hours each day though, so the amount of time isn't an issue, it's the time of the time.
6. Is this the basics of what you do with a Yorkie or any dog for that matter?: feed them, give them water, give them baths, brush and cut their hair, brush their teeth, wipe their eyes, give them shots and take them to the vet 1-2 times a year, pick up their poo until they are potty trained, walk them, play with them, buy them toys. (Yes I know silly to ask, but like I said I've never owned a dog before.)
7. I'm going to Japan in July and won't be back until August 1. Will the month of August and half of September be enough time to train the Yorkie at my home and then take it to my dorm where it can be happy and obedient?
8. What's the youngest I can get a Yorkie? 8 weeks?
9. Frankly I think Yorkies with long coats are ugly (and girlie), lol. Is it normal to have them with short hair?
Thank you in advance for your answers! If you think a Yorkie isn't for me, could you suggest another breed?