 Sorry so long....
Wow, interesting thread. I have to say that Quicksilver has given awesome advice, and some great food for thought. I would be hard-pressed to believe a reputable breeder would allow a yorkie pup to go to a college student in your situation at this point.
One thing I wanted to add was the sensitive nature of the Yorkie and the possibility for vet bills and genetic problems...
When I first got Ranger, I was in and out of the vet at least once a month (in addition to his puppy shots and neuter) due to frequent vomiting and diarrhea. On two occasions, he had to be hospitalized at the ER vet as he had gotten severely dehydrated after being sick for only twelve hours. This went on until his first birthday, which meant roughly nine months of serious vet bills and treatment- not cheap. Things went well for quite a while until this March when he was diagnosed with bilateral luxating patellas. We had the surgery done the week after he was diagnosed which was extremely expensive. The same week my other baby Ryder began showing symptoms of pain and was determined to have a pinched disc in his back. If it happens again we're off to a neurologist for an MRI. I'll leave the cost out on that one. Are you allowed to miss class for days on end? I can't tell you how many days of work I have missed due to one of my babies being sick or injured. I am lucky to be able to work from home so it's not a huge deal, but I did take a full week off for Ranger's surgery and used every minute caring for him.
Also to address the barking- I never really thought they barked much as they rarely bark when I'm home. However, I pulled into the driveway yesterday and before I got out of my car I could hear Ranger barking like mad and I'm pretty sure if I could hear it inside my car, your upstairs neighbors will be able to hear it as well. Don't assume college kids are "pretty understanding" and to equate walking with barking is foolish. I understand the point about your landlord "unofficially" allowing dogs has been driven into the ground, but it 100% needs to be in writing for it to fly. A "triple check" will not fly in Court...
As for the potty training, Ranger was potty trained 100% in about 6 months, which is pretty good for a yorkie. Ryder, on the other hand, is nearly two years old and still does not get it. Don't think I haven't tried...
I don't mean to be a nay-sayer but the reality is Yorkies are extremely high maintenance and are like have a baby. What will happen when you get a girlfriend and want to go out with her and then stay over at her place? These are all things to think about.
Check out the Sick and Injured section- go through several pages. You'll get a good idea of what you may be in for. Also check out the Health and Diet section. |