After a lot of tears/thought/tears/prayer/tears, I have decided that bringing a 10 week-old puppy into my home was not the right decision at this stage of my life. Dolce is such a sweet little girl (and THE cutest), but I feel in my heart that this is what's best for both of us. I don't feel that I can give her all of the time and attention she needs and deserves. There's no way I could have understood all that goes into being a puppy mom without experiencing it firsthand, and although I've wanted a Yorkie for a long time, I don't think the timing is right after all. It's especially hard because I'm single and I am 100% responsible for raising, training, and taking care of her while working full time outside the home. I will say, though, that I don't regret a single minute. It's something I needed to do for myself, and I will always remember the 12 days I spent with my first puppy. She's a great one.
I took my pup back to the breeder today, and while it was really hard, I know it was the right thing to do. (She immediately started playing with the other dogs...havin' a great time! It was like she never left and was just on vacation with me.) My breeder (whom I've known for 3 years) has several awesome families on a waiting list, and I know Dolce will be going to a great home, preferably one with a playmate or two.
Thanks to all of you for supporting me and for responding to my posts. I hope to one day be ready for another Yorkie, and if/when that happens, I'll be back on YorkieTalk!
Maybe next time I'll rescue an older one rather than going the puppy route. To quote one of my favorite songs, "sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same."