[lynzy420]

Originally Posted by TootleBug

Almost four weeks ago, I rescued a neutered, nine pound, six-year old Yorkie named Joy Boy. I am his sixth (and final) home. He is an extremely sweet, friendly and lovable dog. Unfortunately, he was given little training such as basic commands as sit/stay and not fully housebroken. Joy Boy also has many health issues, i.e., heart murmur level 2, hypothyroidism, dry eye, severe dental problems, luxating patella grade 2, frequent anal gland problems, overweight and pancreatitus (changed food from Iames to Orijen, frozen/raw treats and absolutely no people food.) We have been to the vet three times already. First, his old vet to get a final check-up, express his anal glands and educate me on his condition. Next, his new vet to register him, bring over health records, ensure all vaccines were up-to-date, discuss his medications, get a second opinion on his overall health and ensure I was knowledgeable about how to properly take care of him. The last visit was when I noticed him scooting along the rug. I immediately took him to the vet and found he had an anal gland infection, probably due to improper handling during his last anal gland treatment. Also, as Joy Boy’s guardian (I don’t like the word owner), I have educated myself about the breed and his health issues by reading books, finding web articles/blogs, and enrolling us in one-on-one training with a very reputable dog school. Joy Boy is constantly at my side, which I like and is good for training purposes. He does not like to be left at home, so I bring him just about everywhere I go since I live in Alexandria VA, a very dog-friendly city. He is being trained to eliminate outside, plus we take 2-3 walks a day usually 30-60 minutes each. He loves everyone he meets except other dogs as is typical with some Yorkie’s. He trembles with excitement when we wake up in the morning, while preparing his food/meds, whenever I come home, when he meets other people or even when he sees a person/pets through a window.

So what is my question? Today, I had a horrible experience and need your opinion because if my actions were wrong I want to correct them. The weather this morning was cold, 33 degrees with a wind chill factor of 25 degrees. We’ve had cold weather since I brought Joy Boy home so I purchased him a fleece coat. He has never minded the cold and loves to play in the little bit of snow we received. It is always me who is ready to go inside and warm up. Well, after a 5-minute walk at home and then a fifteen-minute walk a half hour later, I joined friends for breakfast. I brought a very warm and high-sided bed for Joy Boy as well as water. I left him outside the restaurant at 7:55am because he loves to greet everyone who walks by him. During that time my friends and I kept watch over him and the many people who stopped by. I noticed one woman was staying by Joy Boy for an extraordinary amount of time but she didn’t seem to be doing him any harm. As we were getting up to leave the restaurant, a guy walked over to Joy Boy and with the woman’s help, unleashed him and put Joy Boy in a vehicle. I panicked and ran out. I was greeted with anger, insults and a lecture about leaving him outside. They told me I was mistreating the dog because it was too cold for a Yorkie and he was shivering from the cold. I tried to explain he liked the cold weather, his shivering was from excitement not the cold, he had a warm bed with a self-heating bottom, the fact that dog’s have fatty tissue in their paws and special blood vessels which help them tolerate the cold, how the weather today is similar to Scotland and England where the breed originated, etc. However, I was drowned out by their shouting.

I grew up with many pets including dogs in Chicago, which has extremely cold winters. I am very knowledgeable about many animal species from volunteering at shelters and zoos for the past 30+ years. I am an animal lover and protector, who would never knowingly harm any animal except the ants and flies that infest my house in the spring. So was I wrong to keep Joy Boy outside? Your honest and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I am absolutely perplexed by your post, you've seem to do much research and have gone to great lengths to ensure your pups good health and care; however, it seems to me that perhaps you need to NOT be so book smart at times and perhaps rely on some old fashioned common sense, cold is cold, too cold for you is too cold for Joy Boy. Joy Boy is a Yorkie, his species does not enjoy a under coat or fur like many of the species you have been around. I too raised labs and other large species of dog, none, not one comes close to being similar to Yorkies.

The tying of any dog outside of a restaurant or any structure is dangerous, that dog has no escape from dangerous people, bicycles, and on and on....tying a dog outside in the cold is unacceptable.

I'm not sure what your really asking us to do here? You received some constructive criticism from people on the street, were it a thief they would have kept on going with your pup that you left tied outside the restaurant in the cold...see what I mean???

You are not as educated as you seem to think, so stick around become a part of the YT community and read everything you can...this forum is all about Yorkie! Welcome to YT, you need us!