Am I ready to enter the world of a Yorkie?
 

This is my first post..I have a lot of experience with a lot of different breeds of dogs.. I worked in a veterinary hospital for several years and am thankful of all the knowledge I have aquired along the way. Now that I am a stay home mom one of the breeds I have chosen to grow old with me is a yorkshire terrier...I have been playing with the idea for two years now. I have met some breeders good and not so good. Some, money hungry. Some over zelous. Some just plain snobby. I found a really nice couple with beautiful parent yorkies Akc and just great all around . I missed out on their last litter. Only one female. This spring will be her last litter. She is pregnant and due in april. Fingers crossed she has more than one female. Anyway, I have always owned males and thought it would be a nice change. The one thing that I am a little stressed about is the reputation that is put upon these little dogs. I have heard they are yappy, hard to train, can be snappish. I know these are all things that can be worked with( training) but I also have some worries about liver shunts and other health issues. I think it is an absolute shame that some people glorify 2 and 3 pound dogs..and stick a hefty price tag on them. This is part of the reason it has taken me such a long time to find a puppy. I am praying that this spring I can finally get my yorkie...How much is too much to pay? I think 1200 is the going rate here.

Welcome to YT. I dont' find yorkies to fit the general stereotype. You can tell a good bit about their personality from their parents...so be sure to see the sire and dam.

Dunno what to tell you on pricing. They vary by breeder depending on their lines.

Thanks, Yes the parents are a good indicator. I hope I like what I see.

Yorkies can be yappy.
They can be snappy.
They can be hard to train.
In fact, my Yorkie is all of those things and she is the best dog ever.:)
With these "problems" (which can be trained out to some extenet) comes a lot of personality. I have been around quite a few dogs and I'll tell you, Ellie is so spunky compared to them. I have never seen a dog with so much personality.

They do have lots of health problems but buying from a reputable breeder should help eliminate the risks. I didn't know better and now Ellie is on Denosyl for high bile acids. So they can be very expensive and they can be hard to train but if you find the right one for you, you won't regret it.:)

Just wanted to welcome you to YT!

Great! that is all I needed some positive truth..thanks so much I will be asking alot of questions? it is funny though because I ask so many questions the breeders are sometimes leary of me.. they think I am a breeder and looking for breeding rights..sometimes it is a catch 22. I am pretty good at reading people..thanks again I am glad I stumbled upon this site.

Hi, welcome to YT. I'm from Arizona too. You'll make a great addition to YT with your background. The first thing I looked for in a breeder is health screening. The number 1 thing I was looking for was a healthy pup, and also the number 2 thing was a healthy pup and so forth. While no one can absolutely guarantee this, a good breeder will know the lines so well that it greatly reduces the chances of the pup having an inherited disorder. I paid $1800.00 for a boy 1-½ years ago. This is with limited registration, no breeding rights. She charges the same for boy and girls, and makes no distinction on weight. I was thrilled when my vet, after examining Joey for the first time, said, "give my congratulations to the breeder, she did a excellent job. " I might add my old vet while examining out last purebred dog said, "damn backyard breeders." A few weeks ago, while at Petsmart, I met a girl who said she had a new Yorkie puppy, and paid $2500 at a pet store. I think that is where you get ripped off.

I think a yorkies reputation is probably correct, but it shouldn't stress you. They are harder to train or maybe it just takes longer because their bladders are so small, but at least their mistakes are tiny!

I posted another question but do not see it. Should I get two yorkies or one? I like the idea of them having eachother as company when I have to go out for awhile. Shopping, movies etc.. I hate leaving any animal alone for too long. Is this too much for me. Will I be asking myself why did I do this? or should I wait and get another one at a different time. Same sex? Same litter? just curious.

Should I get one or two puppies? thanks so much..I am happy to join..

Welcome to YT. I am so glad that you are here. I think my Murfee is the greatest. He is my first yorkie and an only child. He is not yappy or snappy and was easy to train. He travels well with us. I am sure that there are some yorkies that are all those things but I have really lucked out. Good luck in your search.

On the one or two puppies question I would say two! I got Lexie end of December and by I think end of January I was ready for another one. I got Tucker shortly after. Both are puppies 5 and 6 months old, but I just had to have two. So much more to love and so entertaining when they play! If you think you can handle the potty training, vet bills, supplies, etc. then I say go for it! Good luck in all your decisions!

yes two can be very costly...but I don't want the one to be lonely.. I feel so guilty when I have to go shopping or out to dinner. Do females seem to fight more? do the sexes matter. I would like them to be littermates.

male or females? Does it matter? thanks

I've heard 2 females will fight, and I've heard 2 males can be very aggressive towards each other so I got a male and a female and they play fight all the time, but they snuggle when they sleep together on the couch. Several YT'ers have 2 of the same gender and they do just fine, so I think it really depends on their individual temperaments, but to have the best of both worlds I say one of each!

If I could have afforded two puppies I would have gotten 2 but I could only get one, plus I already had another dog. I got a female because Tobey is 6yrs old and they recommend getting the opposite sex if you have an older dog. But I don't think it matters when they are puppies. The price of yorkies vary anywhere from $500- $3000... but I would make sure you are getting the puppy from a reputable breeder and you can see the parents. Good Luck!!!! I know you will find the one or two you have been looking for...WELCOME TO YT!!!:D

Hi, I just wanted to say Welcome to YT!! I noticed you said that you are a stay at home mother now. I think that since you will be home with the puppy you will notice that it will be easer to train. At least that is how it was for me.

I was so worried about potty training my little guy Jeter when I first was thinking of getting a puppy. Thankfully Jeter has been so good and easy and I really think that it has to do with all the time I am able to give him.

I have heard that boy's tend to be more loving then the girls. Now my mother has 2 girls and her one girl is very lovey dovey with every one, while the other is a bit of a moody little girl, she has that Diva attitude going on!

Good luck with getting your puppy this spring, keep us posted!!

male or female?
 

I have a female named Bella Rose. I got her in December of 2007. I bought her from an individual that just could not take care of her anymore. I paid 450.00 for her, the pet taxi, kennel and leash. She just made a year old on February 22,2008.We love her to death. She is sassy and she actually thinks she is human like us. It has been the best 450.00 I have ever spent. Good luck!:aimeeyork

I think any breed can be yappy, snappy, ect. It's all in the training. Some people don't mind when their dog barks. I personally think that just like our skinkids, there are inside voices and outside voices. I don't let my skinkids yell in the house and I don't let my furkids bark in the house. They know the difference.

Welcome. The people on here are very knowledgeable! I get my puppy on Thursday.

If I can offer any advice, especially since I just went through what you're going through now, get a bile acid test. If you want more info, there is a discussion going on about the pros and cons of this test on the Breeders section.

If a breeder feels you are asking too many questions, they're probably not the right breeder for you. The best thing you can do is ask questions. JMO

Susan
Piper arriving in less than 3 days!

thank you all so much I will keep u posted....i am so excited..

Welcome!! I have had Yorkies since 1970 and love the breed. I have had some that bark some that don't, a few hard to train a few not. I have never had a sanppy one, male or female. I had males early on and had trouble with marking, they were not neutered though, and swicthed to females. I had one male who was not real affectionate and one that was a snuggler. I currently have 3 female yorkies and one female Pom. They get along, they play fight but then snuggle with each other. I always had one dog at a time until 2 1/2 years ago when I became a early retiree (downsized) and just added the 4th dog. If you can afford it I find it so much easier on me when I have to run out for awhile to know they have each other. Keep us posted!

Yorkies are not for everyone. I've had yorkies for 6 years. What I've found is that they can be hard-headed and extremely lovable at the same time.

Dallas still gets testy when he's trying to go to sleep. If my husband barely moves in bed, Dallas will growl at him as if to say, "Don't you DARE distrub me!" He hasn't connected that the doggy door means to go outside and potty so he still marks all over the house...though honestly, it isn't very often. He usually holds it until I come home for lunch to let him out.

Gracie used to be very stand-offish. She only wanted affection when it was convenient for her. I almost lost her one Thanksgiving 4 years ago when she was hit by a car in front of our house. Luckily, she was okay (after a trip to the ER) and since then, she is my little shadow. I could have not asked for a better dog. She is extremely sweet and so smart...and she doesn't run out into the road anymore.

London...well, she's a breed all her own. Very stubborn yet oh, so smart! She is the one that will jump over the gate, piddle and poo in a bedroom then jump right back out. Extremely sweet and loving and loves having her tummy rubbed.

Many people have unrealistic expectations with yorkies...or dogs in general. Yorkies are a little hard to completely potty train. Heck, Gracie will still go in the house if it's raining outside and she's 5 years old.

Welcome to YT!

Just want to say welcome and best of luck in your search :)

I am so impressed with the patience and love you all have for your dogs.. that is great. Yes I am nervous about potty training too. But all the benefits of having a dog in the house again out-weighs the other stuff. I have always had animals in my life and when one goes..the house is so empty and you start to forget the feeling of having those little eyes looking into your soul. I am looking forward to that bond again..life is good.

Oh my you are going to have such a great time with your baby I have three girls and they are our life :aimeeyork :aimeeyork :aimeeyork :D

My thoughts on two....
 

I often encourage my buyers to purchase one dog at a time a few months apart if they want two.... Yorkies are wonderful as everyone has said, however training them takes diligence and consistency (much like children, and yes yorkies talk back too) I think it is always better to start one off well, maybe 6 mo or so in a routine and then purchase the next one. With just a few months apart, they shouldn't fight even if you have two females and they should bond rather well.... All that said, the older one will help you establish your routine with the younger one..... My older girls are a great help to me when potty training puppies.... it is as if they sense what I am trying to accomplish .... I would say 1,200 to 1,500.00 is what you can expect to pay....