My heart wants a Yorkie but..........
 

Hi...I'm new to the forum. I want a yorkie pup and found 2 little boys that I can go and see today but after doing some research about Yorkies with health issues and how delicate they are, I'm scared to death to get one now. Between the hypoglycemia and liver shunt, should I look into another breed of dog? The pups are 12 weeks old. Any help would be appreciated as I know they won't be available very long as they're hard to come by where I live in Pa.

Only you can answer that question. Welcome to YT!! You have to decide with any pet you get, are you willing to take care of it properly with anything that could go wrong with that animal. I can tell you with mine, I would go to GREAT lengths to insure their safety and health and yes...they are worth every penny of it ...to me.......they are a very special breed of dog.

See what the health is like on the other yorkies the breeder has, see if she has tested for liver shunt or anything else. Proof is best.
Yorkies are very special, my Jazzie has Luxating patella in both legs, the surgery is very, very, expensive, putting her through surgery and the cost do hurt much however, I can't see my life without my 2.

Good luck.

Once you decide on a breed or breeds you like, I think then is the time to look for a breeder you like. It especially important to look for good breeders when purchasing a "popular" breed. Many people are breeding Yorkies not to improve the breed, but just as a quick way to make some cash, you want to know what kinds of health screening the breeder does on the pup's parents. Most backyard breeder do no health screening. Here's a link to finding a good breeder. http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/Good_breeder.pdf. This thread has informtion on questions to ask. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ml#post1900263 Don't be in a hurry this is a 10-15 year commitment. It is good that the breeder waited till 12 weeks to sell the puppies, many don't, and 12 weeks is the minimum given by the YTCA.

I just want to add that a healthy Yorkie is as healthy as any breed.

I really dont think yorkies are anymore unhealthy than other breeds I have 2 that havent had any health problems

Yorkies are not for everyone. They are very time consuming and can be expensive. But that said they are the most awesome dog you can imaging. I have had many dogs big and small and the Yorkie breed it the best as far as I'm concerned.

I think most people talk up yorkies as an ankle bitting, sickly tiny dog. Yes, they can get sick...just like any other dog. I have yet to have a problem with mine...learn how to take care of them and then take good care of them.

The one thing that I find to be true is that there has yet been a breed other than yorkshires that capture my heart! Just make sure your getting your yorkie from a reputable, clean breeder.

I guess that I'd didnt make myself clear. I was just wondering if this is the norm for most Yorkies to have health problems? I have loved and had dogs all my life. I have all the time in the world to devote to a new little guy. And of course, vet care would be top priority. ;)

Health is more of an issue with the really small yorkies but you really never know. The best thing you can do is find a really good breeder and talk about your issues with them.

Basically all has been said. You need to make sure you are ready to put the time into a Yorkie. It takes alot of time on a daily basis to do grooming, spend time with them. Check to make sure that they don't go into a hypoglecemia(low sugar shakes). You have to be more careful as far as walking and knowing where you Yorkie is and being with them anytime they are outside. Even to go to the bathroom. They are small and other animals can harm them. Or they can run away all these things can happen fast. But you won't find a more personal dog in the world. People either love these dogs or these dogs aren't for them. But any dog can have problems. You need to make sure where you are getting the dog from and take special care of them after you get them and hopefully things will be fine.

Ask them about their lines and if they have experienced health issues in any of their puppies and make sue the parents are health tested.

No Yorkies are not a sickly breed - they or some of them anyway may be tiny and they can be a bit of a challenge due to tiny stomachs that can't hold much food at one time and needing to eat often to keep from going into low blood sugar ( hypoglycemia) but in general they are sturdy little guys and gals.
Yes you hear on here about ones that do have a problem and that is because the wonderful owners on here know that someone may have a answer to their problem - just look at how many members there are here and what the small precentage of real health issues there are - I know from experience that all breeds have some issues and good breeders don't perpetuate that problem by breeding dogs with those issues .

I hope you don't shy away from a wonderful breed like a Yorkie because of what might happen - you could have the same thing with any breed , a real child or anyone in your life . Just jump in , get a baby and ENJOY :D

not all yorkies have those health issues... but it is one of those things that is common in Yorkies... but Yorkies will love you and cuddle with you... they are just like kids... lol they are worth EVERY penny!!! I dont think I have EVER LOVED any other dog as much as I love my baby Gracie... but i guess its up to you... if you are willing to take the risk... ;) I say go for it!!! you will NEVER regret if you choose a Yorkie... ;)

oh and Gracie has NEVER had any problems with hypoglycemia... ;)

welcome to the forum.. you will see there are those that avocate for such testing to be done..usually due to having had a bad luck with a puppy.. some are so that they almost scare the pants off of people like you.. it makes me sick.. I am a small breeder and It kills me how we are called byb.. I get so sick of seeing this. by people who do not know the smaller person is usually far more careful then some of the larger show breeders.. I for one have a bad taste in my mouth for some show breeders..have gotten yorkies that were very aggressive,, got pavo when told shots were done,, upon telling the breeder of these issues was called an idiot.. yet she is a huge show breeder in canada.
I could not ever imagine treating people like this.. so you can get a bad breeder not matter who it is..show or the hobby breeder like me.. I breed because I wanted to show people out there that there is a breeder in our area that wants to keep in touch.. wants to know all is ok.. wants to stand behind my dogs.. wants to show people that not all breeders can be bad.
As for yorkies being sickly .... you can get this with any dogs.. each breed having some kind of issue's... to the toy to the larger..
you will find that all toy or small breeds have a lot of the same issues to deal with..
personally and thank god.. I have had yorkies for 20 years.. and other then LP that is about the worst.. and I might add that not always caused from genetics..
So for those who worry so much about testing. maybe some need to post the link about rose losing a perfectly healthy yorkie puppy to testing.. when I might add parents were tested.. and this was done to stop some of the crap being said on this forum... slamming the people that do not test puppies..
I think you need to be on this forum for awhile and it will not take you long to figure out who is who and who says what.. and also at the same time notice how many healthy puppies people have bought...
As for people buying in pet stores.. and from breeders that let their puppies go as early as 8 weeks.. that is not good...
I just had a litter, and I will tell you that by the time I sell this little girl after losing three to a litter.. I would like to see some of these people say I am in this for a quick buck.. and I did not come to yt to sell my puppies neither..
hope you take your time.. and really check things out before you let a few destroy your hopes of being a mommy to a darling yorkie..
anne

Erickajm,
I agree with you totally on this. Cooper has turned out to be the best dog. He is very healthy, active and behaves better than most the dogs in our neighbor hood.

I tried to make it clear in my post that the breeder should health screen the parents. Most backyard breeders don't do this, they have a couple of dogs and the put them together without knowing their backgrounds or doing any screening. A small breeder isn't necessarily a byb, a show breeder might be considered a byb, if they didn't take care in breeding propertly.

i agree...go for it!

Make sure you find a good breeder.

Did you take my post personally... if so it was not meant to be about you.. just this kind of posts in general...
But as for making money the little guy generally does not.. my biggest litter was this time.. and it was 4 and I lost three.. so my hubby says you pay good money for a dog to breed and your still in the hole.. I already stated my reasons for a litter a year...I need something to do with my life.. wanted to show earlier but much harder in canada to get a mentor..
I find many people that get sick dogs that post on here.. never do research, buy from a pet store or from a breeder and get a puppy way way to young and then not knowing how to look after such young puppies are at a loss when something goes wrong.. low blood sugar being a huge one..
I have sat and done my homework on yorkies that I can buy to breed.. looking for the best.. without getting from a show breeder as most will not sell to a breeder that does not show.. I do not just buy any old yorkie or get three for the price of one good one and then just breed and they do not even look like a yorkie..
But there are many judgemental people that do not know a person yet say things that are not needed...and I will tell you.. having yorkie for 20 years.. I had never heard of half the problems people have until I joined yt.. and I guess with some 30,000 people we are going to get all kinds... I guess I should say I had heard of lots by reading but not personally...
I have known people that know nothing about a yorkie nor do research and get a baby that is as healthy as one can be.. I sometimes think.. crap as much as I know.. I can still get scammed which I have on more then one occasion in my yorkie days..
anne

it is the puppy mill puppies who are sick.. not the breed:animal-pa

I think you will find that Yorkies are truly a wonderful breed....nothing will EVER love you like a Yorkie. That being said, they do require more care than some other breeds. Yorkies are easy to love, a bit harder to care for properly but you will find plenty of support here at YorkieTalk. Starting a Yorkie off with a good quality food and finding a vet that truly understands small breeds will avoid many problems you may hear about. Yes, there are sick Yorkie pups being sold. They're a very popular breed and and that attracts some of the worst people imaginable into breeding them. If you don't know anyone that can steer you to a good breeder, maybe try asking some vets in your area. They may have clients that breed Yorkies and would be able to tell you if they produce healthy puppies or not. Also be aware that Yorkies change more from puppy to adult than any breed I know so it can be hard for a novice to judge what the pup will look like as an adult. You will have a better idea if you look at puppies that are at least 12 weeks old, which is the recommended age for placing pups in their new homes anyway. Be patient in your search and you will find a pup that is just right for you. As a first time owner, you'll probably want to avoid the very small ones as they can be more of a challenge and are more injury prone, also small kids and small Yorkies generally don't mix. Hope this helps. :aimeeyork :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa :animal-pa :)

I think they dunked my baby emma in cocaine or something cause I am ADDICTED. I need to go to Yorkies Anonymous!

My Yorkie Arnold never ailed a thing during his life.
He had a check up every six months, as will Katie.
I personally think they are just as hardy as other dogs.

They aren't what they describe as teacup yorkies though.
Just a bit bigger.

We also had a yorkie crossed with a long haired Chihuahua.
He was so tiny, looked like a Yorkie but was black with a spot of white on his chest. He never ailed anything either.

Good luck with your decision love.
Hugs Shirl x x

If you find a good breeder you should not have any problems. Do your research on the breeder! Make sure you see the parents and take a list of questions to ask!

I would even type the breeders name into a search engine and see what comes up! Research is the key word!

Good luck and keep us posted!!!!!

All breeds can have health problems .

................. :yeahthat:

Introducing Mama's new boy....Tucker!
 

Thanks everyone for yor input. I went out to see the 2 little guys last evening. The breeder was excellent in answering all my questions. They were checked by her vet(all papers were shown and given to me) and given the 1st shots, dewormed, tails docked and dew claws removed. They are AKC registered. I spent about 1 1/2-2 hours asking questions and observing. She had both Mother and Father on the premises which was neat & clean. The dogs are kept in her home. She also asked me a lot of questions also, as she is very perticular as to who's adopting her pups. She had them on Halo Spot Stew(rated A1) dry puppy food and gave me a new 3lb bag to take with me. As I stated, there were 2, 12 week old little boys. One was an itsy bitsy fellow and the other was much bigger..not fat, just bigger. I opted to adopt the bigger one. She gave me her email address and said please send pictures and followups as to how the puppy is doing. When we left she had tears in her eyes. The drive home was very rough on the little guy. He started to throw up and then salavate quite a bit. The sleeve on my t-shirt was soaked. Thank goodness home was just a few miles away. He didn't looked too well when we got home so I gave him a little karo syrup and in about 5 min he perked up tremendously. He was very frightened and scared most of the evening but started warming up to me. He ate a bit and drank a little. Settled in about 11:00pm in a make shift pen(until we get to Wallyworld today)and didn't make a peep all night. He played all morning with some stuffed toys and barked a little for me to hold him and started to investigate his new surroundings. Took a drink but still hasn't eaten anything yet. We went out to the grassy courtyard for about 20 min where he romped and played with the leaves. That tuckered him out and he is now stretched out on the couch snoozing away.If he would eat soon, I'd be such a happy Mama. He is the most adorable little man I have ever seen. Funny how you can fall in love immediately. He is my precious boy. Gotta run...time to call the vet for his checkup.

aww congrats on your new baby boy!

Congrats! and welcome to YT. Just a bit of warning........you have now been bitten by the "yorkie bug"! I was bitten 4 1/2 yrs ago...must have been a pretty good bite; I now have 5 of the little buggers!:D:p