I really need advice about adopting a puppy ASAP!
 

Hello,

We are going to look at yorkie puppies tomorrow. The puppy will be home about 7 1/2 hours a day. I am concerned about him being home alone for so long. Does anyone have any advice and/or past experiences?

Thanks!

Yorkie puppies require a lot off love and attention. They are like human babies. They need to bond with their new family. AND if it is a very small puppy and your not able to be there for it, the baby could die if not eating . Hypoglicemia is a very big concern.
Those are things you need to seriously think about before bringing home A new yorkie puppy.:aimeeyork Time with a new puppy is essentiel.

One suggestion would be if someone could come home mid day and visit puppy or play for awhile....

I believe the first year Yorkies need a great deal of attention. Have you thought about adopting an older dog? Certain dogs don't seem to need as much human attention, and cats actually prefer being left alone for long periods. I love Yorkies, but I don't think they are the dogs for everyone, it really is like having a baby, but that's what I love about it. I've been here awhile now, and there are so many rehoming threads, people just didn't have any idea, how much time it takes to potty train them, or how much attention they really need. How much time each day do you think you can devote to your Yorkie? Until a dog is 4 pounds, hypoglycemia is an important issue, and not being there to see the symptoms, could be disastrous. Many people who have to be away from there dogs for long periods get two, but they will still require lots of quality time when you are home for training, grooming and bonding. Could you find someone to peak in at lunch?

I don't want a baby to get sick while no one is home. I could come home during lunch but I would really be pushing the time. I live about 15 minutes away. I feel frustrated because I have to work:cry:

If you can come home for lunch for even 30 minutes a day it should be fine. Lots of workng people get yorkies and they do fine. You can get an xpen and leave the TV on Animal planet for company. Make sure there is food and water available and if you want to stop free feeding you can do that after the puppy is older. Get a puppy pad holder and put in a fresh pad for training.
This works for lots of working people.

I work 8 - 9 hour days Monday through Friday. Canyon came to his forever home with me when he was almost 13 weeks. I spent 3 days with him before I had to go back to work. I would think if the puppy is 12 weeks or more, is kept safely in his crate or gated in a safe room with all his essentials (food/water/toys/potty pad/music or television playing) he would be fine. At the beginning, I would give him a little nutrical in the morning before I left, come home at lunch to check on him and then spent quality time with him in the evenings and weekends. He doesn't like it but mommy has to work so he can have all the things he has.

Your Yorkie will sleep most of the time when u r gone and will be fine. Give her a good walk before you leave.

How old is the puppy? YTCA recommends the breeder keep them a minimum of 12 weeks, if the breeder is selling a puppy younger than this, I would look for a new breeder. I agree with the poster who said that free feeding is especially important. Do you feel you have an hour a day to devote to his care? This would include such things as feeding, exercise, training, grooming, and snuggling, and at least 5 minutes for Yorkie kisses.

My experience training a new puppy while I was working was that it took much longer. Potty training a yorkie can be challenging even when you are home with them all day. But not being there to take them out every hour just prolongs the process. It can be frustrating to come home to a mess after a long day at work.

Can you take a few days off with the new puppy to get him used to his new surroundings?

Before I got my Yorkie, i use to have a Siberian Husky. And i use to work days (now i work nights so its much easier cause someone is always home with the yorkie). Anyways...i hired one of the 16 yr olds in my neighbor hood to come over my house everyday after school and spend 30 minutes with my husky in the backyard..exercising him ,letting him go pee and then making sure his water bowl was full. I paid her 50 bucks every week. The way i see it..i saved on gas not having to drive back and forth home everyday AND my dog was being looked after. Worth a shot..and besides..what 16 yr old doesnt want to make an easy extra 50 bucks a week? Just an idea.....

You wouldn't be the first one to own a yorkie puppy and work.... your puppy will be fine (as long as it is healthy and not too young).

Best of luck! ;)

We are supposed to meet him tomorrow and we would be able to take him home also. I could probably take Monday off next week and have 3 full days to be with him. I could wait until next Saturday to meet him but someone could adopt him at anytime.

I know how excited you must be! It's the most wonderful experience taking home a new yorkie puppy. Before you know it, they take over your home and your life...lol It's just like bringing home a new baby. They are the most baby-like puppies I have ever seen.

Good luck! And buy plenty of wee wee pads, you'll need them. :)

First I want to congratulate you!

One of the first things you need to take into account about a proper Yorkie puppy care is the one related to nutrition and diet. As with any other breed the feeding that you provide your puppy is something that will mark him for the rest of his life because in this stage is where you give him all the strength and energy that will allow a good growth. When it comes to making your new Yorkie puppy get used to your house, you must properly demarcate the area that he will have access to and avoid any wondering in the whole house because he may get out of your control and into dangerous situations. For the first period of life also avoid taking him to exteriors and keep him locked in a comfortable and warm place. Make sure that the floor is well covered with papers since Yorkie puppies can have difficult times at controlling their first feces. Remember that Yorkie always need a good amount of sleeping and that if you are trying to train him naps should be included in the schedule. And remember that loving your dog is also a very important part of any Yorkie puppy care and that if you treat your Yorkie puppy with a good amount of affection, love and tenderness, you will become really close and will be able to enjoy every day of your lives.

You need to have more time I took mine every morning before work to my sisters house so she could babysit, punkin my oldest ended up geting very attached to her. A babysitter or waiting may be your best bet

I am so excited for you and want to hear what you have decided. Did you come home with a yorkie today? My daughter and I each got a yorkie from the same litter (mine is Abby and hers is Murphy). I am retired and spend all day with mine. She teaches so is gone during the day. Both dogs are doing great but I think ours is doing better with potty training (makes sense). She keeps Murphy in her kitchen with food/water/potty pad.

Let us know if you get one!!

Not today! I have put it off until next weekend. I need to get everything ready first. Thank you for all of your replies, its been very helpful!

7.5 weeks?!!!!
 

Are you just going to look and visit until they let you take the puppy home? This is far too young especially under your circumstances. The puppy will NOT be fine if you walk it and leave at that age. Adopt the puppy closer to AT LEAST10 weeks and try very hard to adopt it when you are able to take a vacation time! You must go home during lunch for the first few weeks at least! Get nutrical and give in the morning before you go and at lunch. Your email is troubling at 7.5 weeks and I hope you and the breeder agree to give this baby more time with it's mother!

I had no clue what I was doing when I got Tobey- he was barely 8 wks old. You have to be mentally prepared to devote every second that you are home to caring for and training your puppy IMO. During the day he wasn't alone that long because my husband would be home in between college classes, but we did keep him either in the kitchen or in his crate because we were using the crate training method for potty training.

Today Tobey is about a year and 9 months and is perfectly fine. But those first weeks were hard because when they are out of the crate, you literally CAN'T take your eyes off them. One for safety, and two because if they start to potty you have to catch them and take them to the right place to potty.

IMO if you want a well trained adult dog, those first weeks you have them are SOOO critical because they are learning everything about the world. Read up on it. Like you need to make sure you socialize the pup and expose him to all kinds of noises, people, (safely), etc. And having a routine is also good. Like others have said, they are like human babies- routine give them a sense of security as they build that bond of trust and love with you.

Good Luck!!

I didn't realize the dog was so young, many state have laws that say dogs can be adopted as young as 6 weeks, most states, I believe it's 8 weeks, but this ruling is intended to cover all breeds of dogs, and larger breeds have larger puppies, and hypoglycemia isn't an issue. The Yorkshire Terrier Club of America forbids a breeder from releasing a pup before 12 week; this is the MIMIUM. The YTCA is parent club of the AKC. It's made up of breeders and others who have studied the Yorkshire Terrier, and are very aware of its needs. A breeder willing to sell their dogs this young is a huge red flag, mother may stop nursing at this age, but the pup is learning important socialization skills from her and the other pups at this time, such as inhibition of the biting reflex. I know you are anxious to get a puppy, but please find a responsible breeder; you will save yourself a great deal of heartache, and money. See this link for information on choosing a breeder: Choosing A Breeder YorkieTalk offers a wealth of information on selecting a good breeder, it also has many threads on the problems people are dealing with because they didn't choose wisely. People always say, "Oh I wish I'd found YorkieTalk before I got my dog, I would have known so much more what to look for". You were lucky and found YorkieTalk first, please take the time to read some of the forums and study as much as you can before choosing a dog. Remember, a Yorkie is a 15 year commitment.

Breeder?
 

I guess my other concern is that you are looking at a puppy that a Breeder is willing to let go to your home at 7.5weeks? I don't like how that may turn out for you. We got our puppy from Willow Hills Li Treasures after 1 year of research and the Breeder would not let me have the puppy until just over 11 weeks. As a result we got a gorgeous, healthy, well adjusted puppy.

Have you checked this person out completely? Better to be patient and get the best dog than over-anxious and end up with a pet that may live many years and have issues that poor Breeders can cause. Be patient!!!!!

Nancy 1999
 

I obviously agree 900%! Very sound advice! My parents had Yorkies my whole life, then I had a Yorkie, Mugsie for 16 years- breeder made me wait until he was 4 months because he was small- he was amazing and now I have Barclay who is 6 months and the Breeder made me wait. just over 11 weeks Waiting is a good thing! Great dogs are worth it!

7 1/2 weeks old is very, very young. THere is a high chance something tragic may occur leaving a puppy alone all day at this age. I worry that the pup will have serious anxiety and separation issues down the road.
i brought my Suzi home at 10 weeks. She was so scared and would not eat the first day. she is now 6months old. She follows my son and I everywhere, and is never far away from us. She sleeps next to me whereever I am, and even follows me to the bathroom. If i close the door she scratches to be let in. Suzi is the love of my life. AND she is very demanding, even at 6 months. That has not changed. If I go outside on the deck , she starts barking her head off like crazy. When my son leaves for school she looks in the window and cries .Even when i am there.
The thing is that I am at home all day. AND Suzi still is very needy . It is true that when they are babies they sleep most of the time. However, they need the closeness and boding of their caregiver .Especially when very young.
honestly, If I was having to work full time again, I would not have brought her home. It is a huge commitment, and being there makes a huge difference, especially a very young puppy. :aimeeyork

When I see a breeder letting such a young yorkie leave it's mom.. is money.. that way they do not have to pay for any shots.. puppy may be cheaper.. but this could be why.. I know it costs me 50.00 for each new puppy shot here where I am.. and so when you get a puppy older.. they should be Up to date on shots.. so please do not take a puppy home at that age and then go to work.. they need to be with momma.. unless you close to breeder and breeder wants to keep puppy by day and you have puppy at night.. but that means you would need to be around the corner from the breeder.. but way way to young is not good.. for your money, nor the babies health..
I know you so excited.. but again.. waiting could be better.. and check out the breeder... anne