Originally Posted by WaterPKMNMaster (Post 2668478)

I'm a college student right now and will be moving in to a 510 square feet dorm in mid-September, which I will be living in for about 2 years. The dorm will be a single (all to myself). I've been in a single for the past 2 years but get a little lonely sometimes, so I figured having a dog can keep me company and I can take good care of it and give it complete attention. I've been reading about Yorkies for the past two weeks and think it's the perfect breed for my situation, since the place I'm staying at only allows very small dogs and cats.

Note that I have never owned a dog before (though both my parents grew up with them). I have salt water fish which I started to keep last summer. People on some fish forum I went to hated that I was being "arrogant" in jumping into their field so quickly (a week after reading all about how to take care of fish and stuff), yet not a single fish has died and I consistently (almost obsessively) take care of them and their enviorment. I would do the same thing with any dog I got, despite the fact that I am inexperienced with owning one.

Questions (in no particular order)...

1. I know Yorkies can be yelpy, but are their barks loud enough for people walking by - outside of your apartment - to hear them? It's hard to tell from the videos on YouTube how loud they are.

2. Would the dog get stressed if it was consistantly living in two different places? On the weekends I always go home to my family, so the dog would be home for about 2.5 days each week and at my dorm the other 4.5.

3. How much do Yorkie puppies typically cost? I feel so uncomfortable looking for one to buy because the prices range anywhere from free, to $200, to $2000.

4. Does anyone know a good place to buy a Yorkie in SoCal, specifically within Orange County?

5. Will the Yorkie get stressed if I have odd hours at times? Sometimes I'm awake at 7 in the morning and go to bed at 1, other times not until 12 PM and staying up until 3 or 4 AM. It varies widly depending on the quarter at school. I would still be at my dorm for hours and hours each day though, so the amount of time isn't an issue, it's the time of the time. :p

6. Is this the basics of what you do with a Yorkie or any dog for that matter?: feed them, give them water, give them baths, brush and cut their hair, brush their teeth, wipe their eyes, give them shots and take them to the vet 1-2 times a year, pick up their poo until they are potty trained, walk them, play with them, buy them toys. (Yes I know silly to ask, but like I said I've never owned a dog before.)

7. I'm going to Japan in July and won't be back until August 1. Will the month of August and half of September be enough time to train the Yorkie at my home and then take it to my dorm where it can be happy and obedient?

8. What's the youngest I can get a Yorkie? 8 weeks?

9. Frankly I think Yorkies with long coats are ugly (and girlie), lol. Is it normal to have them with short hair?

Thank you in advance for your answers! If you think a Yorkie isn't for me, could you suggest another breed?

Originally Posted by WaterPKMNMaster (Post 2668478)

I'm a college student right now and will be moving in to a 510 square feet dorm in mid-September, which I will be living in for about 2 years. The dorm will be a single (all to myself). I've been in a single for the past 2 years but get a little lonely sometimes, so I figured having a dog can keep me company and I can take good care of it and give it complete attention. I've been reading about Yorkies for the past two weeks and think it's the perfect breed for my situation, since the place I'm staying at only allows very small dogs and cats.

Note that I have never owned a dog before (though both my parents grew up with them). I have salt water fish which I started to keep last summer. People on some fish forum I went to hated that I was being "arrogant" in jumping into their field so quickly (a week after reading all about how to take care of fish and stuff), yet not a single fish has died and I consistently (almost obsessively) take care of them and their enviorment. I would do the same thing with any dog I got, despite the fact that I am inexperienced with owning one.

Questions (in no particular order)...

1. I know Yorkies can be yelpy, but are their barks loud enough for people walking by - outside of your apartment - to hear them? It's hard to tell from the videos on YouTube how loud they are.

2. Would the dog get stressed if it was consistantly living in two different places? On the weekends I always go home to my family, so the dog would be home for about 2.5 days each week and at my dorm the other 4.5.

3. How much do Yorkie puppies typically cost? I feel so uncomfortable looking for one to buy because the prices range anywhere from free, to $200, to $2000.

4. Does anyone know a good place to buy a Yorkie in SoCal, specifically within Orange County?

5. Will the Yorkie get stressed if I have odd hours at times? Sometimes I'm awake at 7 in the morning and go to bed at 1, other times not until 12 PM and staying up until 3 or 4 AM. It varies widly depending on the quarter at school. I would still be at my dorm for hours and hours each day though, so the amount of time isn't an issue, it's the time of the time. :p

6. Is this the basics of what you do with a Yorkie or any dog for that matter?: feed them, give them water, give them baths, brush and cut their hair, brush their teeth, wipe their eyes, give them shots and take them to the vet 1-2 times a year, pick up their poo until they are potty trained, walk them, play with them, buy them toys. (Yes I know silly to ask, but like I said I've never owned a dog before.)

7. I'm going to Japan in July and won't be back until August 1. Will the month of August and half of September be enough time to train the Yorkie at my home and then take it to my dorm where it can be happy and obedient?

8. What's the youngest I can get a Yorkie? 8 weeks?

9. Frankly I think Yorkies with long coats are ugly (and girlie), lol. Is it normal to have them with short hair?

Thank you in advance for your answers! If you think a Yorkie isn't for me, could you suggest another breed?

Originally Posted by camile (Post 2670141)

I have read this entire thread with great interest and you have made a few good arguments for getting a puppy and several ppl have, if not made an argument against it, indeed given you great advice and food for thought. This is what I have concluded.

First, and maybe most importantly, you have made several asumptions that you state for a fact. Namely, you give yourself a couple of months to potty train your puppy at home. This process takes months not weeks, somtimes years, so if you get a puppy, please do not assume no matter how diligent you are during those weeks, that it will happen on schedule.

Secondly, you also assume you can shake a can of pennies at your puppy and it will just shut up. I have been trying to use this method and many others on one of mine and she even barks at whatever method I am using to stop her from barking!

Furthermore, you say, due to class schedule, you will be coming in and going out several times during the day, I think you said every hour. I think this will cause great stress on any puppy. It will never know any stability or security. Dogs do not understand real time. You can go get mail and when you come back they behave like you have been on a long voyage. The point I am making is this, your puppy will find it very difficult to "settle", and this causes neurotic behavior, then barking will be the least of your concerns.

Being a student, you will need to study some time. Time will become a top commodity, have you considered that just when you are trying to digest some really important facts and your puppy needs you for whatever, are you going to be able and willing to stop, really stop, and go out with him or clean up a mess or stop to take care of countless other whatevers? Remember, he will not know or care that you have a test in the morning. You will have to give up a lot of time that you would otherwise use to do other things for this puppy. It is a living, breathing being and as such, a big responsibility and commitment, very much like a child would be.

I have only touched on a few of the issues envolved in owning a puppy. Any kind of dog, at any age presents it's own needs and problems. I'm not trying to deter you from getting a dog, even if it sounds that way, I am trying to help you to understand that things don't just take care of themselves or happen the way we plan. You will find this applies to every aspect of life.

You appear to be a bright young man, maybe because I have two sons, I never thought you were a girl, so think about it and stay on this forum. There are many ppl here who have great expertise and very willing to help. Read all you can, keep asking questions. We see many ppl, young and not so young, make terrrible mistakes because they did not think things thru and the dogs are the ones who suffer. Prevention is the best cure. You won't have to be here long to find pple pulling their hair out and ready to throw the dog under the bus because they thought owning a puppy was just soooo cute, then discover it's a lot of work and that cute puppy isn't soooo cute when it just ate your favorite pair of shoes or poo'ed on your bed and kept you up all night crying and aternating with barking and throwing up.

Owning a dog can be one of the most rewarding adventures in life. Whenever you decide to have one, make it a rewarding experience for the dog as well as for you, it is one and the same. Good luck with your decision and if you do get one, good luck with it as well. I look forward to reading your posts and learning more about you, it is a pleasure to have you on the board.

Originally Posted by camile

I have read this entire thread with great interest and you have made a few good arguments for getting a puppy and several ppl have, if not made an argument against it, indeed given you great advice and food for thought. This is what I have concluded.

First, and maybe most importantly, you have made several asumptions that you state for a fact. Namely, you give yourself a couple of months to potty train your puppy at home. This process takes months not weeks, somtimes years, so if you get a puppy, please do not assume no matter how diligent you are during those weeks, that it will happen on schedule.
I'm sure that's the case, but I don't think I was ever under the assumption it would take only a month or two to potty train it. I said earlier I didn't mind picking up its poo or cleaning the carpet until it was potty trained. I practically vacuum everyday anyway, so taking out a stain or two isn't going to kill me.

Secondly, you also assume you can shake a can of pennies at your puppy and it will just shut up. I have been trying to use this method and many others on one of mine and she even barks at whatever method I am using to stop her from barking!
I was just posting that as one of the methods I have read about. I'm sure there are other ways to quiet it down. But yeah, this could be a problem if the dog keeps barking all the time.

Furthermore, you say, due to class schedule, you will be coming in and going out several times during the day, I think you said every hour. I think this will cause great stress on any puppy. It will never know any stability or security. Dogs do not understand real time. You can go get mail and when you come back they behave like you have been on a long voyage. The point I am making is this, your puppy will find it very difficult to "settle", and this causes neurotic behavior, then barking will be the least of your concerns.
I just looked at my schedule for next quarter and it turns out I have very little holes in it...

/// MONDAY (01:00-05:50)=================
11:00-11:50: Literary Journalism
12:00-12:50: English 28A

/// TUESDAY (09:30-01:50)================
11:00-01:50: Film 101C
06:00-08:50: Film 139W

/// WEDNESDAY (01:00-05:50)==============
11:00-11:50: Literary Journalism
12:00-12:50: English 28A

/// THURSDAY (09:30-01:50)===============
11:00-01:50: Film 101C
03:30-06:20: Film 117A

/// FRIDAY (12:00-02:50)=================
11:00-11:50: Literary Journalism
12:00-12:50: English 28A
01:00-01:50: Film 85C Discussion


Being a student, you will need to study some time.
Lol.

Time will become a top commodity, have you considered that just when you are trying to digest some really important facts and your puppy needs you for whatever, are you going to be able and willing to stop, really stop, and go out with him or clean up a mess or stop to take care of countless other whatevers? Remember, he will not know or care that you have a test in the morning. You will have to give up a lot of time that you would otherwise use to do other things for this puppy. It is a living, breathing being and as such, a big responsibility and commitment, very much like a child would be.
I also juggle a very large Pokemon website, PokeBeach.com, and school. I have become very adept at juggling 10 different things at once. You should see how last week I had to study for finals and update my website with a whole bunch of news that was coming in. It wasn't easy, but I balanced out both just fine. Sometimes it does get hectic but I always have time for both, especially since I'm not really doing anything else.

I have only touched on a few of the issues envolved in owning a puppy. Any kind of dog, at any age presents it's own needs and problems. I'm not trying to deter you from getting a dog, even if it sounds that way, I am trying to help you to understand that things don't just take care of themselves or happen the way we plan. You will find this applies to every aspect of life.
Thank you for that. :)

Originally Posted by John Stelting

Wait until your out of school and can afford the high costs of a pet.......


If you get one now...... I will guarantee you'll be looking for someone to sell it to within a month................

Originally Posted by bdb

As I said earlier, it's not that he's a college student, it's that the apartment lease says NO dogs allowed. There's been discussion that small dogs are allowed "unofficially" but the fact is that he is going to sign a lease that says that dogs are NOT allowed.

I just think that's a recipe for disaster. And the dog will end up the loser.

Originally Posted by miabella

It's similar to starting a family...let me ask you this, would you be ready to adopt a human baby right now in your life? Because, this is nearly the same scenario & responsibilities that you can expect to have in your life with a new puppy. It's life changing.
Actually yes, I would be, other than the fact that I would never leave a baby alone by itself in a room for a few hours a day. With dogs you can do that though.

As for the financial aspect of just the purchase of a Yorkie, can you realistically afford to spend a minimum $1000 dollars today? It doesn't end there...it's just the beginning, starting with the first Vet appointment within the first week of acquiring your new Yorkie (minimum $100). Then, there's the next few months of Vet appointments for your puppies required vaccinations not to mention by 4-6 mths your puppy will need to be spayed or neutered (another $500 easy).
Money isn't an issue with me.

Have you done your research on the Hereditary Diseases that these little dogs are prone to? Ask around here and see what others have had to spend to care for their Yorkies when they get diagnosed with Liver Shunt, Legg Perthes, Collapsed Trachea...just to name a few...prepare to have put aside in savings at least a "few" thousand dollars. My 3 yr old Yorkie was just diagnosed last week with the latter...very sad!:(
Aw, I'm sorry. Did you get it from a good breeder though? And I have only briefly read about the diseases they can get. One of the reasons we were never allowed to have one was because my mom's dog died of cancer and she has been afraid to get one ever since.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade...believe me I'm not nor is anyone else here wanting to do that either but, for those of us who do rescue work and see the multitudes of Yorkies that need to be re-homed just because someone didn't take into account everything aside from that little fluff of love...our jobs would be so much easier.
UGHHHHH!!! I'm not going to abandon it or sell it or anything! Like I said, if worst came to worst, which it would not, the dog would simply go home to my parents and brothers.

I guess what I'd be asking myself if I were you...and I don't recall if you stated your age but, based on the fact that you're in college I'm guessing very early 20's...why do you think you're in need of a pet such as a Yorkie?

I worry that you might be feeling lonely at school and needing that unconditional love of a puppy. I hope not but, this was the case of my first adopted Yorkie...who actually did come from a college student.
[b]I'm 20 turning 21 in October. Yes, I do want a Yorkie as a sort of companion. I don't see much wrong with that.

Originally Posted by Buster

Just be aware that a dog cannot be left alone for long periods of time, and know that yorkies can be VERY LOUD barkers (not all but I can tell you that mine do!).

Originally Posted by WaterPKMNMaster (Post 2668633)

<snip> When I signed the lease the other day the manager said dogs aren't allowed, but he said unofficially they are as long as they don't cause any trouble like constant barking. I guess it depends on the dog then. <snip>