That actually doesn't seem so bad to me. Apparently in SF, you can get an "emotional needs" dog, as opposed to a "service" dog. It does seem like something of a technicality with the building manager at this point, so if you can get it to work and are willing to pay $50 extra / month, you have my blessing. ;)

I think it's a good idea to go visit some puppies IRL... as others have said, be very careful not to get too attached to one and buy from a pet store! Make SURE to get one from a good breeder, good rescue, or good re-home.

You should like you are really thinking this through, so I do hope it works out for you.

I took home the first puppy I went to look at - although that was certainly not my intention ;)

Good on you for doing the research before your purchase, more pet owners need to do the same. :)

Good luck, keep us posted.

He still needs to be seeing his own therapist or Psych Dr. in order to obtain the letter. His father's Psych Dr. probably is not going to write him a letter is he is not been treated.
To the OP. read up on your rights regarding having a dog for this purpose. Legally, a landlord/management is not able to charge extra for this type of animal. That is against the law.
I wish him the best as well. I do not want him taken adantage of. He has rights and responsibiltes , owning a dog for this specific purpose. If things are not followed strictly by the law , either the tenat or landord can be sued.

Have you already started your search for a reputable breeder?

Since money is not an issue for you, I'd hope you will spend your money wisely and go the route of a breeder to find a good quality puppy vs. the one I chose (before I knew better...) and not contribute to the Puppy Mills by purchasing a puppy from a Pet Store.

I'm paying the price for that mistake now with my Bella who's developed CT! :(

I still vote YES for you to have a puppy and I can't imagine you not following the right path to puppy ownership but, the Mother in me just has to say all of the above! ;)

Keep us posted on your quest for puppy love...:animal36

you seem very mature and seem to be covering all of you bases(except maybe the real world vs college thing...ppl don't care what you are if they want to sue you they will even if it means breaking a verbal agreement you had previously made...GET IT IN WRITING!!! take care of yourself and give noone any chance to sue you over the dog issue)

with that being said keep on the path you are on...you are asking the right questions.you will learn alot here.I am a college student with a yorkie and I won't lie.It is like havinga baby! SERIOUSLY...some dogs are not high maintence, yorkies are...they are small and fragile and need special care.I am like you, I do not party or participate in many of the usual um"college activities" lol so it was not hard for me to devote all of my time to my dog...

consisitence is key with potty training this breed...I am OCD and VERY stubborn but even I was not able to perfectly train my 4 pound yorkie lol.I thought the same thing as you,if i was 100% devoted I could do it...I must say I have had to eat humble pie with this one...but I am pround to say bailee is about 99% potty trained 6 months later

Dont let anyone say you can not do it.If you have to the time,financial means(in bailee's 9 months of living i have spent over $900 in vet bills,which is a good amount for a college student lol)and the commitment you will be a great yorkie owner!

good luck!!!!!

Cherster is always in a puppy cut, and he is adorable, I think it is much more managable, it is just a personal preference. Chester has always been in an apartment, and he is not a big barker but when he was a puppy he did not want to be left alone, they love to be around their humans. They will get you hooked once you have one. MY first apartment was only 600 square feet and we done fine, now we are in something bigger.

Ugh. -_-

I've been looking for a puppy breeder all week but no luck. The only people I found are Yorkie Puppies for Sale by Yorkshire Terrier Breeders, but I don't know how reliable they are. You honestly cannot tell online or IRL how reliable people are since they could all be lying and making up everything.

I wish someone here lived in the OC and knew a good breeder!

Please don't get a puppy from that sight! Those are puppy brokers and they sell and purchase puppy mill dogs.

Finding a good breeder isn't easy and most of us have either flown out to get our puppy or have had them shipped from breeders all over the country.

Go to the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America to try and locate a breeder in your area.
Please do not perpetuate the existance of puppy mills by purchasing through a pet store or puppy broker.

I think you sound like you'll be an amazing yorkie daddy. You are doing your research which is so important. I think most of your questions have been answered at this point? A great place to start for finding a good breeder is YTCA. It sounds like you already know that pet stores are a big no no.

the important factors IMO are:
finding a great breeder and knowing what to expect- you're here working on that
time and patience- sounds like you've got it
money- doesn't seem to be an issue
after that it's all about love, love and more love :)

BTW, one of my favorite members here is a male college student and he take amazing care of his yorkies. I sounds like you would be the same.

Welcome to YT.:)

Here are the YTCA breeders in CA Yorkshire Terrier Club of America. I don't know if any are near you- I'm in FL and not great with CA geography. If nothing else, it's a great site to browse to learn more about yorkies and what to look for in a breeder.

That website looks like it hasn't been updated since the mid 90s. What an old layout! :p

Another thing to try is googling "orange county yorkie meet". If there is a meetup in your area, you can go to their next event, check out yorkies in their natural habitat, and probably get some good breeder recommendations. The organizer probably has some recs as well.

If you are willing to come to SF, I can probably find a good breeder for you here.

You have read the stickies on this site about how to find a good breeder, right? I would not buy a dog off a website (except maybe petfinder). Some good breeders have websites, but a ton of bad ones do too. Your odds are not good. You should also be ready to go to the breeder's house to meet the parents, etc. Also, I would do everything possible not to get your puppy shipped to you. If something goes wrong, it can turn into a whole ugly mess. You want to drive to someone's house at least twice, once to meet everyone, and then to get your dog.

Have you got the letters set up - one from a doctor, one from your landlord?

Yeah, I already e-mailed the meetup group and got a response but I'm going to have to ask them more questions.

I won't be getting the letters until later in the summer.

*revives thread so everything is in one place for my "journey" into Yorkieland*

I've been looking for a breeder and found one here: http://www.littlediamondyorkies.com

I found them through "Pets4You."

I got this from them after inquiring about what they have. What should I ask them to insure that they are really good puppies? Also, do you think a boy is better or a girl? What about the price?

Also, I am happy to report the whole paperwork / lease thing is handled now. I'm free to get a puppy, though I STILL have to convince my parents.

Personally I think you need to be totally on your own and financially set before purchasing any pet. If you have to ask your parent's persmission...you have not reached this stage in your life yet. :)