Hello! I am new...

[G2momma]

Hi! My name is Kristina, I am new to the site and to Yorkies. I have been researching and investigating before I make my purchase, any advice is welcomed. I still have so much to learn, but I am excited.

I grew up with Labs, and I loved them. Recently we lost my lab of 12 years, she is loved and missed every day. I swore after she passed that I could not get another big dog. I was a football practice watching my son, and I saw a cute little dog. I asked about it and was told it was a "teacup yorkie" and I fell in love. Now, I see this little dog after reading about yorkies... and I am worried for him. I have decided that I want a female, as a pet only, with a baby doll face. If you have a litter, maybe that don't have papers... please let me know. I am willing to drive to pick up a puppy!

Anyway, I am a mother of 2 boys. Gregory is 12, and Garrett is 5. Both Love animals!! Garrett wants to be a zoo keeper when he grows up! And begs to go to the mall, just to love on a puppy because he already knows how terrible it is to have that kind of life. He says that he needs to find the saddest looking on and give it some love!

I am a student, going to school to be a nurse. My husband and I both work at a local hospital. I am lucky enough to work part-time now.

Well, that about all I can think to tell you about myself.

I look forward to getting to know you!

[bildio]

to Yorkie Talk

[tortoisekeeper]

Welcome to Yorkie Talk. I am glad you are doing research before getting your furbaby. Most of us including myself did not find YT until after we got our furbabies. I was very lucky to get healthy ones but many others have not been so fortunate. You will find tons of useful information here.

[Bellas_mommy]

Welcome to YorkieTalk!!! I'm from Southfield, MI. So we're like neighbors. Lol.

[jackson25]

Hi & Welcome to YT!

[manolos mom]

Welcome to YT...

[jadabug]

welcome to YT. You will find out anything you need to know about yorkies here. These ladies know their stuff. any question you have there is someone who knows the answer. good luck finding your furbaby

[Micah my love]

Welcome to YT hope you find your baby soon

[carriekay]

Welcome , Im new also just joined last night. I have a chocolate lab and hes a lover but he prefures my husband and wants nothing to do with me. He weighs more than me so a lap dog he is not. a lap dog. I have a yorkie who was 2# at 12 weeks and at 2 yrs. hes 15# which is as rare as the two pounders... Just never know... maybe buy on a little older so you can see that she is going to stay small but if your planning on breeding her you want her to be 5 to 6 lbs anyway, for her and the babies sake. welcome and good luck... CarrieKay...

[Fancy_Pants]

Hello & welcome to YT! Sorry to hear about your recent loss. You have come to the right place to learn about yorkies though!

[FlDebra]

Welcome Kristina! You are going about this the right way -- research first and then purchase the right pet for your family! An important factor will be finding the right breeder. You want to find someone that really cares about their dogs, raises them in their home where they can socialize from day one. A breeder that puts the health and temperment first and breeds within the Yorkshire Terrier standards. YTCA (Yorkshire Terrier Club of America) is the parent Club that establishes the standards and gives them to AKC. if you go to Yorkshire Terrier Club of America you will find a list of recommended breeders. That is a great place to start. Once you pick a couple near you, go to their home and see where and how the puppies are being raised. You will see quickly if they are in this for the money or really care about the breed and individual puppies.

Once you have a breeder, ask here on YT for references. Usually someone has bouht a puppy or at least visited the breeder and can give more information. Stick with AKC breeders. Most offshoot registeries were established by puppymills after the AKC banned them or at least set regulations that puppymills were not willing to meet. Even AKC registered is not a guarantee of quality but it increases your odds.

Ensure you get a good health guarantee. Most reputable breeders will guarantee at least a year against genetic conditions. Check to see if they offer replacement or refund, or better offer to at least help pay the vet fees if you decide to keep a puppy with a health problem.

Make sure you see the mother and father. It is not a guarantee that the puppy will grow to look like either but again, the odds are increased that they will get most of their traits from mom and dad. Make sure they are not breeding females less than @ 5 pounds. The male should be a little smaller than the female. Females should not be bred until their second heat and no earlier than 18 months. Ask the breeder their philosophy. I like to know why they decided to breed the particular male and female. It lets you know if they had a goal in mind to produce quality pups, or if they just put together the most convenient pair available.

Breeders should keep puppies until they are at least 12 weeks old and at least 2 pounds. Some very small puppies may need to stay with mom and siblings a little longer to be safely rehomed. You want them to get a great start with lots of teaching from mom and siblings. It can make a world of difference to their personality as well as health.

Once you have picked out a breeder, decided on a puppy, then you need to really start getting ready for your new family member. There are "stickies" on this site that will help you know what you need to buy to be ready. If you do not have a sizeable savings in reserve, I recommend getting pet insurance or a CareCredit card to take care of any potential emergency vet bills. I will leave the food, supplies, training etc. for another post. I have already gone on longer than I had planned. I must be in a talkative mood today!

[Gennies]

to YT!!!! I can't offer much more advise on a new puppy then the previous posting, but thought I'd ask if you've thought of rescuing? I recently got Bijou (13 weeks now) from a rescue. They're harder to find, but they are out there if you have patience. I found her on Petfinders.com Glad to have you on our forum, I'm sure you'll love it here too.

Also, love your children's names! I have a two and a half year old great pyrenees named Garrett

[107barney]

Welcome to YT! And, good luck finding your new baby! If you notice, you will find that lots of people become very quickly addicted to yorkies. I've got three myself! Take your time to find a reputable breeder - someone who breeds responsibly and is committed to betterment of the breed. And, be sure to let us know when you get your baby and post some photos!!

[SnugsColeman]

Originally Posted by G2momma

Hi! My name is Kristina, I am new to the site and to Yorkies. I have been researching and investigating before I make my purchase, any advice is welcomed. I still have so much to learn, but I am excited.

I grew up with Labs, and I loved them. Recently we lost my lab of 12 years, she is loved and missed every day. I swore after she passed that I could not get another big dog. I was a football practice watching my son, and I saw a cute little dog. I asked about it and was told it was a "teacup yorkie" and I fell in love. Now, I see this little dog after reading about yorkies... and I am worried for him. I have decided that I want a female, as a pet only, with a baby doll face. If you have a litter, maybe that don't have papers... please let me know. I am willing to drive to pick up a puppy!

Anyway, I am a mother of 2 boys. Gregory is 12, and Garrett is 5. Both Love animals!! Garrett wants to be a zoo keeper when he grows up! And begs to go to the mall, just to love on a puppy because he already knows how terrible it is to have that kind of life. He says that he needs to find the saddest looking on and give it some love!

I am a student, going to school to be a nurse. My husband and I both work at a local hospital. I am lucky enough to work part-time now.

Well, that about all I can think to tell you about myself.

I look forward to getting to know you!

I done what you are doing now. I read about yorkies and talk to owners and breeders. I done this for a very long time. I looked for years for my first yorkie and finally got her Feb.08. I looked at all yorkies and saw the words teacup and thought neat! However I found out here that some breeders use the word teacup to sale for much higher price. Do not go to a backyard breeder. Yes they maybe cheaper but you are taking a chance. You might not get what you think. Backyard breeders and puppymills you really need to stay away from them. Take your time..... also look at rescue places. Good luck and welcome!

[Breny]

Welcome Kristine! I'm from MI too! Good luck with finding your new baby and welcome to YT. Lots of Yorkie lovers here and lots of friends!