I agree. :)

That's the thing.....I just don't randomly say I'm in college they ask about my life & family....then the "what do you do work/ school" question comes up....so I tell them I'm in college 1 or 2 breeders said that I sounded young through the phone so maybe that's another reason why they don't take me seriously. Lol.

*Jersey Shore fist pump BUMP! *

in one of your posts you said its another four years, however last i checekd and its been a while since i graduted from college and medical school you, but you cannot get a 4 year degree from community college, but even if you can and your schedule is easy now it will not be when you are in vet school, there are only 28 vet schools in the us its hard to get in, the veterinarian curriculum is more diversified than human medicine because of the amount of different species and physiologies they have to study. Remember, many veterinarians especially general practitioners take on many responsibilities as surgeons, pharmacists, diagnosticians, radiologists, behaviorists, dentists, orthopedic surgeon,....and provide comfort to both patient and owner- all this has to be learned. 4 years of college 4 years of vet school and then most vets do a residency. I went to med school at one of the best medical schools in the country, i did very well in college, and in medical school but, some days i could hardly take care of myself let alone a dog. I say wait, i always wanted a yorkie from the time i was 5, i grew up in a orphanage and a lady who always came to visit the orphange with gifts at the holidays had 2 yorkies, to me she was a perfect lady, she was kind, pretty ,nice drove a lincoln that the trunk would close by itself, i always thought that was cool, i always said one day I will be a dr donate to the less fortunate, have a lincoln and 2 yorkies, I am a dr have 2 yorkies but opted for a mercedes over a linclon,, lol... anyway I waited until the first year I became an attending dr and I am glad i did.

What can I say. This is a subject that tears me apart. On one hand, a dog is a god sent gift for the college student. They help you relax, stay focused, and ultimately not lose your mind. There are days I wish I would have gotten Kaji sooner than waiting to finish my 4 year degree.

BUT.... on the other hand, I'm so glad I waited. I had been wanting a dog since I was 4, and around 18 I fell in love with the yorkie breed. I didn't get my beloved Kaji until I was 23 (almost 24) and he was exactly a year old. I had a part time job, and now I have a full time job. It couldn't have worked better even if I planned it. I know you go away to school a few days a week, but that's just community college. Once you're in upper division Bio Sci, your choices will be limited, and you'll have a ton more studying to do. The time you will be spending with your yorkie will be with it lying by your side while you study all night for _____ class. (fill in the blank :p) Compare that to Kaji's life. I'm away for work 8 hrs a day, but once I get home, I'm all his. No studying, no homework, no papers, no nothing. It's dinner and Kaji time. :D

While it might seem unfair to tell you to wait, my suggestion is to at least wait until you transfer to a 4 year university. Wait a quarter or two, and then judge if this is really right for you. Not only that, but really think hard on whether or not you can truly make this work. You can lie to us until your blue in the face, but be honest with yourself. Can you do this? (I'm not accusing you of lying, it's more like something to think about)

Also, I'm a big fan of traveling with your baby. Next summer I think Kaji and I will be taking a trip to Mexico to visit family. Have you looked in to international travel yet? They have crazy requirements that can be costly. It's uncomfortable at times, and definitely not easy. Some places require a quarantine period.

Really sit down and think about it. That's the only good solid advice I can give you. Put your wants aside and really look at the big picture. Can you make this work?

Not true. In my community college you can go for 2 years (associates) or 4 years (Bachelors). & most community colleges in NYC offer 4 year degrees. My sister actually attended the college I go to now.... she graduated & received her 4 year bachelors degree in social work. Now she's attending another C.C. to continue on in her masters.

& it goes back to what everyone is saying. Its what I can handle. Everyone is not the same....some people can handle a dog & college. & that seems kinda opposite to wait unil I get my job as a vet where I'm going to be MORE busy to get a puppy then.

I feel that gettting a yorkie now while I have the most time the best. & as I & the yorkie get older we'll have a routine & a schedule. It'll be with me from begining until the end....so it won't be something new for me to deal with when I do get that job.

I see it like this....... ur telling me to wait until I transfer to a university to get a puppy. Now from what I understand universities are probably tripple the cost of a community. So & from what some owners told me the "puppy stage" is the most expensive time in a dogs life (not saying that their expenses don't continue to add up after that....) so y would that be the right time for me to JUST get a dog ?

& since I want to become a vet there's very little job openings & theres no guarantee that as soon as I get out of college at age (25 or so) that I'm going to get that steady job to be getting a puppy then. Ill probably have a lil job by then but that still wouldn't be a right time to get a puppy. I think having an older dog would be better for me to have then. But y wait to get it then when I'm more busy & don't have the time to START training & bonding when I can get an older one now while I have time & I can really bond & give it the attention it needs. I feel that when you have a yorkie for. All those years they get used to your schedule.

& yea I heard that they need certain shots & vet records before they can leave the country.

i have no idea what what the cost of community college, but Univ of penn vet school is 42k a year, probably more than tripple. I have an apt in NYC and while most of NYC is dog friendly and they dont care if you bring your dog to bergdorf, saks or duane r I assure you its not like that in most places. I am also not sure I agree that puppyhood is the most expensive part of owning a dog. My dog fife needed hips knees replaced, had a collapsed trachea when he was 4, it was constant vet bills, If I added it up i probably spent more than 20k on just vet bills for him, not food grooming toys or anything else, my shaffer is 7 pretty healthy but just had his teeth cleaned thats was almost 900.00. I rescued Copper in july,he is 2 years old he needed to be fixed, teeth cleaned,and baby teeth removed that was 1000.00. He also started to have trouble with his eye, i have been to the reg vet and an eye specialist with him 11 times since july that has also been over 1000.00 he will be on meds the rest of his life. I guess the choice is yours but a dog is a long term commitment and not knowing part of the next few years may not be fair to a dog. I agree not everyone is at the same level, I was always a great student I grad 1st in my class in undergrad at duke, and at harvard medical, i have always been an
overachiever, but no way would I have been able to take care of a dog during college or med school, but that is just me being honest with what was on my plate at the time.

As a breeder, my concern is to see that my pups are placed in the best possible environment. I carefully screen each new puppy parent and evaluate each individually. I did place a pup with a college student, but the young woman's mother was just as much in love with the pup and was prepared to provide for the pup if her daughter needed help.

I am always cautious about college students. I am not worried about the present, as much as a few years down the road after graduation. The college years is a time of change - of transforming from a child to an adult. I worry about what will happen when the student graduates, finds a job, a spouse and has children. When I was in my early 20's, I never would have dreamed that at age 27 I would have married the man of my dreams had three children right away and move 10 times in 10 years (three times 1/2 way across the country while I was pregnant) as my husband "climbed the corporate ladder". The financial aspect of caring for a yorkie would not have been an issue, but having the TIME and energy to devote to one would have.

Because I can't predict the future, I tend to err on the side of caution - I generally don't place pups with young singles and/or young married couples UNLESS I interview the parents and they are a part of the "package deal".

I do wish you the best of luck in your studies and in finding the Yorkie of your dreams.

It does sound like you are reallllllllllly set on this. You know, I'd prefer that Ellie's vet have a dog (although of course that doesn't necessarily mean the only good vets are dog owners). But I like that she can relate first-hand.

That said, I would say keep looking (you will likely need your mom to be willing to keep the pup for any good breeder to sell to you). And I'm sure it will not be easy to have one which is something that you learn after having one for awhile. There are many pre-vets that go back and forth about taking their animals to vet school b/c time and money is very limited. You won't really have any idea how much time you'll be away or studying until you are in that position. And of course you could get perfect doggie who is just so obedient and has no health problems, but we are talking Yorkies here. We have spent thousands on vet bills in the last 3.5 years, her food has to be cooked for her, and she is behaviorally...challenged. Always expect that problems will arise b/c they just might...

BTW, I think Yorkie-specific rescues are going to be more particular about placing their pups. All breed rescues may not be that picky. How about other breeds?

I agree its not only about the present or just the future its about BOTH. Yes my furture is unpredictable.....as is EVERYONES future is that a valid reason for me not to get a yorkie?...no. ANYONE can get a yorkie at anytime & things might not work out. I don't feel like just because I'm in college that automatically means that I'm going to be unstable or have no time. yorkies are portable dogs.....I'm not asking for a great dane. You can take them pretty much anywhere u go ( keyword: pretty much).

& another thing I want to mention. Yea I REALLY want to become a vet.....but I'm terrible in science! & this is only my 1st year of school. I might change my my career focus. Everyone is telling me about how much money & time vet school is....but I'm not even sure I'm going to even get in one! I'm a (b/c average student) so I have a long way to go.

@ Ellie May. Well I feel like yorkies match my personality. They're calm, sweet, affectionate, loves to be on the go, full of spunk! & I always loved them. I did consider other small breeds....but they didn't match what I'm looking for. Pomeranians....they're TOO vocal & shed too much. Chihuahuas are too agressive & over protective. Malteses they have that white coat that is going to be too hard to maintain! Shi tzu's they're ok but they have that funny looking flat face (but they're really sweet though). Jack russels are too hyperactive...they need back yards to run & play. Bichon....also white coat problems. & idk I can't find anything wrong with poodles (my friend has one....he's a sweetie pie & he loves me!) But I just don't want one. I WANT a yorkie! Lol. Plus this is my 1st dog so I don't want to just get any dog for the sake of having one.I want to share this experience with the breed of my choice.

Some Yorkies coats are time consuming to maintain if you plan on keeping the coat long. I have to brush and comb Beamer twice a day (sometimes more if he gets those sticker things in him when he goes out in the backyard), and I have a groomer come once a week to bathe him.

@ beamers mom. Yea I definately know that. Even though I want to keep it in the puppy cut....its still a lot to maintian like triming & brushing & shampooing, conditioning. But with malteses your doing all that & stain remover cuz the eye gunk, & stuff to keep the coat white & if you don't really dedicate yourself to it that pretty white coat will turn beige or yellow or even brown! ( yea I seen dingy brown malteses before....not a pretty sight)

When I got Ellie, it was a Yorkie or nothing for me too. But, a lot depends on the genetics, breeding practices, and training. Ellie is not calm. She is high stung, aggressive, over protective, extremely vocal, and does not like to be trained. Here we are at age 9. She knows where to go to the bathroom, she prefers to come in and do it 1/2 hour later. Yorkies as a breed can be difficult to train at times and they are not the healthiest (GI, liver, and kidney issues are not uncommon).

First off, alot of Yorkies are not calm, sweet and affectionate like you say. They are terriers first and foremost. Of course you get the ones that are but there's also the chance you'll get the crazy hyper Yorkie who never 'grows up'. All of your definitions of breeds are pretty straight forward and that's simply not the case. You say Pomeranian's are vocal... a TON of yorkies can be just as vocal, if not worse. "Chihuahua's are too aggressive and over protective"... that is *such* a stereotype. If you raise them and socialize them right, that probably won't be the case. I see a ton of evil little Yorkies (lol) but it's usually the fault of the owner. If you baby any dog, they can become that way. Yorkies have just as much work when it comes to maintainence of Maltese, in my opinion. I keep Jackson short, but you can also keep a Maltese short and have the same amount of work. Jack Russell's ARE definitely a lot of work but they don't *need* a backyard to run in... they just need a ton of mental and physical stimulation every day. Probably not a good breed for you, you're right.

I understand being hooked on one breed, I think that's great. But I don't think you should go into getting a Yorkie thinking they are going to be easy, sweet loving, affection lap dog. They do not like to be left alone for long periods of time, so it actually may be a good idea to look into breeds who don't mind being left alone, or who are a good dog to lay on the couch and cuddle with you while you study. Maltese actually tend to be on the calmer, more lap dog side in general. Pugs tend to be both... ready to be on the go when you want them to, but also content to sleep on the couch and not go outside for a few days if you can't. Shihtzu's also tend to be more willing and happier to spend hours on the couch with you.

I'm not trying to talk you out of a Yorkie, because I love the breed, but I think you need to think long and hard and really do breed research and decide what personality is right for you. Obviously every dog, whether same breed or not, is different. So finding a good breeder who is willing to work with you in finding the perfect dog would be really helpful to you. You have to decide if you want a more active dog, who will love to run, play, go for walks, or a lazier dog who is willing to lay on the couch with you and may/may not want to go for a walk with you. I personally prefer active dogs, I like more drive and athleticism in a dog.