Yorkie Owner To Be!
 

Hi everyone,
In the middle of December, I will be meeting a breeder I found on the YTCA website. I talked to her for about 30 minutes on the phone (and asked plenty of questions!) and she would like me to stop by her home and meet all of her babies (I live around 5 hours from her). I can't lie, I'm a bit nervous! I told her that I'm a college student (I'm currently enrolled in a phD program) and she's worried I wouldn't have enough time for a puppy/money etc (a very reasonable concern). Either way, do you guys have any suggestions of how to prepare myself to meet her (like I said, I'm nervous!) and I'd like to reassure her and convey that I will be a dedicated owner.
Thank you!

Well this best preparation is honesty, and a great desire to do well by your pup, coupled with an honest self evaluation of how you will care for your pup on a day to day basis, and obviously have the basics of money set aside for regular vet, grooming and feeding, but also an idea should a health concern arise how would you deal with this?

These pups can live a healthy 15 years or so, so your breeder is looking to place a pup for all those years. \will you care and put first this pup over the long haul, through boyfriends of one nature or another, through all life changes that will come your way?

But also remember as this breeder is evaluating you , so should you be evaluating this breeder and her breeding program.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Thank you for your responses. On the comment about expenses, would anyone mind sharing with me a rough estimate of how much you spend a year on your baby on average? For example, it would be extremely helpful if anyone can provide an estimate on food, vet bills (excluding vet bills you might incur on some unforseen accident), toys, etc? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again!

Well said, as usual.

Puppies need a schedule and require (in my opinion) nearly constant care to completely housebreak them. They require socialization, walks, quality food, good vet care, regular grooming, and tend to get very lonely when they have to spend too much time by themselves. They quite often suffer from separation anxiety. It is easier to housebreak them, if they have access to a fenced yard. Actually, I suppose it is a good thing I'm not a breeder, because I have always stated that I wouldn't want my puppies to go to a home where they didn't have access to a nice, safe fenced-in yard - their own space to run and play in without being attached to a leash. If a puppy has an accidental injury, would you be in the position to provide the cost of a surgeon to repair the injury? Those are just some of the little things to think about. As Gail said, though, I wouldn't be anything less than honest with the breeder. After all, that is what you expect of her.

Karen, I do not have a fenced backyard unfortunately. I've looked at descriptions of several rescue dogs, and it seems as if while a lot of yorkies tend to be very active and like to run a lot, there are at least a few that can do without one. I have communicated with my breeder that I do not have a yard and so I think that if she were to give me one of her little ones, I think it'll be because she finds that maybe they will be OK living in an apartment setting. At least I hope....if not, then I will have to make a lot of trips to the dog park!

There is a good sticky here, called the Cost of owing a dog. The first year is always the most expensive, because it usually includes the cost of a spay, and their third set of shots, and of course, the beds, crate, and xpens, toys, and leashes you get for your pup.

I shudder to share with you what I spend on my boy. Because he is totally spoilt and to boot a show boy. Plus I do raw feed my boy, and spend lots on supplements etc. How-ever I groom myself which is a cost savings:p
But then again I have every shampoo and conditioner under the sun too:eek:
Then I train him, do agility and obedience, so it all sort of blurs out.

Look at that sticky. But do add in the cost of a warm coat for your pup in the wintertime, (if you live in a cold climate). Not so pricey maybe $20 or so.

Wheither you send your pup to the groomer or not, you still will need to do some grooming yourself ... so brush n comb at the minimum, and if you want to do grooming yourself, blunt nose scissors, clipper, straight scissor, and a dematter.

Thank you Gail, I didn't even know there was a sticky on that! I guess I've spent too much time looking at the "new posts" section on this website! :D

:DI left a comment earlier, but for some reason it did not post? Either way, I wanted to say thank you for informing me about the thread, I've been too busy just looking through the new posts section!

Actually, it wold be better for you to know the cost of an emergency. It's better to overestimate than under when it comes to the care of a living breathing creature. You never know when "fluffy" might swallow a toy and need surgery; might decide to jump off something high because he thinks he's bigger than he actually is and he seriously hurts himself, or when they might catch something, like a UTI, and need antibiotics, vet visits, and follow up visits. I'm not trying to scare you, I just want you to see the big picture. Carecredit is fabulous by the way. A real life saver for us pet owners with shallow pockets. :)

Hi and congrats on the new baby you'll eventually have! I'm a student, and it was tough... Harley is a year now so he's ok with me being in class, but last year we rotated schedules between my bf and me. Try and take some time off when your baby comes home, a few weeks to get things settled.. Also INSURANCE is wonderful! I just had to make my first claim and I'm super happy I didn't have to pay out of my pocket. If you factor an extra $30-40 a month you'll be covered for any major injuries or illnesses

Yippie! a baby to come! be yourself!

It is something you can do. However, I have never seen a docile yorkie that was a purebreed. In my experience, if they were docile, they were either bored or sick. I just think you need to be prepared because it will be much harder for you to go out in all kinds of weather - thunderstorms, lightning, high winds. I have dual-trained all of mine. All of mine, over the years, were trained to go on piddle pads in an attached garage in bad weather, but much prefer to go outside. Not trying to discourage you at all. In fact, I am convinced you would be a wonderful yorkie mom. Please just be aware that it can be difficult without that yard and in bad weather. I don't know how people do it, honestly, but I know it can be done and many people do live in apartments.:)

ur not with a yorkie yet so i forgive you but you dont own yorkies. we own you.

There is a whole lot of reading material here. ONe woman made all her own agility equipment and set up an agility set indoors for her pup:D

You might want to dual train your pup. Initially peepads in the apartment, and then outdoor potty.

Most important is safeguard your pup from jumping off the furniture. It is hard at times I know. We recently revamped our garden room, got two new chairs, our Razz man who is 2yrs old is quite the climber, well I went to the washroom one morning came back to see him up ontop of a tall crystal cabinet:eek::eek: the scamp had leapt onto my chair seat, then to the chair back, and up to the cabinet. That cabinet is 4 1/2 feet off the ground. My heart was in my mouth. Why you might ask did he go up there? Well I had put his toy up there when we had finished playing. Umph. We have removed the toys and changed the cabinet location!

Yorkies can get exercise in the apartment, but oh you do so want to give the gift of fresh air regularly, socialization, let them feel the grass under their feet, dig in the sand, run and scamp around all over the outside safe places. Meet lots of ppl, and other dogs too.

There is a whole lot of reading material here. ONe woman made all her own agility equipment and set up an agility set indoors for her pup:D

You might want to dual train your pup. Initially peepads in the apartment, and then outdoor potty.

Most important is safeguard your pup from jumping off the furniture. It is hard at times I know. We recently revamped our garden room, got two new chairs, our Razz man who is 2yrs old is quite the climber, well I went to the washroom one morning came back to see him up ontop of a tall crystal cabinet:eek::eek: the scamp had leapt onto my chair seat, then to the chair back, and up to the cabinet. That cabinet is 4 1/2 feet off the ground. My heart was in my mouth. Why you might ask did he go up there? Well I had put his toy up there when we had finished playing. Umph. We have removed the toys and changed the cabinet location!

Yorkies can get exercise in the apartment, but oh you do so want to give the gift of fresh air regularly, socialization, let them feel the grass under their feet, dig in the sand, run and scamp around all over the outside safe places. Meet lots of ppl, and other dogs too.

For my, I spend about $20 every 3-4 weeks on Blue Buffalo food (for both). $40 every 6 weeks on grooming. $250 spay/neuter. Normal puppy visits and shots- between 35-70 each visit (count on a minimum of 4 visits). Heart worm meds/ flea prevention $80/ 6 month supply . Insurance- $26/month . Don't discount the additional vet bills that you are likely to incur for unplanned, unexpected illnesses- they are guaranteed to occur at some point- savings is a must for that, as is a line of credit. Each episode can easily run several hundred dollars and up.

Now, toys and clothes and the extras- you can go as low or as high as you want on that. Count on several hundred minimum between leashes, harnesses, food dishes, toys, beds, car seat, grooming supplies, urine removers...

And don't forget the cost of training. Basic puppy obedience classes run about $100.

Costs are going to vary by location.

I just wanted to wish you luck on your future yorkie :) I got my first baby when I was living in an apartment, and we went on LOTS of walks, trips to the park and the dog park. It is important that they are not bored, because they can get destructive.

They can get very expensive so it is important to have a savings just in case for emergencies. We also have a couple large credit cards just for them because I want to know they are covered if anything ever happens. Some people choose to purchase insurance, but I find being diligent and putting away some money every month is more productive for me than paying someone else to cover my pets.

I wish you luck. I know that college students can be great owners, but a lot of younger people cannot handle the responsibility. I have now graduated and own a huge house and yard and could not be happier to finally be able to give that to my pups.

Good luck!

I agree with you 100%. Why send someone else, say $40, a months for the health of your pets? Wouldn't it be easier to set up a savings account and put those same $40 away month after month. It will be there when you need it with no restrictions like most insurances have. No money up front since it's your money anyway. People health insurance I understand, but pup insurance.... it doesn't work the same way and really doesn't have the same benefits.

A couple of questions and responses to some of the comments made above:

-So you advice against dog insurance? What are your thoughts on carecredit (if you have it)?

-Also, I'm having a hard time finding the sticky on dog costs. Can anyone please copy the link for me? I'd really appreciate it.

-As for factoring in the amount of money needed in case of an emergency, I figured that savings of around $3000 would be enough to cover if something happened, which is why I was only asking for estimates excluding an accident...however if you think $3000 is too low, please let me know!

-An unrelated question, I constantly keep coming across liver shunt. Has anyone encountered this problem with their precious baby? There's an 18 month old whose available for adoption who experienced liver shunt, but had surgery for it. Do you think adopting a dog that had this problem would be too much for a new yorkie parent? Any thoughts?

-I do understand how college students can be (I've had roomates!). However, I am now living on my own in a 2 bedroom apartment and I'm trying to get my phD, which honestly means that I spend most of my time at home studying. The only times I am not home is when I am in class (3x a week for 2.5 hours) or I go to the gym every morning for two hours (approximately). Other than that, I'm usually home reading, writing, etc. Fortunately, there's a lake half a mile away from my apartment that I occassionaly walk there to get some exercise...however it's lonely! I'd love to take my new baby with me to go running, and that'll cut my usual gym time!

I do want to agree with the last 2 posters. Although I do have insurance, it only picks up a portion of the costs. A good vet bill savings account is a must, too.

This is a really tough question because it depends on so many factors. That said, I can tell you from personal experience that puppies are generally more expensive than young adult dogs. The reason is that puppies, like babies, generally pick up more bugs and have more "scares" for minor health issues. The last time I had a puppy, I would estimate that we were spending about $300/month sometimes on vet visits (and we live in the DC region, which is a tad more expensive than other areas). But then there were a couple of scares, including one incident that involved a trip to the doggie ER, which ran about $800.

The question you also need to ask is do you really have the time that a puppy needs. Puppies require a lot more time and attention than do young adult dogs. They need to be potty trained (a very time-consuming task) and they also just require a lot of interaction and supervision.

Here's my personal opinion (and it's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth) - I adopted Vinnie, the first dog I ever had on my own, when I was in grad school. He was about 2 years old when I adopted him, and it was the best decision I could have ever made. Because he was already 2, he was past that "expensive puppy" stage. Sure, I had vet bills, but they were far less than what my family had when we got a dog as a puppy. Also, he was already potty trained and could stay at home for longer periods of time when I had class. He was more "settled" and didn't require the constant attention that puppies often need.

And, most importantly, because I adopted him, I was saving a little guy who would otherwise possibly not have a home.

Given where you are in your life, I really think that adopting an adult dog (maybe one that's 1 or 2) is the way to go. You'll likely have fewer expenses and a dog who is more suited for where you are in your life.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

I honestly think if you put in the effort, even a "college kid" can be a great yorkie parent.

I do have care credit for my little man. If my funds are depleted, and he needs major surgery, I just have to call and they'll raise my limit. That's assuming I'm in good standing with them. I do not have insurance for my pup. To me it's absolutely pointless since he has a pre-existing condition. (LP's) That has the potential of costing me thousands of dollars to fix, and no insurance will cover it. Instead of giving that money to someone else, I can just commit to setting aside the money monthly (even $10-$20) and if that day comes that he'll need surgery, I'll be financially ready.

I don't know much about liver shunt, but I'm sure a quick search on YT will help you find out more about it.

With a savings like that and care credit, I wouldn't advise pet health insurance, as long as you continue to add to your savings. Self-insuring is a great idea.

I believe this is the sticky they are speaking about for costs of owning a dog:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...wning-dog.html

Use your search tool in the sick and injured forum to look up liver shunt and read about it. There has been much written about it. Yorkies are prone to it. That is why it is important to know if the breeder does bile acid tests on the parents. I'll let someone else speak about caring for a liver shunt pup after the surgery.

There are probably some bigger yorkies out there that will jog, but the most the majority of them can do is walk. I'll admit they all have running spurts, but I don't think you will find a jogging companion in a yorkie. They do make great walking companions. When the weather gets very hot, you will need to be careful to walk them when the temperature is at the coolest part of the day.

Indy was a liver shunt pup that belonged to YT member, River. If you want to know all about liver shunt and what it is like to care for a liver shunt pup, then I suggest you read through the posts made by River regarding her Indy.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sea...archid=5078837

I forgot to attach this link about liver shunts and other information. It starts about one-third of the way down the page.

Alex's Yorkie Care Frequently Asked Questions. Page 3.

More info:

Lacy's Place in Cyberspace - Medical Information

I have insurance on my 3 girls and also a Care Credit line of credit of 5,000.00. I also have an emergency savings. I take the insurance since even an upset tummy on a weekend or evening can run in the hundreds. That's just my opinion. If you go with an insurance plan make sure you get one that covers genetic conditions. I didn't and Cali's liver shunt bills were denied and Pixie's LP surgery was denied.

Sorry. The link was lost. Here are a few:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ver-shunt.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ver-shunt.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...-tomorrow.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...s-surgery.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ed-my-leg.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...came-back.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...yesterday.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...d-results.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...t-my-indy.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...gery-over.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...aples-out.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...acid-test.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ew-shunts.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...shunt-3-a.html

Thank you for the links...I read through them all, I cannot believe she has dealt with 3 liver shunts! I know that if it came to it, I would do the same for my dog, but at the same time it scares me to get a rescue dog who has already experienced liver shunt once! The rescue is also asking for $800 becaue they want to "offset the price of the surgery," however I've looked at unitedyorkierescue.org, floridayorkierescue.org just to name a few and their prices aren't anywhere near that high. I'm assuming that it's because the rescue I found that cute little dog from doesn't receive that many donations?