Is a yorkie right for me?
 

As the title says I am trying to figure out if I should have a Yorkie as a new member of our family, and I am hoping this forum can help me decide.
I guess I should start by telling a little about myself. I am 32, I share my life with my boyfriend (we are together for 11 years) and we just bought a townhouse, so we started to think about getting a dog. We both love dogs and cats, he had a dachshund and a stray tom cat growing up, I used to have a tom cat and 1 dog in my home country (my parents are taking care of them now). We do not plan to have human kids in the near future so it would be nice to have a canine one :).
I work as a software developer (I am out of the house from 8AM until 5:30 PM) and my boyfriend is between jobs right now. I was thinking that him being at home is convenient as he can watch the puppy , but I am not counting on this as we are hopping he finds a job soon, and getting a puppy is not something you do in a week.
The reasons I choose a Yorkie are :
1. We don't have a yard, so exercise needs should be met by running around the house (1700 sq ft on one level) and daily walks.
2. They are very cute and intelligent
3. Long life span
So I have a lot of questions, probably I will forget to list a lot of them, but here is a start.

1. Should we get one puppy or 2? I was thinking us being out of the house for so long they would keep each other company, but not sure if that will be enough
2. How sensitive are Yorkies to travel? The main reason we want a dog (and not a cat) is because generally dogs are ok travelling, while cats get very stressed. We go back home every Christmas, and that is normally a 14-16 hour trip by plane, and I want to take him/them with me.
3. How much does a puppy cost (from a responsible breeder)?
4. I read the "Before Buying a Yorkie: Vet Costs" thread, but was not clear how much of that cost is with or without insurance, and if there are insurance s that cover more (or everything as a HMO for humans).

Thanks for all the answers, and don't be shy if you find something that I need to correct on my assumptions. Also a list of responsible breeders in Chicago area would be welcomed.

I am new to the world of yorkies. They are smart, sweet and spunky. I have a bichon frise who is very lovable and cheery. My yorkie is more of a spit fire. Both are a great alarms. I think a yorkie will be a great choice. However, housetraining is challenging. Khloe is still a puppy and we are having some difficulty.

The only concern that I'd have would be about that 14-16 hour trip for the Holidays. What are the regulations for where you are going? Is there a quarantine period for animals? Plus that is an awfully long trip for a little dog, and most airlines will not allow you to take them out of their carrier, not to mention where/how will the dog go to the bathroom on such a long flight? Lots of concerns just with the travel.

The solution could be to have someone babysit for you, possibly stay in your home while you're gone.

Good luck:) Oh, and I am very impressed that you are doing your homework BEFORE you get a dog. Most people get the puppy first and then ask questions:laugh: This is very smart of you:)

Hi and Welcome to YT! You are at the right place for learning about Yorkies!! It sounds to me like you are perfect for a Yorkie. I am 30 (DH is 32) we live alone in a house- No kids… Not sure if we want to have them, just yet.. That is why we have our little Peanut. We have had him since he was a baby. He is 5 years old… He is the best thing that has ever happened to us. He goes everywhere with me, he is a little snuggle bear, he is always by my side, he is my everything (Next to my DH)

I work about the same hours as you do – 8am to 4:30, DH is more 5am to 6ish pm I always get home before he does. Peanut is older so he is in a crate until I get home. He just sleeps all day. He is never crated on the weekends. That is his time to have fun!

It is great ( not saying it is great your BF doesn’t have a job, hope he gets one soon) that your BF is in between jobs right now, if you do get a puppy they will need lots of attention and training… He will be home to do that.

I only have 1 dog, he has been the only dog- Just in my experience he likes it that way. Don’t feel you have to get two Yorkies,
Peanut travels everywhere with us, the only place he doesn’t go is when we go to the River ( Arizona, Ca) My Mom will watch Peanut when we need her to. Always make sure you have a couple people to dog sit- people that you trust!


What city/state do you live?

LOL Peanut is 5 and I am still having difficulty!!

About the flight home: It is in 2 segments, first is 6 to 9 hours, then usually a 2 hour airport wait and another 1-3 hours flight. I was thinking I could get some pads with me, and every few hours go to the bathroom with him and a pad so he can do his business. There is no quarantine where I am going, but no idea if the airline will let me getting him out of the carrier even for a few minutes in the bathroom. We don't have any friends who can come and house sit for us, all have families. I do have a couple that have dogs, but I think is kind of a big request to ask someone to take care of your dog for 2-3 weeks.

About letting him alone in the house, I think I have a solution. Out kitchen has tiles, and one part is a breakfast room (around 7 ft by 7 feet), meaning it only has 2 entries, one from the dining room and the other from the actual kitchen, and I could close those with some baby doors.

My concern was about the puppy's hypoglycemia, being alone at home, but I guess an automatic pet feeder can take care of that.

Now I only have to read some more and find a good breeder :)

If you will get 2 books I always recommend...."Yorkies for Dummies" and the other is "Yorkshire Terriers: A Smart Owners Guide". These two books will give you a thorough working knowledge of the basics you will need to know about these effervescent little dogs....You are very correct wanting to research the breed....Yorkies are NOT like any other dog you will ever be owned by, and you really need to know as much as possible to make sure this is where you want to go! Yorkies are terriers, with the terrier spirit, character, and stubborness.....they are devoted, loyal and their only goal in life is to be forever faithful to their mastrer/mistress....they expect to be included in everything family with you and if they are ignored or neglected, they will act out! They are wonderful precious dogs and will completely envelope your heart and soul, and I dare say, if a yorkie is the breed for you, once you have one, you will not settle for any other breed!

So true!! Yorkie breed is my first dog, I don't think I want any other breed either!!

Add Georgie to the list and he will be 7 in 27 days LOL. To the OP you came to the right place for all things Yorkie:) I am glad that you are doing research that's great! My only concern would be the long flight. Otherwise a Yorkie sounds perfect for you. I agree completely with Yorkiemom1....once you are loved by a Yorkie you will never want another breed:)

LOL I don't want to scare the OP- Lets say the love and loyalty of the breed make up for the potty training!! :D

Oh I completely agree and really I blame my husband and I for not being more diligent about it. However, I wouldn't trade Georgie for anything so it's all good;)

a yorkie might be a good fit for you, but a few things to consider. They travel well, but good chances are for your travel back home you will most likely have a LOT of trouble traveling out of the country with any pet, so don't count on that. where are you from may I ask. Lola travels with me a lot but there are a few trips where I leave her home and that is OK. Often two things will happen, your breeder, vet, or network of Yorkie friends will lead you to a person that boards yorkies or small dogs in their home, I have two here in MI and my dogs have always loved going there (no cages, they have a backyard, and they get to play with other small dogs) The other thing that could happen, is you might have a lot of friends that would love to "borrow/get their fix and keep the dog for you. I have two neighbors that almost fight over who gets Lola when we leave town. Try to find a yorkie that is at least 3 months old, if so you will have lots less problems and will know what size the yorkie will be full grown, and he/she will be better socialized and less likely to get things like hypoglycemia. Also with your schedule pee pad training should be a must. If you are planning on having a child soon, yorkies are not a good dog choice for toddlers and even until around 7 or 8. Younger ones treat them like dolls and can easily hurt or drop a yorkie without meaning to. Good luck

How refreshing to have some one research first! There are some other threads on here about Pet Insurance; and I'd recommend you look at insuring right away and with an Insurance Company that covers genetic defects. Make sure of that. Even still, better to wait a couple of years while you start a puppy savings account. Try to have in it at least $1000 beyond the price of the dog. Many insurance companies will want you to pay the vet bill up front first, and then there is always the deductible.

Yorkies can be "barky", and you will need to train them. A good puppy obedience class is a great place to start the training. That is after the puppy has had all the shots.

Getting a healthy dog from health parents and from a responsible breeder is the absolute best way to go. There are "stickeys" in here in the library on finding a responsible breeder. Make sure all the Breed Specific Health tests are done on the parents, and inquire into the health of the lines. These are specialized tests, and not just a general vet examination.

Beyond all that and that is a lot I know. Fast forward 5 yrs from now or 7, if and when you get pregnant, how is your mature dog going to fit into the new family that you are building? How will you prepare the dog for babies arrival, and will you be willing to make the necessary adjustments to accomadate? For Yorkies can live 15 or more years, and it is likely you will be having children long before your dog's life is over.

I wish you luck in your search

Thank You everyone for the advice!

We do have the money now for the puppy and we do have savings in case of emergencies, I just wanted to be sure that this is the right breed for us. I will order those books and read them, and try to contact a breeder nearby. I guess it will take time until a puppy will be available so I have time to do my homework (and maybe supplement our income with my boyfriend's paycheck)