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02-07-2013, 02:55 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Virginia
Posts: 22
| New to YT! Hey everyone, as the subject says I'm new to YT. I stumbled on this website several months ago when I started researching getting a dog and I've found myself coming back a lot to browse the forums. So, quick question! My fiance and I really want to bring a little bundle of furry Yorkie love into our home. We've been talking about possibly getting a dog for over a year and I've spent several months researching different breeds etc. and now I think a Yorkie is what we want. I'm a little concerned though because I've never owned a dog before at all and I've been scared of dogs for most of my life after a dog attack (friend's dog) when I was little that left me with scars for years. So I absolutely want a small, tiny dog under 10 pounds and it has been pretty non-negotiable with my fiance that if we get a dog it has to be small. I just feel safer around something small. I've heard Yorkies can be hard to train so can someone who has never had a dog realistically expect to be able to train a Yorkie? My fiance has to travel a lot for work so he will be around some nights, and on the weekends to help but I'm not sure that is enough consistency for the puppy which means I'm the main trainer I guess. The other question I have is if it is absolutely necessary for someone to be home with the dog most of the day everyday for the dog's entire life? I was considering rescuing instead of buying (my fiance quickly shot down that idea since he thinks I would be better off with a well socialized puppy since I'm still working past my fear of dogs a little) but I noticed a lot of the rescues 100% refuse to adopt to anyone who is gone from the home for more than 2-3 hours a day each day or can except to be sometime during the dog's life. I'm home pretty much all day every day right now (yay for on-line classes) but I expect to be working at some point. Okay so I totally lied that was not a quick question! Sorry for the novel there. |
Welcome Guest! | |
02-07-2013, 03:22 PM | #2 |
♥Love My 3 Furrbutts♥ Donating Member | Hello and welcome....Yorkies can be somewhat difficult to train, they are stubborn little mites! But there are puppy classes available to the novice, so yes you can train them. They love to be around their people and want nothing more than to please you...they are so very loving. I started with one and now I am owned by three! As for leaving them alone, I work full time as do many here...its best not to leave them when they are young as they are prone to become hypoglycemic...if not checked they can go downhill quickly. If they must be left, an ex-pen is wonderful to keep them out of trouble....large enough for a bed, food, water, toys and of course pee pads.....you have come to the right place, any question you have will be answered...there are many wonderful knowledgeable people here, someone is bound to have an answer for you. Keep us posted on your search, and again Welcome!
__________________ Jacqui, mom to Raelle , Orion , Jersey and Gizmo https://www.facebook.com/PreciousPawzGroomingSpa http://jlevy.scentsy.ca |
02-07-2013, 03:34 PM | #3 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MN, USA
Posts: 780
| Hi and welcome to YT! =) Yorkies CAN be very difficult to train, but if you don't have a history of training dogs there is nothing for you to compare it to! =) LOL! Ok, anyway, I am not comfortable leaving my pup for long periods of time yet. He is 8 months old now and 5 hours away from him is pushing my comfort level but he's been good with it so far, so the issue lies more with just me. Yorkies are awesome and I doubt anyone here will really tried to disuade you from getting one. If you opt for a new pup PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE research your breeder and what to look for. There are plenty of helpful people around this board that can help you with that. =)
__________________ Amanda |
02-07-2013, 03:40 PM | #4 |
My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca.
Posts: 12,228
| First off, welcome to the YT family! It's always so great to hear about people who are doing their homework before committing to adopt. Even though I have only Yorkies doesn't mean they are the only breed I would have. What made you decide on this breed? Have you researched other small non-shedding breeds? I love the tenacity and intelligence of the Yorkie breed. Some are more stubborn about house training than others, but I don't think it's any different than any other breed. They are high maintenance if you want them to have a nice longer coat. It can be expensive at the groomer, so you may want to invest in a dog clipper and a good pair of scissors. I've always done my own grooming. They usually need a bath once a week, but we get by with every two weeks in the winter months. Conditioners are a must. Most dog shampoos work well but there are some that do better. You will get lots of help in that department, as well as what to feed. I think to start out with the basics you will need an expen, crate, pee-pee pads, water and food dish, brush, comb, nail clippers shampoo, conditioner, toys, beef femur bone boiled and marrow removed, step in harness and leash (mostly for training to wear it for a couple months) sweater & jacket, crate pads, blanket for inside the crate and something to drape over the crate. Then have a Vet. appointment set up by the time you bring your baby home. Don't let the baby run around on any Vet. floor, store floors or go for walks until shots are completed. I even take a blanket to put in shopping carts so their feet don't slip through. Have a dog booster car seat or at least a strap that attaches to the harness then to the seat belt which is what I use. Pet Auto Safety Restraint Strap - Black | 2 sizes You may want to keep a roll of paper towels in the car at all times, and maybe some dog wipes. I'm sure you will get more information than what I've mentioned. Keep us posted on how your doing with your search.
__________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN |
02-07-2013, 03:52 PM | #5 |
No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: N/A
Posts: 3,692
| Welcome to YT! |
02-07-2013, 04:02 PM | #6 |
♡Huey's Human♡ Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Ringgold, Ga
Posts: 3,333
| Before I got my Huey, I bought. "Yorkies for dummies" & Your Yorkshire Terrier's Life: Your Complete Guide to Raising Your Pet from Puppy to Companion , & Yourshire terriers, your happy, healthy pet. These books were full of useful information and I highly recommend getting a book or 2 and reading"the instructions" before bringing your puppy home. As great as those books are, I have learned so much more on this website and wish I had known about YT before I got Huey. I recommend just reading. Training questions, sick and injured and even the breeders forum. Full of good info. Good luck with getting your new furbaby, puppy or rescue. As for being home all the time, once they are past the little puppy stage, it isn't mandatory, but I know mine is much happier if he has one of his people with him at all times. He gets sad if left alone too long. We have even stopped boarding him for any reason and now must find vacation slots where we can take him along.
__________________ Huey's mom, Marilyn :When a day starts & ends with puppy kisses, I can handle anything that comes in between! |
02-07-2013, 04:19 PM | #7 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Michigan USA & Sheffield UK
Posts: 4,119
| I'm not sure where yorkies are getting a bad rap for being difficult to train. I grew up with yorkies, and it's the only breed of dog I'd ever choose to have. One of the things that I love about them is that they have that terrier working spirit and are so darn smart. They want to learn & they want to please you. As long as you are clear & consistent in your training early on, you shouldn't have a problem. If your lax in training, then you may have a problem, but that's not the dog's fault, that the fault of the human owner. Most people have to work for a living, so most of us are away from our dogs for a while each day. Rescues have alot more rules & expectations (often unreasonable, IMO). I definately think, given your prior negative experience with a dog, that you'd be much better off getting a puppy, and bonding with it from the beginning & building trust in each other. Best of luck finding the perfect pup for you
__________________ Karan & ZoE (Chelsea ) |
02-07-2013, 04:34 PM | #8 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| Welcome to YorkieTalk! Its so awesome you are asking questions and stuff before getting the dog. The only way to guarantee your dog will be 10 pounds is to get an adult because there are yorkies that grow to over 10 pounds mine is 16 pounds but she still is pretty darn small to me. I don't think potty training is to terrible if you are committed to it. If you are outside training I would take them out maybe every hour or two and make sure you have a treat to give them when they go potty in the right place and when you cant watch them put them in a play pen. Many people have yorkies and work. I think if you end up working very long hours though you should hire someone to come over around the middle of that time and take them for a walk and check on them. One of the most important things to do before getting a dog or pup is to make sure financially you can handle it a good bred yorkie is between $1,000-$2,000 and that's the cheap part lol there is all the stuff you need you buy like bedding, food, shampoo, harness, leash, collar, tags, toys, crate, clothing and then the vet care for regular puppy shots and then emergency's which happen more then you think. Yorkies are stubborn and sometimes way to smart. When looking for a breeder make sure to look for a good one like by using the YTCA.org website and reading about what good breeders do on there website. Getting a cheaper pup from a bad breeder or a puppy mill can cost you a lot of money in the end, I know this very well because before I knew about brokers and puppy mills I got my yorkie from what turned out to be a broker who got there pups from puppy mills and although I would not change having her and could not imagine my life with out her she has had some very expensive health problems. Also a good thing to do is make sure you research all the health problems yorkies have. One thing that is very important is a harness you should never put a collar on your yorkie and then hook the leash to it because small breed dogs are at a high risk for developing collapsing trachea. Collars are ok for tags only but never for the leash. We are hear to always answer your questions so if you have more just keep asking.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
02-07-2013, 04:44 PM | #9 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Toluca Lake, CA
Posts: 5,491
| Hi and welcome to the wonderful world of Yorkie addiction. Buster is my first dog and I required a lot of training before Buster was fully pee pad trained. And I mean I. I had to learn not to give him free reign of the house, to watch him and learn the signs indicating he was going to pee/poop and get him to a pad or outside so he could learn what was the right thing to do. It's not easy but it is also not hard it just requires time and paying attention. Here is a wonderful post in the YT library about new puppies YORKIE PUPPY CARE GUIDE - For New Parents! One very important thing about Yorkies is when they are having health issues it is best to take them to a Vet or an emergency Vet right away. Better safe than sorry. It is good to keep them contained especially when young and you are away. You have to be extra careful about them getting into things, things falling on them. We used to yell out little man walking when Buster was a puppy because he was so tiny he would be right under our feet in a flash and I was so afraid of stepping on him. Yorkies are wonderful companions and they will enrich your life.
__________________ CarolynBuster Brown "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything." |
02-07-2013, 05:13 PM | #10 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: seattle, wa, king
Posts: 2
| Our amazing Yorkie I too am new to the site, and find it interesting! My husband and I are delighted to have a rescue Yorkie that is 2yrs old. It has been a pleasure to see our little girl blossom over this past 10mo. She was not for the inexperienced dog owner, as we had some major issues to help her overcome. She didn't have a clue what a collar and leash were for, and had to treat her like we did with our new puppies in the housebreaking department, and also getting used to her crate. She has done so well in all areas, and and we are well on our way to a loving and well adjusted little dog that loves to go bye bye, and has discovered the joys of squeaky toys. When we say it's time to go nite nite, she bounches like a little ball into her crate and sleeps thru the night. She was our first rescue dog, and we have so much enjoyed this experience with our little Gigi girl! So new dog owners, definitely go to puppy class, (petsmart has a fun one) you will both enjoy it, and crate training is a great tool in housebreaking and providing security with your new family member! |
02-07-2013, 07:07 PM | #11 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Virginia
Posts: 22
| Thanks everyone for all the feedback so far! It is definitely reassuring to know that a dog will be okay left at home some during the day while I'm working or whatever and that training is possible even for a total beginner. Someone in the thread asked if I have considered other small breed dogs and I will say that I have definitely wondered how it is possible to be sure which breed will end up being the best suited to the person. My fiance wants to get a Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie mix) but it seemed to me when I was looking into it that reputable breeders don't really cross-breed for designer dogs and I don't want to get a dog from a less than trustworthy breeder. My sister-in-law has a little Maltese named Lexi that is just the cutest thing ever and totally a lap dog. I absolutely love Lexi (except the vindictive streak in her personality where she gets mad at you for grooming her or something and then proceeds to go pee on whatever you love most like your bed or favorite shoes). I want a cuddly lap dog and my fiance wants a dog that loves to play. Most of the breeders I've talked to seem to think that whether or not a dog wants to cuddle or play depends mostly on the individual personality rather than the breed but I don't know. Some of smaller dogs I just really don't like; such as chihuahuas. Maybe I've brought into bad stereotypes but Chihuahuas have always been a very hyper, yappy dog in my mind... and they just aren't that cute. I love puffballs. From what I've heard about Yorkies they like to play but also can be happy napping on your lap, they're very intelligent and they want to make their human happy. Which sounds awesome in theory. However since you all have more experience (obviously!) with the breed if I'm thinking about this the wrong way I would definitely love to be corrected. I really want to end up with a good match for me and my fiance so we're happy and the dog is also! |
02-07-2013, 08:40 PM | #12 |
and molliluv too! Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Irving TX, USA
Posts: 1,619
| Welcome to the wonderful world of yorkies! Puppies need a lot of time and attention- I would reccomend adopting. An older yorkie will be more sedate and you can spend time with it to see what its personality is like. Just because a dog isnt a puppy doesnt mean you can't train it to your lifestyle. What ever you choose to do I'm glad your doing your homework. Knowing is half the battle
__________________ Teapot Club Member |
02-07-2013, 09:48 PM | #13 |
and Shelby's too Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Millbrook, AL
Posts: 7,842
| You've gotten some great advice above. I just wanted to chime in and say welcome to YT! Happy hunting for your baby Oh, and we were all first time dog owners at one point. It's how you learn and bond. You'll do just fine!!
__________________ Terri, proud mom to Mandie & Shelby-Dale |
02-08-2013, 07:03 AM | #14 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MN, USA
Posts: 780
| [QUOTE=NamelessAria;4129176] I want a cuddly lap dog and my fiance wants a dog that loves to play. QUOTE] I think that most Yorkies fit that bill. Big time cuddle bugs that also love to play.
__________________ Amanda |
02-08-2013, 07:23 AM | #15 |
YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Yorkielicious Town
Posts: 4,237
| Hi and Welcome to YT! |
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