For those who got a second yorkie..

[centralnewyorki]

Originally Posted by hunniebunnie

centralnewyorki i know it won't be twice as much with 2 yorkies vs. 1 yorkie but i have thought about where the increase in cost is going to be with a second doggie...and compiled a list... (i'm a list person )

individual items (approx $1300/year on an adult dog)
- routine maintence insurance
- accidental and health medical insurance
- other vet/medication fees
- professional grooming
- boarding and daycare (8 days/year)
- travel costs such as air travel (1x/year)
- food and treats
- flea and tick meds
- puppy pads
- baby wipes and other doggie cleaning products
- home cleaning products
- carrier and crate
- obedience classes

shared items
- clothes
- toys
- bedding
- home grooming products

existing duplicated items (items i have more than one set of anyways)
- harness/collar/leash
- food/water dishes
- pet bed

Another list person!! (I've been known to make lists of my lists! ) I don't have insurance for Olivia. My cousin was quoted at $67/month for 2 dogs, which works out to be $804/yr. After the spay/neutering expense, I don't foresee paying anywhere near that much on medical bills. Granted, accidents can happen, but my thinking is if ever an accident were to happen, how many $804's will I have paid by that time? Then there's deductibles, which I think is $50 for my cousin. I would rather just pay the expenses out of pocket and know that I'm not losing a lot of money on the deal. I also don't do boarding/daycare. I'm lucky that I have a few people in my family that are able to care for Olivia should I ever need to leave her for a few days. Just out of curiousity... what do you use baby wipes for? Olivia (thankfully) developed into quite the little hygenic baby and cleans up her patootie. She's pee-pad trained so it it's not bright and sunny, she doesn't go outside so we don't need them for muddy feet. I think I've gone through maybe 1 1/2 bottles of carpet cleaner since June, so that's maybe a $10 expense per year. (and I hope that my need for them will soon be less and less! ) My puppy pad cost is really low- I've spent maybe $50 on them since I got Olivia. Granted, we did spend a lot of time outside this summer, so there was a lot of non-use then. (And I won't even try to calculate the number of times she's "missed" the pad!) I use the Arm & Hammer brand, and usually get them at Target- they're always running a sale! (I just got 80 for around $10) I usually only give Olivia Cheerios for treats, so a box lasts FOREVER! Maybe Olivia's a really low-maintenance kind of yorkie, but other than her purchase price, I think she's been pretty cheap. Now, my wants for her are endless(!!), but I know that she's prefectly happy without super expensive beds, clothes, toys, etc- after all, she doesn't know whether I spent $10 on a toy or got it from PetEdge for $2! I say go for it!

[NCyorkie]

I got Romeo in May at 4 months...then got Denero in August at 10 weeks....it took Romeo a good two weeks to warm up to him. Now, at 1 year and 7 months, they are inseperable. They cuddle together, they play HARD and do get in fights sometimes but get over it quickly...Denero is a nagging little brother for sure. Romeo is pretty patient and laid back but when he's had enough, he will put Denero in his place. They are almost the same size and I think will stay that way. They chase each other and bark but that's not a problem for me since I live in a house. Like others, when they seem to get too out of hand, I just tell them to cool it and they calm down..for awhile at least! They have fun together and I usually let them play all they want! I'm stopping at two but I think it was the best decision for me. It makes Romeo's life much more fun, I think.

[hunniebunnie]

centralnewyork LISTS ARE GREAT!!!!!

i got insurance for bunjee. the routine maintence is $25/month plus $130 one time enrollment fee but it pays for all his dr visits, vaccines, travel certificate if i need it, neutering. it comes out to $430 this year, but next year it'll be $300 a year for all his exams vaccines and health screenings. although i'm contemplating whether or not to continue to routine aspect of the insurance after this first year. i'm kinda a nervous first time mommy... i'm always calling the vet to see if "something's wrong with my puppy". and at $40-50 a pop per dr visit around here times 5 visits (1 health exam and 4 vaccination visits) plus $20 per shot times 7 shots plus the neutering, the insurance pays for itself with all the visits i make for vaccines and neutering only. but as the puppy grows and i become a more experienced yorkie owner, i may just pay the annual routine stuff out of pocket myself and save a little money ($40 per annual checkup plus $70 per year for shots at vaccine clinic).

as for accidental and medical insurance, that costs $15/month. i've had friends who have had unexpected health issues with their dogs, resulting in medical bills in the thousands. i think $180/year is a good investment to reduce such an expense. it's in the nature of insurance to rip you off (JMHO ). you spend money hoping you never have to cash in on your investment. oh well.

As for thee baby wipes, I'm an anal person and my husband's a clean freak. Bunjee gets wiped after every pee-pee and poo-poo. His paws also gets wiped whenever we come back from the outside. but baby wipes at target are pretty cheap and we always get the econo packs.

80 pee pads for $10!!! that's cheap! i pay $30 for 100! what area of target are the pee pads you use? i gotta get me some of that when i'm done with my current box! bunjee is indoor trained. he won't go outdoors, not without a pee pad anyways.

Bunjee's also a really picky eater. Finding a treat that he liked was such a chore!

I just got a buncha toys from petsmart for bunjee. he's having a ball. it didn't matter to him that they were christmas toys, just that he's got LOTS!!! and they're cheap for mommy.

I think i am going to go for it eventually...just searching for the right one...

[centralnewyorki]

hunniebunnie- just watch your Target ads for sales. The 80 for $10 or $12 was a sale price, so I'm not sure what they regularly retail for. I've also gotten the 50 pads on sale for $7-$8- this was my first time getting the larger package. I was actually really suprised that there were cheaper than the ones I was getting at Walmart. These are a little thinner, but I think they work just as well, and I change mine often enough, so it's never been a problem. Also, they have a slight fresh scent, which is delightful! The pads are in the pet isle, near the cat litter, I think. They're in a big orange-ish yellow bag- you can't miss them!

I may have to check out the accidental insurance. You're right- $180 is a good price. Are there a lot of limitations on the coverage or large deductables? Which company do you use?

[shecass]

I love having 2 yorkies they get along great. I would never just have 1 small dog again. I would get a second one if I just had one. I say go for it. After the first year, your expenses would be cut down considerably.

[i_love_my_yorki]

I got Minnie a playmate because i thought she was lonely...........well she wanted nothing to do with Scamp for months.............now they adore each other.........Minnie is more social & playful...........with Scamp..........he adores her............now i cannot imagine one without the other

[hunniebunnie]

centralnewyorki
i don't remember ever seeing potty pads on sale in the target ads around here. maybe it's not as popular here? next time i go to target i'll definitely check it out tho. slightly fresh scent is an added bonus! the closest walmart to me is like 40 miles away.

i use VPI Standard Plan. i think the actual premium is dependent on your location and stuff. you can get an online quote from their website: www.petinsurance.com . there is a $50 deductible. There's also the Premium Plan that offers higher level of coverage with a higher premium. (like $20/month). they offer a discount for multipet families.

[ldenise]

I wanted one... then needed two ... then got six... now am down to four. I love it.!.
(we are making vet appt. to fix it)
Buckeye never played. I thought he needed a play mate. we got Ahia which he didn't want anything to do with. (at first). The first time I saw Buckeye play was with Cindy's Gizmo and the puppies. It has been good for Buckeye to have these others around him.
I wonder if there is anyone who doesn't want another yorkie after they get over the initial "did I do the right thing" stage. (puppy stage). They are addictive. (and so much work!) but so much love. well worth it.

[sabrinasmom]

Relieved the boredom? Please help me!! LOL.

I have a new 3 mo old Yorktese to keep my 10 year old Yorkie company and we are having a ball. The old girl takes the toys away from her and they play chase and tag and trade toys and argue over food and try and be "good girls" so they get more treats than the other - it's been WORK - but it has been a blast. Love it. Wish I'd done it years ago, because I don't know if these two will be really, really close because of the age dif, but they are already pretty good with each other. Usually just one little war a day.

Good luck

[chewysmom]

I am soooo dying to get another! I want a little girl so bad. Big Daddy told me that if he comes home one day and there is another dog here he will lose his stack!

I am very jealous of all of you. Please stop telling your horrid stories of having 2 yorkies

[paulapoo]

Yes, My yorkie is 1 1/2 yrs old. I got a shih tzu poodle mix in August. He's 7 months old. They play really well. There were many times I couldn't play with otis and felt guilty to see him just laying on the couch, now they wrestle and entertain each other. The pup can be a little dominant at times but it was a great decision. Both mine are male and neutered, I have had no problems