This Texas Newbie Needs Help! Hi y'all! I've been reading through some threads before posing anything. Boy do I have a LOT to learn. We are wanting to bring home a yorkie puppy to our family to love and care for. This will be our first dog ever (in my immediate family. I had dogs in my home growing up.) and my kids are so excited. They have been wanting one for years. My kids are 20, 17 & 13...so you understand how they are super excited as they have waited a long time. Here's the deal, I'm a little hesitant for a couple of reasons. I'm going to share them with you in hopes that you can maybe give me some reassurance that we can still make my kid's dreams come true. My girls have always wanted a yorkie. They have already named her. She will be Bella. My concerns: 1. We travel at least 2 weeks out of the year. I have no idea how we would handle this. I've heard horror stories on how people have put their pets in kennels and the pets were abused or neglected. I don't want that to happen. But I also don't want to stop traveling. 2. Now that my kids are almost grown (I've been a family manager most of my married life) I have decided to go back to college to finish my bachelor's degree. This means in the fall I will be going to school all day on Tuesdays & Thursdays 8-5. I'm concerned about leaving the puppy for that long amount of time, but I know there are people who work who still have pets. I'm interested in hearing your feedback about the above reservations I have. Lastly, since I've been doing research online I have learned about puppy mills & such. Ugh! I don't want to get a puppy who will have a lot of health issues, especially a pure breed. I had no idea how much they cost. After getting over the sticker shock, I definitely don't want to purchase a puppy who will have a lot of problems. I'm having great difficulty finding a reputable breeder locally. We live in a suburb north of Dallas. I would prefer not to have the puppy shipped to me, if at all possible. I would rather drive to pick her up. Thank you so much for your time and feedback. It really means a lot to me. Shannon |
Hi and welcome! I'm so glad you're taking this so seriously and asking questions. As for travel - these days there are so many options! You could either do a pet sitter in your home -or- go to Rover.com or similar and find someone in your area who will board your kiddo right in their own home. As far as full days away, it really depends on the age of the puppy. If you can free feed and leave water, the pup will be okay as long as it has access to a potty pad (I'd recommend an Iris Pen vs a crate; or keep the pup in a bathroom or laundry room). You may find this thread helpful too: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ent-guide.html |
As for leaving the home alone, I work full time and Duchess is home alone.....If it's just a puppy, I would recommend having someone doggy sit until they are old enough to be alone.....this is just a temporary situation. As they get older, they won't need as much supervision and monitoring. As they get older, you can get a webcam to see what they are doing home alone. As for traveling, my little one goes with me on some trips. I have a trusted family member who will doggy sit my little one for those trips where I am not able to take her. I also cat sit for her when she goes away. On the rare occasion that I have to board her, I take her to my vet's kennel.......so far no issues....plus they have her medical records in the event something goes wrong like accident or illness. So you have many options and I imagine they will change over time. It's tough finding someone you can trust with your baby. Talk to other pet owners in your area to help with finding kennels they trust if you need one. |
Hello Shannon. First I just have to say, I love Texas! It's one of my favorite states. And it kinda, at least superficially, reminds me of home in some ways when I think of the cowboy hats, oil, etc. I'm from Alberta. And I can totally see you speaking with an accent, and I'd imagine people call you a southern belle, yeah? Although I'm not completely sure what that term means nowadays. But I loved how you typed out the word 'y'all'. Anyways, as I read your post and saw the ages of your kids, I just wanted you to be aware that the work training the dog could very well possibly end up resting on your shoulders. I mention that because it seems you're maybe getting a dog possibly more so for your kids as opposed to for yourself. Just with how teenagers are with the things going on in their lives, and when the novelty factor of the dog wears off, etc. You maybe already know that but I just wanted you to be aware and ready to take that responsibility on. For traveling, if it's not an option to take Bella with you, just make sure that whoever is looking after Bella is someone who you trust and are confident they know how to care for yorkies. There's lots of people who end up leaving their dog with a stranger who maybe has tons of experience and maybe even has made a living caring for other people's dogs. But I'm totally against leaving dogs with strangers. I just can't bring myself to do it. Just be super careful if you go that route. If you're in the Dallas area it shouldn't be very hard to find a reputable breeder within driving distance. There might be a waiting list that could possibly be for many months or even longer. So that's just something to be aware of. You might have to wait. |
You might talk to Judy (Yorkiemom1). She is in Houston I believe and you can tell in her posts here how much she loves her yorkies. She is a breeder you can be confident in getting a great pup from. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/member.php?u=26123 Here is her site: Index - RoseHill Yorkies The breeder I got Cookie from is incredible (Deb Sillers, she also posts here under the username Amazing Yorkies), but she is up in Oregon so she'd have to put your pup on a plane unless you want to make that drive or flight to pick him/her up. Buying yorkies can be a real minefield with all the bad breeders and health problems they introduce through either complete negligence or through trying to breed tinies. What's really sick is some of the worst breeders are also some of the most expensive. |
Oh yes! Yorkies are a big responsibility! They have a way to make you see things their way Ha! But seriously, it sounds like you are very busy and will be for a while. Just me, I would want to start my new life first just to test the waters. Settle in with your education see how tough it may be. Scheduling home work and a Yorkie is a lot. Good luck with your decision. |
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