Seeking advice-getting a Yorkie while working full-time

[baolinna]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum as my husband and I just thought of getting a dog for the first time recently. We both work full-time and at first we were thinking of getting a puppy. However, one of the breeders I contacted told me she would not put her puppies in any home where the dog would be left alone for the whole day as yorkie is relatively hard to be potty trained. I appreciate her honesty and we for sure want to be responsible owners and definitely don't want the dog suffers a lot. Then I started thinking of maybe getting an adult from the retired dogs from the breeders but so far I didn't find anyone has one available. And I also searched for some yorkies available for adoption but found many of them are having some health issues and I am not confident to handle that since we never had any pets before. So here are my questions:

1. Is there anyone here has had their yorkie puppy while working full-time? What would be the longest time a yorkie puppy can be left home alone? (We live in the tri-state area and won't be able to come home during lunch break because of the commute and we don't have any family members living close who can check on the dog during the day)

2. How likely/often do the breeders have retired/adult dogs for sale/rehome? Or is there any other reliable source to get a adult yorkie?

3. Is it OK to leave an adult yorkie home alone during the day?

Any suggestions/answers would be appreciated and thank you all in advance!

[Wylie's Mom]

Hi and welcome!

Thanks for putting much consideration into what you're about to embark upon - that right there is the first right step...so you're already on the right track.

Answers:

1. at least for the first 2-3 wks, a little yorkie puppy needs to eat at least every 4 hours until more mature and stable. But there are options here...you could hire a sitter to come and check on and feed your pup at first, and help w/ potties. Check out Rover.com for sitters/walkers right in your immediate area (I'm a Rover sitter and I think it's an awesome service!).

2. Hard to say "how often". Other places to check are your local shelters, rescues, and/or specific yorkie rescues.

3. Many people do work during the day and also have dogs. They find ways to make it work.

[matese]

Welcome to YT. I have worked all my life and have had puppies all my working career and never had issues with my yorkies being alone for 9 hours. As puppies they were confined to a small and safe area with food, water, pee pads, bed and toys. Because puppies cannot be potty trained out doors until they have all their vaccines which is usually at 5 to 6 months old, they were pad trained. At 5 months old they were 100% pad trained with no accidents and were then allowed free roam of the home, also it was time to train them to potty out doors. So I put them on a food a walk schedule. 7AM they ate, 7:30am they were walked,they made their pee and poop, even if they had made on the pad, they were walked anyway. 4:30pm I came home from work, they were walked, again they peed and pooped, fed at 5PM. 10PM I took them to the curb for their last pee and off to bed we went. Schedule feeding and walking is a MUST. Feed and walk at same time every day. By 7 months old my puppies were 100% house broken with no accidents in the house. I will say, I had bigger yorkies, my smallest weighed 9 pounds, 2 at 13 pounds, and my last girl weighed in at 17 pounds as adults. I never had anyone come to care for my pups while I was at work. Dogs are creatures of habit, once you start a routine they expect it all the time at a certain time. Smaller yorkies 5 to 7 pounds have smaller bladders and as puppies cannot hold urine for long periods of time, so potty training will take longer. Xpens or Iris pens are ideal for pad training and keeps them in a safe area while you are at work. There is no reason why you cannot have a puppy and work. Millions of ppl work and raise puppies.

[baolinna]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Hi and welcome!

Thanks for putting much consideration into what you're about to embark upon - that right there is the first right step...so you're already on the right track.

Answers:

1. at least for the first 2-3 wks, a little yorkie puppy needs to eat at least every 4 hours until more mature and stable. But there are options here...you could hire a sitter to come and check on and feed your pup at first, and help w/ potties. Check out Rover.com for sitters/walkers right in your immediate area (I'm a Rover sitter and I think it's an awesome service!).

2. Hard to say "how often". Other places to check are your local shelters, rescues, and/or specific yorkie rescues.

3. Many people do work during the day and also have dogs. They find ways to make it work.

Thanks so much for you answers. I have thought about having dog sitters/walkers to help but was a little bit worried about the dog would bond more to the dog sitters/walkers instead of us. But it is definitely a good idea that can solve my problem. Thanks a lot!

[baolinna]

Originally Posted by matese

Welcome to YT. I have worked all my life and have had puppies all my working career and never had issues with my yorkies being alone for 9 hours. As puppies they were confined to a small and safe area with food, water, pee pads, bed and toys. Because puppies cannot be potty trained out doors until they have all their vaccines which is usually at 5 to 6 months old, they were pad trained. At 5 months old they were 100% pad trained with no accidents and were then allowed free roam of the home, also it was time to train them to potty out doors. So I put them on a food a walk schedule. 7AM they ate, 7:30am they were walked,they made their pee and poop, even if they had made on the pad, they were walked anyway. 4:30pm I came home from work, they were walked, again they peed and pooped, fed at 5PM. 10PM I took them to the curb for their last pee and off to bed we went. Schedule feeding and walking is a MUST. Feed and walk at same time every day. By 7 months old my puppies were 100% house broken with no accidents in the house. I will say, I had bigger yorkies, my smallest weighed 9 pounds, 2 at 13 pounds, and my last girl weighed in at 17 pounds as adults. I never had anyone come to care for my pups while I was at work. Dogs are creatures of habit, once you start a routine they expect it all the time at a certain time. Smaller yorkies 5 to 7 pounds have smaller bladders and as puppies cannot hold urine for long periods of time, so potty training will take longer. Xpens or Iris pens are ideal for pad training and keeps them in a safe area while you are at work. There is no reason why you cannot have a puppy and work. Millions of ppl work and raise puppies.

Thanks for your reply. It is good to know that you made it while working full-time. May I ask a few follow up questions if you don't mind? Thank you!

1. We are thinking of getting a yorkie under 7 lbs when mature, does that mean it will be much harder or even impossible to do the same as you since your yorkies were bigger?
2. Some breeder told me even left with food, a yorkie puppy may not eat, does that ever happen to your dog?

[Britster]

Nobody would ever be allowed to have a puppy if we couldn't have them while working full-time. Is it always ideal? No. Do puppies need a ton of work? Yep. But dogs are also very adaptable creatures.

When they are young - definitely would not leave a pup for longer than a few hours. In the beginning, you may need to utilize a dog walker. Or forever. I am a dog walker and we have many different types of clients. Some just want their dogs to have a 15 min break/stretch in the yard. Others want a 30-45 min walk etc. Puppies will sometimes have 2 let outs in the beginning depending on how long the person works.

As an adult dog, Jackson is okay to stay home for 8-9 hours even though I prefer not to go over 6 hours. Also, he has always been outdoor potty trained, so we immediately began that at 9 weeks old (I got him a bit too early)-- can't imagine waiting until 5-6 months to potty train. Just be smart about where you take pup (I'd avoid pet stores, dog parks, etc if a young dog that is not fully vaccinated yet).

It's up to you on the puppy vs. adult thing. They are both great for different reasons.

[yavenay]

I've had pets my whole life and after a certain age, they are find to be left home alone as long as they don't have separation anxiety. A puppy is more work in the beginning but after a certain age, they settle into a routine just like humans do. Just make sure there is no separation anxiety and you should be fine.

I always use a webcam whenever I bring home a new pet so that I can monitor through the day to see if I need to make any behavioral corrections (like if they have separation anxiety). But honestly if our pets needed 24 hour supervision none of would have pets

While pets prefer to be with their humans, they will be okay if left home alone provided they have a routine. Animals are creatures of habit and they thrive in environments that are more structured and routine.

[canana]

Welcome to YT!

I can relate with your worry and concern. I'm a full-time working Yorkie mommy.

I would have to agree with your breeder. I brought home my babies at 5 months old. Personally, I totally would not have wanted them any sooner. At 5 months, I still had to coordinate someone to come over for an afternoon potty break so that they were only crated at a maximum of 4 hours at a time for their potty training period. It's crucial to have them relieved; otherwise, if they have accidents, it's nearly impossible to get them potty trained. Even at 5 months, it was not easy! Accidents are not only frustrating, but it risks letting them know accidents are okay, and making it harder for them to learn.

Adopting retired show dogs from reputable breeders are an excellent idea. Note that you'll still have to go through a potty training period regardless what the age, because when a dog goes to a new home, they will have to be retrained. Plus side is, being an adult dog, you know they have the ability to hold in their potty with proper training measures.

Like you, I had initially looked into rescue organizations, but not only were there no hyper-allergenic small dogs available at all, I also found that many have health issues.

I would keep looking for reputable responsible breeders and let them know of your interest in getting a retired show dog. It does take time and patience to get that perfect baby, so don't rush it. If you make a good impression, you never know. A good breeder may keep you in mind and retire one earlier, knowing that their baby will go to someone caring and responsible. Sometimes it's worth it even if you have to drive a little further to another state.

As mine are both adults now at 1.5 years and 3 years, they are able to stay at home during my 8-hour work days. Prior to letting them have free-access everywhere, I spent a lot of time training them to prevent separation anxiety so they won't bark or terrorize my home while I'm away. I also monitored them when I first let them roam around freely. Hehe... Everything was a very slow transition. It's all part of being the worrying and super cautious mommy! But I do believe that the more cautious you are and the more preventative measures you take, the safer and happier your babies will be.

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by Britster

Nobody would ever be allowed to have a puppy if we couldn't have them while working full-time. Is it always ideal? No. Do puppies need a ton of work? Yep. But dogs are also very adaptable creatures.

When they are young - definitely would not leave a pup for longer than a few hours. In the beginning, you may need to utilize a dog walker. Or forever. I am a dog walker and we have many different types of clients. Some just want their dogs to have a 15 min break/stretch in the yard. Others want a 30-45 min walk etc. Puppies will sometimes have 2 let outs in the beginning depending on how long the person works.

As an adult dog, Jackson is okay to stay home for 8-9 hours even though I prefer not to go over 6 hours. Also, he has always been outdoor potty trained, so we immediately began that at 9 weeks old (I got him a bit too early)-- can't imagine waiting until 5-6 months to potty train. Just be smart about where you take pup (I'd avoid pet stores, dog parks, etc if a young dog that is not fully vaccinated yet).

It's up to you on the puppy vs. adult thing. They are both great for different reasons.

Very well said! I, unfortunately, leave Kaji alone 10+ hours a day. (9 hour work day, 30 mins to 1 hour commute to work, 1+ hour commute home, and a few days a week I hit the gym before I go home because it will take me just as long to get home anyway, traffic , sometimes I go home, hang out with Kaji and run in my neighborhood, depends on the day)
Is this ideal? No. It's not. I wish I could bring Kaji to work with me, and the gym, and everywhere, but that's not possible. I also wish I could stay home with him, but no one wants to pay me the big bucks to stay home with Kaji.
So, we make do. When I'm not working, Kaji and I are together doing everything. In fact, we're hopping on a plane on Thursday to go explore a new city. Vacation = Kaji time!!!

You've already received great advice. A schedule is VERY important. It helps the pups adjust and lets them know what to expect and when. Kaji definitely knows when the weekend rolls around. He's ready to play, vs on the weekday, we get a few snuggles in after breakfast before I leave for work.

[rjwalt]

People get puppies and leave them at home while they work all the time. Yorkies are not some special breed that needs all of that kind of around the clock - special treatment, some people choose to treat them that way because they are small but it's a choice and not necessarily the necessity that many make it out to be.

I have found yorkies to be very smart and able to entertain themselves just fine, even though my schedule allows me to check often during the puppy days.

I would provide a safe fenced off area rather than a crate, during the day, perhaps a feeding timer or let the pup free feed, give em' toys, plenty of water and pee pads.

You can also possibly consider a dog walker type person or friend who can stop by and check on the pup or a daycare type situation when the pup is older.

[kittynyc]

Training and schedules are super important! My fiancée and I got our dogs while we were still in college (sorry mom!) and with our busy schedules we knew the only way to do it is to create a schedule for the first couple of weeks and split responsibilities between the two of us - tag team style!

The key is to TIRE THEM OUT. We'd play, run, take them to the dog park (even 15 min. during our lunch break was exhausting to them) and just try to stimulate them as much as possible so that the only thing they'd want to do is nap while we're away. Also, Kongs were clutch! We stuffed with doggy treats and peanut butter and it kept them busy for a while.

Once we were comfortable with how well they're doing (of course there's accidents) then we'd extend our times being away. And of course if dog walkers/friends/family is available for some help, use them! It's seriously like having a kid - you never want to be away for long and you want to make sure they have company lol

[canana]

Originally Posted by kittynyc

Training and schedules are super important! My fiancée and I got our dogs while we were still in college (sorry mom!) and with our busy schedules we knew the only way to do it is to create a schedule for the first couple of weeks and split responsibilities between the two of us - tag team style!

The key is to TIRE THEM OUT. We'd play, run, take them to the dog park (even 15 min. during our lunch break was exhausting to them) and just try to stimulate them as much as possible so that the only thing they'd want to do is nap while we're away. Also, Kongs were clutch! We stuffed with doggy treats and peanut butter and it kept them busy for a while.

Once we were comfortable with how well they're doing (of course there's accidents) then we'd extend our times being away. And of course if dog walkers/friends/family is available for some help, use them! It's seriously like having a kid - you never want to be away for long and you want to make sure they have company lol

Yes, yes and yes!

[FlyingNimbus]

Everyone has a busy life and can't be there 24/7 with their precious ones.

For puppies however, I'd find someone to look after them if you plan to be gone for more than 2-3 hours.

For adults, if no one is in the house try not to leave it alone for over 4 hours... or at least have them pad trained as well so they do whatever on their pads only.

Leave plenty of water. Our dog tends to drink quite a bit occasionally so we leave her 1 bowl and half another bowl of water which is usually more than enough.

Make sure to leave them in a dog proofed area and not to leave them alone with any chews.


Before you go out through that door try to take it out to the bathroom one last time to make sure they atleast urinate.


If you are indeed planning to be longer than 4 hours, maybe hire a dog sitter or have someone to just check up on them every couple of hours(i.e. to walk them, make sure their water bowls are full, make sure that they're ok, etc).

Don't leave it caged though, just pick an area you feel comfortable leaving them in. Preferably somewhere with tile floors in case of accidents, dog gates work wonders to keep them from going into other rooms.

Good luck to you on whatever you decide.