Please Help! How much should my yorkie pup cost?

[lisakurth]

well at least when I bought him he was tiny. He's 2 1/2 #'s now at 5 months. I would definately consider the vet bills if you buy a small tiny puppy. We had our little man at the vet twice the first week we bought him.

[natalie05]

Originally Posted by lisakurth

well at least when I bought him he was tiny. He's 2 1/2 #'s now at 5 months. I would definately consider the vet bills if you buy a small tiny puppy. We had our little man at the vet twice the first week we bought him.

Thanks for that. Do you know anything about dog insurance? Would the procedures you had done be covered?

[chewysmom]

I paid $1500 for Chewy and he is a little on hte small side at 3.5# I feel I got a bargain because he is sooo priceless

When I was looking, my personal cap was $2,000. I really can't see why a dog would cost more than that

[Patti]

Originally Posted by lovelilly

To Cali's mom...did you pay 2000.00 with pet insurance? I was hoping that pet insurance would prevent me from going broke! Yikes...I am a little worried now...

I have not been reimbursed for any of the 2,000 yet because most of the expenses were hypoglycemic related which was rider out because she had an episode prior to getting the insurance. I am hoping to get some of the last $377.00 I spent back. Also, If her Bile Acid test is positive, which I am praying it;s not, they won't pay for it because it's congenital.
My advice is to get the insurance effective the day you pick your puppy up so they don't have a chance to be seen for a conditin that the Insurance Company will rider out.

[Erin]

I just want to jump in here and say a few things: First, if you do want a tiny one don't pay extra for a <cringe> "teacup". Yorkies should be 4-7 pounds. Ask for one that will be at least 4 pounds. You are concerned about price to begin with, so be warned that vet costs are high for any sized Yorkie. Baby teeth need to be pulled ($100), Neuter/Spay ($200), Shots, etc. ($100) and we've been at the vet probably 6 times in addition to that for UTIs, diarrhea, Giardia, LP, and more. (6 x $100). (Loki's 1yr old.) It's true that when they get sick you can't wait to find out if it passes. Too much cheese can result in a vet visit for dehydration due to diarrhea.

Second, please consider up to maybe 6-7 pounds. Loki is NINE pounds and he still fits in my carrier, has a carseat, goes EVERYWHERE with us. He gets heavy after a while, but he's still a tiny dog, IMO. Spend some time with some different sized Yorkies and see for sure. An extra tiny one can end up costing a lot more both in the beginning and throughout it's life. A "regular" sized one will cost less up front AND is more likely to not have things like hypoglycemia, etc. Also, don't necessarily choose based on price. A good breeder has to charge more because there are so many vet costs, etc. involved. In THAT case it's worth the extra money.

I held a 4 pound girl yesterday (she was at Daycare with Loki) While Loki played with all the BIG dogs (doberman, boxer, lab) this little girl was not so sure about them. She was ADORABLE, but when I picked her up there was nothing to her. She felt extremely fragile. Again she was the cutest thing ever, but another 1-2 pounds would really make her a lot more solid. Loki takes 4 stairs at a time on the way down, and this girl probably isn't able to go up and down at all, and I'd be afraid of her falling. So cute, but soooo tiny. My friend has one that is 22 oz. They are hoping she will hit 2 pounds. She can't do stairs. She lives in a playpen because if she is on the floor she will either get lost or stepped on. She doesn't get to act like a normal dog.

If you still want a tiny and are willing to provide the best care for one, then go for it, but find the right breeder.

You may or may not know this, but tinies can come from a "regular" sized litter. Please don't go to a breeder that breeds all tinies or advertises tinies/teacups. I think there are a few people on here that have been breeding tinies for YEARS and know what they are doing, but there are only a FEW. There are THOUSANDS of breeders breeding tinies for the wrong reasons ($$). A LOT come from puppy mills because they fetch top dollar. Be extremely careful. If you walk into the wrong breeder's house and utter the word teacup they will see dollar signs!

Do your research before you buy a pup, and if you think you've done enough - DO MORE. (We did a TON of research before getting Loki, and we got him from a SHOW breeder and he was just diagnosed with Luxating Patella. If you don't know what LP is, or Liver Shunt or Hypoglycemia, you also want to read up on common yorkie genetic problems and how to avoid them before you buy.) You need to know what questions to ask the breeder, and people on here can help you with that. I promise, the research you do now will save you a TON of $$!!! Good luck. This is a fantastic place to ask questions, so don't be afraid to ask.

P.S. Loki was $800. He was 3.5lbs at 13 weeks and the breeder said he'd hit 7 - which was a realistic estimate. He sprouted these long legs no one could have predicted and he's settled in at about 9lbs. Males cost less than females, and smaller yorkies tend to cost more regardless of sex. And again, we just found out he has LP, which is genetic. He would have cost significantly more if his parents had genetic tests (xrays or OFA). If I knew what OFA was before I bought him, I would have paid more for an OFA'd pup.

[chachi]

The price is dependent on your area. Your also going to pay more for a yorkie that is smaller than 5 lbs. Why dont you look for a breeder that beeds them 5-6lbs. That is still small believe me My girl is 6 lbs and I take her places in a carrier she is very petite.

[natalie05]

Originally Posted by chachi

The price is dependent on your area. Your also going to pay more for a yorkie that is smaller than 5 lbs. Why dont you look for a breeder that beeds them 5-6lbs. That is still small believe me My girl is 6 lbs and I take her places in a carrier she is very petite.

I'm going to play with a friend's Yorkie today that is about six pounds. I have changed my mind about a small dog, for sooo many reasons. THANKS everyone. Your babies are beautiful!!!

[abbie's mom]

There is SO much great advice, here - I'm thankful I stopped in! I, too, was 'set' on the tiny Yorkie I'd always pictured - until I had a candid talk with an acquaintance who has a 4lb male and 5lb female. Her babies are 14 months, and she's already spent $1,000.00 over the cost of purchase on the male.

I'm so glad I did a little more research, else I wouldn't have gone back for Miss Abbie. She'll probably be 8-9lbs fully grown, and we paid $950 for her.

[shelbysmom]

I have a tiny female Yorkie and I have spent zero on her Vet bills.

I suggest you take your time and find reputable breeders first. Do not rush into this and settle for something you don't want. While it is very difficult to find a smaller female, finding one that will be 5lbs. shouldn't be that hard. For a young person (who's back is still in good shape ) that might be a good size. She won't be quite as fragile but she will still be small enough to include in your adventures.

It may not be impossible to find a smaller female under 4lbs. for less than $1000. but it will be very difficult.

Take your time and make finding the good breeder with healthy pups your main priority...then wait for the right pup.

[Raven]

Just keep looking! You will find your girl. We found Hope, who was 2 when we bought her, and paid less than $1000. She is 3.5 lbs., and very sturdy!!!!