New Jersey (Brick) HELPPPPP PLEASE!!!!!!
 

Hello All ,

My name is Vanessa and i am a single mother of a 2 in a half year old little girl named Taliah. She is Very very affectionate and loves doggies. I want to get her a yorkie for Christmas ( i always wanted a puppy under my christmas tree with a red bow when i was yuonger) Anyway i am looking for a yorkie that i can pick up Christmas Eve , however the thing is iam not in the position to spend an obsene amount of money , and was just wondering a little bit about the Yorkies ,

- How much do they normal cost ?

-do you know of any breeders in Central jersey area?

-are they hard to potty train ?

-are they good with children ?


my friend had one and all it did was shake CONSTANTLY is that normal ?

First of all, welcome to YT!

For starters, you may want to check the "rules" sticky at the top of this section. Members are actually asked NOT to post in this section if they are looking for Yorkies "on a budget," so to speak. I fyour funds are limited, you may be interested in checking the Rescues section.

I know that this is not likely the answer you were hoping for, but well-bred Yorkies from reputable breeders are generally pretty pricey. But, it's for a very valid reason. Breeders have costs they have to cover--vet bills, vaccinations, medical testing, stock, food, registration fees, whelping and grooming supplies, etc etc. It adds up quickly and they have to charge accordingly.

Also, due to their smaller size and somewhat fragile nature, they are not generally recommended for homes with small children, as is the case with many smaller dogs. Many breeders actually will not even consider placing their dogs in homes with younger kids. And they are also generally sketchy about placing them around the holidays.

At least, that is what is typical of REPUTABLE breeders. I'm sure a local puppy miller would give you a dog no questions asked for the right price.:(

Realistically, I'd say you are going to be pretty hard pressed to find what you are looking for. BUT, if you are interested in gaining a better overall understanding of the Yorkie breed, you have come to the right place. :)

First Christmas time is not a good time to get a new puppy no matter what breed.

Yorkies are fragile because of their size and many breeders won't sell to families with very young children.

And you need to be able to financially take care of a Yorkie, they are expensive to maintain. You have to figure out the cost of shots, spaying or neutering, food and unexpected vet bills. We had to take one of our Yorkies to the emergency vet and had to put over $900 down as a deposit for them to take her (they were planning on keeping her overnight and calling in the neurologist, so they wanted money upfront)

A nice pet quality Yorkie can run around $1000. I paid over $1000 for Beamer, and he is pet quality.

You can also probably find a nice Yorkie through a Rescue group. Check your local shelter out as well.

But, I really would rethink a Yorkie with a 2.1/2 year old and being a single mom with financial limitations.

Oh, and no, it is not normal to be constantly shaking.

Cost: anywhere from 1000 to 1500 from quality breeder
Potty training: Difficult to train and some never do. Smaller breed dogs are more difficult than larger.
Good with children: Some are some are not. They are a rather fragile breed and bones break rather easy when around small children.
Breeders: You are welcome to check the YTCA for breeders however as stated here not many would sell to someone with small children, and not many rescues would either. Now unethical and less than moral greeders would probably jump at the chance to make a buck, but buyer beware. You may get one for cheaper and to you but you will most likely end up with a sick baby that will cost you over a grand the first 6 months! Do your homework is what I would suggest to you.

Hi Vanessa. I'm from Jersey too. Not too far from you. Point Pleasant is my stomping grounds. I am going to be very straight forward with you from one jersey girl to another. You may not want to hear this, but I really would not reccomend a Yorkie for a 2.5 year old child, no matter how well behaved and gentle they are. Personally would wait on any dog until your daughter is around five or six years old and go with either a bigger Yorkie or an all together different breed. If you are set on a Yorkie, try to find the teapot of the litter which simply means bigger then standard, like 10 pounds or more. They are still small but not quite as fragile. YES, tiny Yorkies do tend to shake, especially around small children. Yorkies are great with children as long as the children are good with them as with any animal. You get what you give. If you are constanly pulling on them and chasing them then of course they are going to protect themselves. As far as potty training, they are notorious for not training well, especially the smaller Yorkies. Again , a bigger Yorkie 10 or more pounds is going to have a bigger more developed blatter and will train a little easier but they still will have their accidents. Yorkies are also high maintances so if you're a single mom with limited income it is another something to consider. If I can help you in any way please let me know but again I would strongly reccomend NOT getting any animal until you daughter is older around five preferably six. AND, certainly not around Xmas. it's really not a good time. You are better waiting until after the holidays when it's calmer and less stressful. It's always neat to want to surprise our children but sometimes we have to look for what is in the best interest of the animal. Also when you're ready www.petfinder is a great place to look. You can adopt for around $300 - $400 and that will include the necessary vetting, shots and spay or neuter. It's a great deal and you're saving a life.

Elaine (mom to five yorkie rescues and one more)

I don't have any advice on the cost of a puppy or references on breeders. I do however, have 2 rescues. I adopted a yorkiepoo at 4 years old and a yorkie at 6 months old. They are now 6 years and 1 yr, respectively. With rescues, there are sometimes an issue of a history or past, but most rescues are placed with foster parents and they could tell you about the dog's personality or if the dog is a good fit for you. Max has some social issues but is mostly a momma's boy and Lily is the sweetest thing ever...she wouldn't hurt a fly. Adopting a rescue can be very rewarding....its something about knowing that you are giving them a second chance at a happy, loving life. I believe they know it too...they have so much love to give us.

I also have advice on being a single parent and having a dog. The cost to purchase a puppy is one thing. It can be quite costly when you start thinking about premium food and treats, grooming, vet bills, monthly flea & tick (not over the counter Hartz) and heartworm prevention. If you are looking for a smaller sized yorkie, be prepared for a lot of vet bills because they are very fragile.

I'm not trying to discourage you but I think a lot of people buy a dog not realizing the true cost and commitment it takes. Hence the overpopulation in shelters.

the cost of any dog but particularly a Yorkie is minimal compared to the lifetime cost of a dog. And that with any dog is what you are going into. When you |buy" or adopt a dog, you are giving a promise to this being to love, to shelter, and to care for this pup, until they die. You will promise inyour heart of hearts, to give timely and needed vet care, be it regular vaccinations, specialty drugs to help your dog with various health problems.
You will need to familiarize yourself with all the health concerns of a pure bred Yorkie, and there are many. And should you decide on a Yorkie, be prepared to fund all the medical costs if your dog does indeed have health problems.

Just to give a comparison according to the standard a full grown Yorkie will only weigh 7 pounds. Your 2.5 yr old is at least 4x that weight right now.
Are they delicate? Well yes and no. They will surprise you with their vigor, but please understand this big dog in a little package is only 7+ lbs or so. and yes that means they can be hurt by a 3 yr old.

You will need to spend at least 10 hours per wk on the following, potty training, socialization, obedience training, and grooming, walking, and feeding. do you have this time to spend?

All interactions with your female baby for the next 8 years or so must be constantly monitored and supervised by you. Are you prepared to do that?

Should you decide to go forward with this idea, then there are stickies in the YT library that will help you select a breeder, etc.

Unless you are commited and prepared to safeguard your pup to the same degree you safeguard your human baby, most reputable breeders would pass.

FYI: the absolute worst time to get a pup is on Xmas EVe and those Christmas holiday.s

Good post! :thumbup::thumbup:

Out of curiosity.....why is chistmas the WORST time to get a yorkie?

I've been reading that a lot lately around here, but no one has explained why?:confused:

Several reasons. People are always extremely busy during the holidays. Not really a lot of spare time to stay home with a pup while it adjusts. Also, it's crucial for Yorkie pups to have a stable, calm environment when they are first placed and adjusting. They are prone to low blood sugar and it takes very little to cause them stress when they are young. Christmas or busy holidays--lots of things going on, traveling, family and friends in and out is anything BUT calm and stable. Also, many people have wonderful visions of giving pups as presents for Christmas, so lots of time, it's an impulse bought on impulse in an attempt to make a story book worthy story, but soon after, families realize that the reality of caring for a pup long term is not what they'd envisioned.

Responsible breeders do whatever they can to ensure that they are placing their dogs into good environments. You can't be there every minute when a pup is placed to ensure an easy transition into a loving home, but many do what they can do and refrain from placing pups around holidays to help avoid any of the aforementioned issues. :)

@ Jrsygal37....WOW that's deep! That is just terrible....it really breaks my heart to hear that.

@Bamafan121s, yea that makes sense. When you 1st get a puppy they need their rest, & get used to their new home. Everybody is going to want to touch it or hold it or want to play with it all the time & that can be a lot. :(

The reason for me asking is because I was thinking of (FINALLY!) getting my yorkie during the holidays or next summer. Not as a gift though, I've always wanted a yorkie but I'm in school right now & I wanted to wait until I was off from school. I think ill just wait until next summer. :)

This is a great article:

PUPPIES AS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS?

Hi Vanessa, I can tell from your post that you and your family sound very excited to get a puppy (who can blame you, puppies are great) I wanted to share my experience with you.

There are two experiences that I've had that may help you make the right decision for your family.

I have a two year old Yorkie, Sophie Kate she traveled with us this year to Michigan to visit our family which includes a 2 year old little girl who LOVED Sophie Kate. It was so stressful for me, Sophie Kate was kind of afraid of the little girl and Ava (the little girl) wanted nothing more than to play with her. It required a lot of supervision by myself, my husband and the little girls parents. Now Sophie Kate is not a little Yorkie, she is 8 lbs but we still had to make sure Ava didn't pick her up and was playing nice with her. I have no doubts someday Ava will be a Yorkie owner and probably posting on Yorkie Talk but for right now she is sticking with her family dog, a sturdy Black Lab who loves kids and can get away when needed.

If you decide to get a family dog I would suggest perhaps you look at local rescue, some place you and your family could visit to see how the dog fits in. There are so many wonderful dogs in rescues who are just thankful for a person to stop and give them some attention.

My thoughts on a dog for Christmas, who wants to clean up pee on Christmas? Sorry if that sounds rude but really that is what would happen.

Don't give up on finding a dog, just make sure the time is right and you pick the right breed of dog for your family.

This wanders off topic a bit...but after reading the posts and the one that referred to rescues saying come in February for the Christmas puppies...I wonder if that's common? I find it hard to believe some would pay $1200 plus for a dog and dump it at a shelter because it's inconvenient (difficult to potty train, not 'exactly' the type of dog they were looking for, things like that); however, I could see someone giving a dog with significant health issues (maybe because they bought from a poor breeder) to a rescue because they couldn't afford the unexpected medical care nor anyone to take it that could afford the care and rather than put the dog down they hope it will find a good home and the proper care.
Secondly, whether to get a puppy at Christmas is a good time I think it depends on your lifestyle. After the initial tearing open of the packages by the kids, Christmas is pretty mellow at our house and I'm sure a lot of people don't overextend themselves during the holidays.
My experience with my Yorkies I would say Yorkies aren't the best pick for a small child and after raising several children I firmly believe in not getting them any animal when they are so young as the animal generally dies when they are teenagers and that being an emotionally rough time anyway for kids, having their beloved pet die just adds to the turmoil. Wait until your child is a bit older and when they lose their beloved pet ( and they will ) they will be old enough to understand the circle of life and death better.
Kendra