Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK. So my parents got a yorkie in may last year and they havent had any problems with him. recently i have decided that i want a baby of my own! my question is, do you think that i will be able to leave it home during the school day starting in september? if i do get one, i plan on getting one around june. do you think the summer is enough time for me to get it used to me and train it enough to be alone when i start school again?

It's certainly enough time for you and the pup to bond properly. Depending on how you feel about it, you may want to do some research in the proper way to crate train and leave the pup in the crate while you are at school. I had a Yorkie many years ago and had no problems even though mine had the run of the house while I was at work. While they are little cuties, they are still a terrier and left to their own..they do become mischievous

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BOB
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

Are you in high school? If you are and you're planning on going to college or university remember that a dog cannot come to residence with you and many landlords won't allow pets - it will make finding a place to live while you are in school very difficult. And keep in mind as well that you don't know what your courseload will be so not only will your dog be alone for long hours while you're at class but also when you're studying, researching at the library, etc..

I'm not saying it can't be done (I'm in university and just got a dog) but it definitely makes life a lot harder and if you're the type of person that wants to have an active social life at school I wouldn't do it..

If you ever want to go away somewhere with friends or whatever, make sure that you don't assume your parents or whoever else will babysit, check with them first. Just make sure you've covered all your bases, Yorkies can live to be more than 15 years old, so if you're 18 now you'll probably have this dog to love and care for until you're at least 33..

There's a post about a situation a woman is having with her dog on the basset hound board where she and her husband have decided they don't have enough time for him and they want to have children but don't trust the dog, so they're trying to find him another home and he's only a year and a half...

Make sure you consider everything first, no matter how much you want the dog, wanting the dog is not the important part..

Good luck though I've only had my guy for a month and it's been a life-changing experience already, but I wouldn't give him up for the world

you've gotten some very good advice here but no one has yet mentioned what to look for in a healthy pup.

Be sure that any dog you get has a Health Guarantee, and that the guarantee covers Liver Shunts (Systematic Poral Cavel Shunt), Legge Perthes, as well as several other genetic problems. The guarantee should be for a MINIMUM of one year (I myself gurantee for 7).

Be sure to research the breeder, ask for references and CHECK them.

I would recommend that you go to a show breeder and not buy out of the paper or from some one who doesn't at least belong to a Breed club.

Ask the breeder questions. A GOOD breeder will welcome your questions and answer them all. They will also be very wary if you DON'T ask questions.

Buying from someone who has been in the breed for many years and shows is certainly not a guarantee you'll get a healthy pup, but the truly GOOD Reputable breeders stand behind their dogs, and their association with you won't end when you pay for your pup and drive down the road.

You'll pay more initially for a pup from a reputable show breeder, but in the long run you'll pay a whole lot less in vet bills.

Also, if you come across someone that is going to guarantee that the puppy will stay under a certain weight ... RUN. No one I know would do more than guesstimate.

Tinies (some call them teacups...grrrr) are sure cute, but remember this, they cost more initially and can potentially cost you LOTS more in vet bills. Everything from simple loose stools on down the list is an EMERGENCY for a tiny. They simply don't have the reserves of their more normal sized siblings.
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Joan
Responsible Breeders spay/neuter Pet puppies.
Statistically, the average breeder remains in a breed for five years. The mark you leave on that breed, good or bad, is entirely up to YOU!

Yorkiebrdr...thank you for the post and a very timely reminder about the virtues of dealing with a responsible and reputable breeder.
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Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
PHMax
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