The
Decision: You decided you want a Yorkshire Terrier.
Think about what age dog you want and why. Puppies take
a lot of extra care, just like any other baby. There
are great Yorkies waiting to be rescued from homes all over.
Consider this option if you want to rescue one in need.
How much are you willing to pay for your Yorkie and the
essentials you'll need? Do you want to keep the long coat?
Grooming is time consuming and costly. Do you want to show?
Again, consider your time, your budget, grooming, and your
dedication. Do you want to participate in agility or other
sporting aspects? Again, consider all options there. Is
it the best breed of dog, for the event you want to enjoy.
Do you think you want to breed? Consider and weigh the many,
many pitfalls and extreme costs of doing this properly.
There are plenty of breeders already for every available
type of Yorkie. However, if you are dedicated to the breed,
and understand that you will not make more money
than you spend...then you might be a candidate. You must
be willing to care for an animal you bring home to be a
family member...like any other family member. This means
if one gets sick, no matter the hour, an emergency vet visit
is a must, not a question. You should also have developed
a positive relationship with a good vet before you bring
one home.
Crates:
All my kids have a vari kennel or plastic crate for
sleeping and car rides. When we ride in the car, my kids
ride in a crate. I refuse to take a chance with the life
of my kids. It's no different than a seat belt. For night
time sleeping only or short outing when traveling to shows
you need a crate. They especially like the fact they can
see me but it makes my sleeping a lot easier. When we
acquired more than two, sleeping in my bed became less
of an option. Of course some nights I can't resist but
I mainly let them stay in the kennel beside my bed.
PottyTraining:
It can be done with a crate. I let my kids where I am.
If I wanted a pet in a cage, I'd have gotten a goldfish.
I say watching the baby, showing it the place to potty
often and keeping a close watch are your best armor for
training. I use the piddlepads (link on links page) for
my dogs in addition to outside. All of them use it. They
are washable pads. They are put in the same place each
time and I haven't had a problem with them. One thing
is certain, if you think you'll be angry when a pet potties
on your floor - DON'T GET ONE! This is your child. If
you can't love it through the training process, why bother.
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Cages:
Then they said a cage.... what?.. a cage? You would not believe
it. I am definitely fond of them now. I get mine
from Central
Metal. They are expensive, but will last a lifetime. They
are only in it when we are away from home for a trip to the
store or my short work day. It is their little "room".
It is 3x2 feet and has a bottom, a cozy mat for sleeping,
their blanket, some toys, and food and water always. They
jump in and out of it in the family room to get their water.
Water was dispensed in a new way to me too. A water bottle!
No kidding. They are brought up this way and think nothing
of it. It keeps their face and long hair out of a water dish.
Makes sense now doesn't it. A small plastic dishwasher safe
bowl at the bottom makes it easy for anyone who doesn't want
to drink out of the bottle, or for a new pup to enjoy until
they transition.It also catches any drips.
Schedules
are great for these little guys. As with all training of
puppies, schedules help. My kids know what time we get home,
and that's a meal time. When we get up they get fresh breakfast,
when its dinner, it's their's too. They know after we eat,
they go potty outside. They know otherwise the pads are
for that. These little dogs are very smart. Once, when my
husband was looking, I jokingly said, "Heather, go
potty right there." I pointed to the pad. She did!
We all laughed, but that is just a sample of her intelligence.
The
best advice to put it shortly is, know your breeder. The
breeder should be willing to have you call anytime of the
day or night. You should never need any other advice, they
should know it all, and I mean all. They don't have to have
been breeding a hundred years, but they have to know what
they are doing and be available to you. You should
be able to see all of their dogs, specifically your future
pets parents and litter mates, you should be able to contact
their vet and get plenty of references. A Yorkie is a long
time family member, take it as seriously as if you were
adopting a child. Really! |
