The Yorkshire Terrier is a fun, loving and independent dog breed. The Yorkshire Terrier was originally bred in Yorkshire, England, in the 19th century, to catch mice on ships belonging to the British Empire. This Terrier is a good pet, but it also requires responsible maintenance. If you want to welcome a Yorkie into your home, make sure you're ready to take responsibility and make important decisions about the puppy you're going to make as a member of the family.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Deciding to Buy a Yorkie
Step 1. Consider whether you are ready to commit to caring for a puppy
The average Yorkie can live from 12 to 16 years. This dog will be in your life for a long time, so don't buy him if you're not ready for a long-term commitment. In addition, dogs that don't get enough attention and care on a daily basis often develop behavioral problems, such as excessive barking, biting at things, and digging in the yard. While the Yorkie doesn't need as much exercise as other breeds, he still needs attention and love.
If you don't have time to give your dog the attention he needs to be happy and adaptable, wait until you're ready to have a dog at home
Step 2. Do the math to determine if you can afford to take care of the dog
When buying a Yorkie, be aware that you will have to spend more than it sold for. All dogs have ongoing needs throughout their lives, including high-quality food, toys, grooming fees, licensing fees, and regular medical check-ups. You will also have to spend a lot of money in the first year to buy kennels, carrier bags (eg to take the dog to the vet), training sessions, spaying dogs, vaccinations, etc. In the US, the ASPCA estimates that small dog owners will spend about $17,000,000 in the first year caring for their pet, then about $7,600,000 in subsequent years.
Step 3. Determine if the Yorkie is the right breed for you
Each dog breed varies in size, temperament, and needs. Even if you love dogs, you should think about whether a particular breed is a good fit for you and your family. The Yorkshire Terrier has many positive traits:
- The breed is classified as a "Toy" (toy) breed, which means you can hold it in your lap. He also won't damage the couch or harm you when he gets too excited.
- Yorkies are adaptable and fit well in large houses and apartments.
- While each dog has its own personality, Yorkies are generally friendly to cats.
- Yorkie is also a very smart breed and easy to train.
- Yorkie is a loving friend and enjoys being around her family.
Step 4. Know the racial risks
While the Yorkie has many advantages, all dog breeds actually have their own drawbacks that make them unsuitable for certain home environments. Here are a few things you should know before bringing a Yorkshire Terrier home:
- Yorkies are territorial dogs who love to bark. While this will make him a good guard dog, you should train him not to bark excessively to create a pleasant home environment.
- While the Yorkie loves to relax and be around, his energy is very high and he loves to run around the house.
- Because of their long coat, Yorkie owners must commit to regular grooming and be willing to take care of their hair loss.
- Yorkie may be full of love, but he can also be fierce at times.
- All of these downsides, apart from their small size, may make the Yorkshire Terrier an inappropriate choice for families with small children.
- All purebred dog breeds have their own health risks. In Yorkies, these risks include problems with the knees, windpipe, teeth, hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.
Step 5. Choose your ideal Yorkie size
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), there is no official size variation on the Yorkie. Healthy adult Yorkies 1.8 and 3.1 kg. This means that "teacup" Yorkies - although not classified as an official breed - are dogs that have been specifically bred to keep them small. It may weigh as little as 0.4-1.3 kg as an adult. Adult dog sizes can only be estimated at birth, so there is no guarantee that your Yorkie "teacup" Yorkie will not grow to a weight of 1.8 kg.
Be aware that breeding for "teacup" sizes is usually bad for your dog's health. You may have to incur more health care costs for smaller dogs
Part 2 of 3: Deciding Where to Buy a Dog
Step 1. Determine the source of your Yorkie
There are three options for acquiring a Yorkshire Terrier puppy: breeders, dog rescue parties and dog shelters. All of these sources have their own pros and cons:
- Breeders: breeders can provide dog bloodlines if this is important to you. However, the cost may be high. In addition, irresponsible breeders may not properly care for puppies in the early stages of their life. Bad breeders may also breed unhealthy dogs.
- Dog rescue groups: look for Yorkie-only dog rescue centers near your area of residence. These animals need proper housing, so if you want to save them, seek out rescue groups. However, you will not have a legal ancestry, and many of these dogs may be of mixed breeds. You may also find more adult dogs than puppies.
- Dog shelters: finding a purebred Yorkie at a public dog shelter may be more difficult, and it's also easier to find adult dogs than puppies. However, if the dog shelter has a euthanasia policy for dogs that people don't adopt, you may be saving a dog's life. Also, dog shelters are usually much cheaper than breeders or rescue groups.
Step 2. Contact dog rescue groups and shelters in your area
Many of them have websites that are regularly updated to feature dogs that can be adopted. Check the websites for the puppies you want to rescue.
If you don't see a suitable puppy on the site, contact them and ask to have your name put on a waiting list. They may want to contact you if they find a Yorkie puppy
Step 3. Ask the farmer in the area where you live in a phone call
If you choose to buy a puppy from a breeder, do a thorough investigation of its ethics. Breeders do not need permission. Anyone who owns a pack of puppies can call themselves a breeder. Make sure you only buy puppies from someone who takes animal breeding seriously. Qualified breeders will let you ask questions even if they are out of puppies for sale. They may also be able to provide referrals to other breeders who have the puppies you're looking for.
- Ask breeders how long they have been breeding Yorkies, and if they are aware of any particular health issues in the dogs they breed.
- Do their dogs come from a good lineage, and can breeders provide certificates and pedigree lists to prove that the puppies they are selling are not from the same lineage?
- Do they trim or trim their puppies' tails? Tail cutting is a cosmetic procedure that is considered illegal in some countries. This is a form of mutilation, and breeders should not be encouraged to do so for any reason.
- If you want to raise Yorkies yourself, ask if the breeder requires you to spay any puppies you buy from them.
- Does the breeder have a return policy if your living situation changes or you encounter health problems with the dog you purchased?
- Has the breeder started a puppy vaccination program? What injections have you given him, and what other vaccinations do you still need to complete?
Step 4. Visit any breeders that seem suitable
The farmer can say whatever he wants with a phone call, but you should visit some of the best options in person to see if they run their farms with confidence. Good breeders will socialize puppies from a young age so that they trust humans. While some puppies will be more shy than others, in general all puppies will feel comfortable around humans. Ask to see the puppies together with the mother to make sure the dog family is happy and cared for together, and the puppies are not separated too early.
- Make sure the breeding facilities are clean and each dog has a comfortable place to live, with its own food and drinking water.
- There can be no more than 1 or 2 Yorkies in a cage.
- Check and make sure the dog area is tidy and free of dirt or urine. Responsible breeders will clean the dog kennels daily.
- If the farm looks unprofessional or questionable, remove the breeder from your list.
Step 5. Don't buy dogs from the puppy mill
Puppy mills are dog farms that breed and sell lots of dogs just for the sake of profit. Because they are more interested in money than the quality of life of the dog, they do not provide good care for their animals. Puppies from the puppy mill usually bring home giardia, parvo virus, and other diseases that a responsible breeder will treat. Puppy mills often breed their dogs in the same breed and in excess, so that the puppies' medical condition is poor and visible as they grow up. Because puppy mill breeders don't take the time to interact with their animals, the puppies are usually not socialized, even afraid of humans.
Puppy mills are very inhumane. Never buy from a breeder who does not properly care for his animals for any reason
Part 3 of 3: Choosing a Puppy
Step 1. Visit all the puppies in a pack
To find the right Yorkie, watch his behavior when he is around his siblings. See if he's shy. If 4 out of 5 available puppies run away or are afraid of you, this may indicate that shyness is in their genes. The only puppies that are brave also still come from the same genetic code, so look for puppies from other breeds/breeds.
- Watch the puppies play with each other. Normal puppies are curious, friendly, and love to play.
- Look for warning signs: is the puppy anxious? Afraid? Aggressive?
Step 2. Assess the health of each puppy
Ask the breeder for permission to examine each puppy personally. To find the right Yorkie, make sure he's healthy and evaluate his behavior when he's not around his siblings.
- Inspect the puppy's fur, eyes, ears and back. A healthy Yorkshire Terrier puppy will have clear eyes, a clean nose, shiny coat, and clean ears. A sick puppy may have dull fur, discharge from the nose, cough, distended stomach, and dirty ears.
- Test the puppies' hearing. Make a loud noise and see if the puppy reacts. A puppy with keen hearing will react immediately and be curious about the source of the sound.
Step 3. Request a medical record history of the puppies to the last minute
Puppies should be taken to the vet frequently to be vaccinated and examined in the first few months of life. Have the puppies been given treatment to prevent heartworms and parasites, or vaccinations? Otherwise, you will have to pay for all the treatments.
Step 4. Choose your puppy
Remember, it was you who chose, not he who chose you. If you choose a puppy who immediately runs over and comes to you to play, you will get the most excited puppies and may regret later on. Choose a puppy with the best personality and not too dominant or shy. A Yorkie with a good nature will wag its tail, don't bully its siblings, and don't growl or bite.
Do not choose a puppy that has health or behavior problems
Tips
- Male Yorkies are better suited to be kept in families, but may mark their territory by peeing carelessly. The female Yorkie doesn't really care about the area of her dominance, but it may cost more. Each Yorkshire puppy has its own unique personality. It may be best if you are open-minded and choose a puppy based on personality rather than gender.
- Yorkshire Terriers generally reach a height of 17.78 cm to 20.32 cm and weigh between 1.3-3.1 kg as adults. "Teacup Yorkie" and "Tiny Toy Yorkie" are just funny names used by some breeders to refer to smaller Yorkies. Large Yorkies may be stronger and have fewer health problems.
- Some breeders provide puppy training for an additional fee. You can verify the training method by asking the breeder to show you some commands, such as sitting, still, and lying down. However, dog obedience classes have the added advantage of being able to build a stronger bond between you and your puppy, while learning the basics of raising a dog.
- Yorkshire Terriers usually live to be 12-15 years old, and cost around $50-$50,000. A Yorkie with champion blood may sell for over $50,000,000.
- Yorkshire Terriers are usually crossed with other breeds. Many of these crosses are suitable as pets. If you're looking to buy a mixed breed dog, find out the source and do some research to learn about the pros and cons first.
- If you are planning to feature a dog in a contest, make sure you buy a Yorkie puppy with a nice color and clear registration files.
