Puppy or Older
Most people start looking for a dog with the assumption that they will get a puppy. But there are several other choices that still make great pets, including adolescents, adults, and even retired show dogs. Before you fall in love with a tiny bundle of fur, be sure you can accept the time-consuming responsibilities a puppy will bring.
Problems with Puppies
It's tough to imagine anything cuter than a Yorkshire terrier puppy. Their tiny size and surprising spunk are irresistible. But what many people forget is that owning a puppy is not as easy as visiting with one for a few hours. The playful biting you thought adorable at first becomes an annoying habit, and the crying in the middle of the night grows impossible to ignore. A puppy requires at least as much supervision as a toddler who has just learned to run, and once the pup has reached a few months of age, her energy will seem boundless.
If all the breeders you contact have waiting lists for their puppies, why shouldn't you just buy a pup from the pet store down the street?
The Yorkshire terrier, like most other breeds, is prone to a host of genetic diseases that are prevalent among pet-store pups. Additionally, you may be supporting irresponsible puppy mills by buying an overpriced, premature puppy from a pet shop.
Raising a puppy is a full-time job. If no one is home during the day, it's not a good idea to bring a puppy into the household. Puppies that are left to their own devices, even if secure in a safe area, often learn to occupy themselves in unacceptable ways, such as barking constantly or chewing on whatever's available. Also, toy-breed puppies need to be fed four times a day, which means they will need to go to the bathroom quite often. Someone needs to be there to accomplish housetraining early on, or it just won't happen.
Even if someone is home with the puppy — which is certainly preferable — this person still won't be free to go about his daily business as usual. The puppy must be supervised during every waking moment, and she must be fed, taken outside, exercised, and played with.
There may be moments when you wish you'd never thought about getting a puppy. However, puppyhood is short — especially for toy dogs — and the worst is over by the time the pup reaches six months of age. Some people gladly endure all the inconveniences for the chance to bond and mold the youngster into their ideal dog. You can start training almost immediately and continue on a consistent basis throughout your pup's life.
Older Dogs
If you don't want to endure the trials and tribulations of raising a puppy, an older dog may suit you better. When you meet an adult Yorkie, you can see exactly what you're getting — the final adult size, coat, and temperament will be fully evident.
Don't be swayed by a puppy's cuteness! Assess your time and tolerance level realistically, and if these limits won't accommodate a puppy, search for an adult dog instead. It's far better to have slightly less time to spend with your dog than to have your relationship ruined in the early days because of standard puppy misbehavior.
Breeders may keep some Yorkies to see how they develop and then decide that the dogs don't fit into their showing or breeding program. These dogs may become available for sale when they are adolescents or young adults. They are still young and have nearly their whole lives ahead of them, but the worst of the puppy problems are in the past. Another benefit of these dogs is that they might already have undergone basic training, including housetraining.
You can also occasionally find a dog that is not part of the breeding program and that was shown to her championship, but then not considered good enough to “special” (continue showing as a champion). Such dogs may be only one or two years old, used to all the hubbub of a dog show, and able to transition smoothly into a new household. Similarly, there are sometimes retired show dogs that breeders will place so that they can receive more attention in a private home than in a busy show kennel. These are older dogs with lower energy, and while you won't have quite as many years together, if your own energy is lower too, this pet may suit you perfectly.
Adolescent Yorkies may find themselves in rescue or shelters because their families didn't plan for all the time and energy they'd require. These dogs may have acquired some bad behaviors, or they may simply be caught in an unsuitable situation. Luckily, these dogs are usually snatched up fairly quickly. Adult Yorkies often find themselves in need of homes when they outlive their owners or their owners choose a new lifestyle that doesn't include a dog. Though these dogs may grieve for a while, they will come to love and trust their new owners in due time.
