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1. Am I acting on impulse or am I ready for the commitment?
Pets depend on their owners to fulfill all their needs -- a huge responsibility. For example, young puppies require constant supervision and need to be taken outside numerous times a day to eliminate. Although the temptation of a cute puppy may be strong, understanding the commitment that comes with pet ownership can prevent unwanted stress for both the pet and owner. read more
2. Does my lifestyle suit a Yorkie Terrier?
How much time will I have for my Yorkie?
Where will my Yorkie stay when I'm out? At night?
Training, caring for and exercising your new dog will take up a a lot of time and patience. Bringing a pet into a new home can cause stress for both the animal and the owner.
And, you can expect some destructive behaviour -- chewing and scratching as well as eliminating indoors.
This can be frustrating but it comes with the territory. Are you ready to work with your new puppy to fix these behaviours. How much time do you have for house training and obedience training?
Do you have enough space for exercise? Easy access to outdoors?
Neighbours who won’t flip out with some barking?
Dogs -- even toy dogs like Yorkies -- need lots of outdoor time. But you can’t just put the dog in the yard -- left alone, dogs will amuse themselves by digging, barking and other signs of aggression.
3. Do my future plans fit having a Yorkie?
Yorkies live 10 - 12 even 14 years.
We don’t necessarily know what’s ahead, but you need to consider your future and how a dog fits in...
"I want a Yorkie Terrier, but I live in an apartment."
"I'm moving to an apartment, so I have to get rid of my Yorkie."
"It's not fair to keep a dog in an apartment in the city."
Many dogs - purebred and mixed breed - can live happily in the city as long as their needs for exercise and companionship are met.
For a Yorkie Terrier, a twice-daily walk will use up your Yorkie’s excess energy -- the energy that can lead to behavior problems like too much barking, or chewing.
As a responsible dog owner, you know you have to clean up after your Yorkie when he does his business.... that’s common courtesy and helps build goodwill for all dog owners.
Many experts agree that these small to medium size dogs are excellent for apartment life in the city:
...among others. You'll see that the Yorkie isn't on the list automatically. And that's because Yorkies tend to be barkers. Is that a deal-breaker? Not if you learn to deal with your Yorkie Terrier's barking with:
4. Is everyone in the family ready for a new pet?
A new dog has to be a family decision - it will impact the lives of everyone in the home.
The age of your children and future plans for children are also important to consider when deciding.
 While Yorkies are rambunctious and spunky dogs, they’re not for children! Their frame is quite fragile, and kids can inadvertently hurt a Yorkie. Many breeders recommend that your chldren be at least 10 years old (and that goes for grandchildren’s unsupervised access to the dog too)
If your older child is begging for the dog, and promises to “do everything” to take care of him or her... well you know that’s not going to happen. So are you o.k. with becoming the sole caretaker?
5. Can I afford a Yorkshire Terrier?Small to medium-sized dogs (from about 55 pounds and under) tend to live longer than large to giant breeds, therefore cost more.
 Remember, the life spans of individual dogs can vary, so the figure given here is only a rough average; how well dogs are taken care of and whether they see a veterinarian for checkups regularly is usually the biggest factor in their life span.
Small to medium-sized dogs
Estimated life span: 14 years
First year: $740 to $1,325
Estimated annual costs thereafter: $500 to $875
Total cost over a dog's lifetime is about $7,240 to $12,700.
*costs estimated by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
6. How much time do I have for a Yorkshire Terrier?
As we said at the beginning, pets depend on their owners 100% - food, exercise, care and affection. Young puppies for example, require constant supervision and need to be taken outside numerous times a day to eliminate.
Once your puppy has grown into a full-fledged Yorkie Terrier, do you have time every day to give him the attention he craves? If you work all day, can someone come in mid-day to let him out or play with him for a few minutes?
Chances are, if you work all day and are raising children in a busy household, you don't have much if any, extra time.
A lonely Yorkie Terrier is not only sad to think of... but you can bet he will show his displeasure like Yorkies can:
- chewing up your things (he knows which shoes are your favourites!)
- peeing all over the house
- barking hysterically
- even biting and nipping.
Not a pretty picture!
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