If you intend to buy a puppy for a child or you yourself have long dreamed of a four-legged friend, the Yorkshire Terrier may suit you. Some people like the Yorkie for its internal motor and cheerful disposition, someone for the fact that it can be taken on trips, but someone just loves the Yorkies with all their heart.
We will talk today about how to choose a Yorkshire Terrier puppy so as not to regret your act, and the dog has always been healthy and brought only pleasant emotions.
You will learn how to proceed in the event of a purchase from a breeder and what to do if the purchase is made in a cattery. You will also learn what to look for and how to examine a puppy, what questions to ask and at what age to buy a puppy.
Initial Tips
You probably know that when buying a Yorkie, you will need to take care of this little creature tirelessly – this includes haircuts, education and walking, trips to the veterinarian and selection of clothes. If all this does not scare you, you can safely go for a puppy, but first listen to the advice on how to choose the right puppy. This is the main task of every responsible dog breeder.
While you have not yet started searching for the desired cattery, we recall that you need to study the information about this breed before the cattery, and not after it. You probably already know and saw the Yorkshire terrier with your own eyes, you probably liked it at first sight, because the kid is so mischievous, attractive, and his sparse fur shakes funny to the beat of his movements.
But an interesting look and playful character are not all the advantages of a dog. Mini pet loves to be the center of attention, do not forget about it and do not use strict parenting methods. A commanding voice is needed for such a mischievous person, do not be afraid to show strength of character, but do not shout or hit him. You can read more about the upbringing and care of a Yorkie in one of the articles on the site.
So, you have firmly decided to get a pet of small size with funny fur and surprisingly kind eyes in the face of a Yorkshire terrier. Then get down to business, first take an interest in nurseries located in your city or locality, and it is important to investigate not only advertising, fame and popularity, but also positive and negative reviews about the nursery, which others have chosen more than once.
You need to identify for yourself several nurseries and several breeders that satisfy your needs. Come there and talk to people, just pay attention to order and cleanliness.
Take your time and do not make a purchase in a hurry, this may result in undesirable consequences. Be especially wary of breeders who are eager to sell their puppies quickly. They will look for clever ways to get you to buy. Therefore, if you give the slightest hint that you liked the Yorkie, such a breeder will notice this and will praise this puppy.
If you have got it into your head to have a puppy of incredibly beautiful and unusual colors, you need to be even more careful. Comparing prices, you will notice that it is higher for unusual and rare colors. But it should not be so, because the rare colors of the Yorkie are, first of all, sickly puppies, and unscrupulous breeders raise the price, hoping for the recklessness of the buyer.
Breeder or kennel
Let’s talk first about a breeder who breeds Yorkies on his own and needs to know a lot about both health and the breed itself. If you haven’t seen photos of Yorkies up to this point and he didn’t provide them to you, beware. In the era of new technologies, transferring photos even to a phone is not a problem, and in telephone mode a good breeder will not hesitate much when answering questions.
Ask everything that interests you, because you are looking for a healthy and your dog! When visiting, you need to ask about the parents and see them firsthand. If the parents of the puppy are not shown or every time they refuse, refuse to buy. If you see a whole litter and the owner hasn’t sold all the puppies yet, take a closer look at the activity.
It is better not to take the timidest one, but if you are a pensioner, you can take it, since he does not have such a temperament and is more suitable for a calm and measured life.
It is better to choose a dog in the kennel than at the customer’s, but you also need to approach this more responsibly. If you choose a dog in a kennel, most likely you want the Yorkie to become a participant in exhibitions, this desire is quite fair and justified. After all, the Yorkshire Terrier deserves participation and victory.
In the kennel you will receive any documents for a puppy – a pedigree, vaccination marks in the passport and even a name. You will be aware of the health of your parents not only in documents, but also in words. Observe the surroundings – what do you see in the room and is it spacious, and how do you feel?
If you hear unpleasant odors, see the lack of sanitation and the mess in the enclosures, it is better to find another nursery. And finally, if you like the conditions and are not afraid of prices, you can start choosing a puppy.
We choose a dog, we look narrowly
A Yorkshire Terrier puppy is purchased at the age of 2-3 months, this is the best age, when the coat has acquired a beautiful and shiny appearance, there is the required number of teeth for this age. The puppy is active and cheerful, at a meeting he will wave his tail well, be interested in the “alien” and look into your eyes.
The behavior of a dog can tell a lot about the state of health and character. Ask dog breeders about the litter and ask them to show you, among them there will definitely be the nimblest and most lazy and phlegmatic. It is in the crowd that it is easiest to guess and choose the right one for you.
Ask about the puppy’s parents and ask them to show them, cynologists have no right to refuse such an examination. Read the documents about the parents of a Yorkie puppy, pay attention to the diseases that they had and whether there is a possibility that the puppy will also be ill with them by inheritance.
Be interested in literally every little thing – about vaccinations, whether he responds to the name, what problems there are, and so on. Ask about feeding, how many grams he eats and what time, which food he perceives better. The size should be indicated – standard, mini or dwarf, so that later you don’t take it on your head when your Yorkie starts to grow very quickly or, on the contrary, lag behind.
Take a closer look at the behavior of the puppy, here you should not rush. If you want to choose a calmer Yorkshire terrier, choose this one, he will be better obeyed and trained. Sometimes being too calm doesn’t mean a dog is sick unless it has other signs of illness or other problems. Let’s look at how you can determine by a dog that something is wrong with it.
Inspection of external data
Of course, you want to get a puppy that you like as soon as possible, take your time, make a choice based not only on your intuition, but also on appearance. On the “muzzle” as they say everything is written. Take a look at these 10 signs:
- The coat should be shiny, beautiful and clean.
- There are no redness and scratching on the skin.
- Ears at 3 months of age should be erect, at 2 months they are still hanging.
- The puppy’s movements are coordinated, he does not collapse or limp.
- A set of teeth – 6 by 6 incisors and two canines.
- The paws are straight and the pads are gathered into a bun.
- The nose is cold and black without pigment, without secretions, the eyes too.
- In the mouth, the gums are bright pink, there is no smell from the mouth.
- There are no residues under the tail after defecation.
- The spring should already be closed.
If you want to buy a Yorkie with curly hair (wool), you should take a closer look – such specimens are found, but they are not suitable for exhibitions. Since twisted wool or wavy is a defect for this breed.
Take the puppy in your arms, examine the ears, they should not have a bad smell, strange secretions and bald patches. Turn the puppy on its back and look at the belly so that it is not swollen, but rather soft. Avoid overly aggressive or cowardly puppies.
Well, that seems to be all that we wanted to tell you about choosing a Yorkie puppy. Note that when you come to the nursery, the excitement should not be present, discard emotions and feelings, otherwise you will not be able to make the right choice.
Giving in to emotions, especially pity, you can buy a sick puppy, because you do not take him to your place for one day, but you will have to take care of him. If in doubt, come again when you calm down, or maybe by this time more specimens will appear and there will be your only one who will settle in your house.