The Unplanned Gift of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned the Hard Way

Hello!

I'm an animal lover, but before I got a dog, I had cats. Watching all those cute videos of people carrying puppies in bags and cuddling with them made me want one. My partner at the time suggested getting me a Yorkie, and I agreed without thinking twice. That was a huge mistake. I didn't do any research, didn't prepare, and just said 'I want a Yorkie!' Don't make the same mistake I did!

The Yorkshire Terrier, or York for short, is one of the most popular small breeds for city living. They're definitely the most stylish. You've probably seen them in movies from the 2000s being carried around in handbags by glamorous girls. Despite their small size, adults shouldn't weigh more than 3 kg, they need daily exercise. Because of their size and temperament, it's not recommended to get a Yorkie if you have young kids. They'll get along better with older kids who know how to treat them with respect.

My partner found the dog through a Craigslist ad, arranged a meet-up, and brought it home. That's how I became the 'lucky' owner of this button:

Yorkie reviews​

We've been together for over seven years now!

I was living with my parents back then, and I didn't even tell them about the dog until after I got it. Knowing my parents, they would've definitely tried to talk me out of it, or at least tried to persuade me to reconsider. I didn't give them that chance. To be honest, they weren't exactly thrilled about it at first, but they eventually warmed up to the idea. In fact, their bedroom became my dog's favorite sleeping spot – she'd curl up between them under the blankets. I have to admit, I wasn't exactly prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for a dog at the time. It's a huge commitment: walking, feeding, medicating, and worrying about their well-being. It's like having a child, but without the preparation. I didn't have kids yet, and suddenly I was shouldering the responsibility of another life. Plus, the breed comes with so many nuances that I'm not sure I'd even consider getting a dog again today, let alone ask for one as a birthday gift. But she's here to stay, and I couldn't possibly give her up. I love her, but I'm not sure I'd make the same decision again.

Yorkshire Terrier reviews.What do you need to buy for a dog?

I should've prepared ahead of time, but I ended up buying everything I needed on the fly. I rushed to the nearest pet store and got a leash and some dog food.

First purchases list:

1) Leash; 2) Collar; 3) Dog bed; 4) Food for small breed dogs; 5) Bowls for food and water; 6) Nail clippers; 7) Disposable puppy pads; 8) Dog brush; 9) Dog shampoo.

I didn't need a dog bed, to be honest. My Yorkie refused to sleep on it and would always find a way to get on the couch or my bed. Even now, she still insists on sleeping in my bed. I've grown accustomed to it, but it can be a bit of a challenge.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkie reviews.Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkie reviews.One exception is when she's in heat and has to sleep on the bathroom mat.

First few days on a new place:

I have to admit, being a first-time dog owner, I struggled to adjust, especially with the morning walks. I quickly delegated the morning walk to my dad, who would take her out before heading to work. Later on, I passed on this responsibility to my husband, and I'm grateful I don't have to wake up early. Otherwise, I'd be a zombie.

I laid out potty pads in areas where she would do her business, but my Yorkie was determined to find new spots to pee. We had to take her out four times a day: 7 am, 12 pm, 5 pm, and 10 pm. And even with that, she would still go to the potty pad or right next to it.

It took us a while to get her used to it, probably around six months. And even now, she can still have accidents and empty herself in the hallway, but she really freaks out about it and tries to avoid being seen.

Documents:

I said from the start that I didn't need a dog with a pedigree and papers. I'm not going to be dragging her to dog shows where that matters. So, our little pup was a lot cheaper than a dog with a passport. At the time, a dog with papers was around 30,000 rubles, and we got her for 5,000 rubles. Not once have I regretted it.

My dog's only documents are her vaccination book.

How I chose the name:

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I got talked into it by my nieces, who loved the movie 'Frozen'. In the movie, there are two sisters, Elsa and Anna. Naming the dog Anna would have been weird, and we already have two Annas in the family - that's just too much. So, we decided to name her Elsa. Now, I couldn't even imagine calling her anything else.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.Here are the first photos of my dog when she met me:

Reviews of the Yorkshire Terrier Breed.I think she was really stressed out at first, scared of the unknown and new people. She'd always curl up close to me and look up at me with sad eyes. It was hard to see her like that, but after a few days, she settled in and was happily running around the apartment.

By the way, we got her when she was almost six months old. She wasn't exactly a little baby anymore.

Yorkie breed reviews.Toilet training:

I already mentioned that we took a long time to potty train her. We potty trained her, but her bladder is my Achilles' heel! She pees all the time from excitement, and sometimes from fear. Fear is understandable, but jeez, every time my parents come over, she greets them with a 'wet welcome mat.' I'm exhausted from cleaning up after her. And this is even though I take her out for regular walks! Now it's three times a day, and when she was a puppy, it was four times a day.

I've talked about how she sometimes can't hold it until the official walk, and does her business in the hallway. It really stresses me out, especially when I'm in a rush and she's ready to ambush me. Luckily, it doesn't happen often.

Feeding:

When the dog was little, I fed her the same way I took her out for walks - four times a day. I fed her about 20 minutes before the walk.

Now I feed her twice a day, and still right before the walk.

I don't just feed her specialized dog food, but also regular food. I actually checked out a video from the breeder on YouTube about what to feed Yorkies, and I follow their recommendations. In the morning, we feed her dry food, and in the evening, regular food. During the day, I give her little snacks because she's a master at begging for food.

Feeding YorkiesI've noticed that Yorkies often don't feel full and will eat until they're stuffed. I once baked a chicken in the oven and left it to cool on the counter. I fell asleep and didn't go back to the kitchen for a few hours. When I finally went in, the chicken was gone, and my dog was still eating it. I was left with a quarter of the chicken, and she just kept going. I had no idea where all the food was going. A day or two later, she wasn't eating and just layed there looking sad. I was worried enough to consider taking her to the vet, but since she wasn't showing any other symptoms, I decided to wait and see.

What can you feed them?

The food needs to be plain and not greasy! No salt, please! - Grains; - Lean, boiled meat (chicken breast, turkey breast, beef); - Boiled, plain egg; - Steamed veggies; - Soups without spices or grease.

To save time, I found a way to make it work and just feed her kid food. I cook plain, low-sodium meals for my kids, so I just make a bit more and feed it to her. Plus, my dog loves the kid's veggie and meat purees. It's a bit pricey, but it saves me time.

She doesn't really like dog treats, but sometimes she'll eat them, so we only get them occasionally. We do buy her vitamins, though.

I'm not sure how much I spend on dog food each month, since I feed her both dry food and regular meals. The dry food costs around 1000-1200 rubles per month for 600 grams of Purina One for small breeds.

What I Feed My Yorkie ReviewsI've found that the packaging lasts me a month, since I only feed her dry food in the mornings. The treats are an extra 200-300 rubles a month, but she's not too fussy about them. I'm basically treating her like a third kid!

I almost forgot to mention - my dog has two weird obsessions: pickled cucumbers and mandarins. Of course, I don't feed her those things, but I'll do just about anything for a cute photo!

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkie ReviewsYorkshire Terrier / Yorkie ReviewsYorkshire Terrier / Yorkie ReviewsWalks:

I've been walking her four times a day, now three. At first, she was only on a leash, but I gradually started letting her off-leash. I was impressed by how well she behaves in this regard, always sticking close to me and not taking off like a shot. And now, it's been over six years since she's been walking off-leash. I barely even notice her anymore. She takes care of keeping up with me, and sometimes I have to yell at her to hurry up. People on the street are always surprised to see York walking off-leash, but I've got a smart cookie on my hands.

Accidents:

This is something I wasn't prepared for. The thing is, she goes for almost a month without an accident! Not only that, but I also have to deal with constant stains around the house, and the added hassle of walking her on a leash.

My dog gets a bit naughty during this time of the month, and she forgets all about going for a walk with me. One time, she slipped out with a pack of big dogs from the neighborhood, and she just ignored me running after them and calling her name. You'd think it's impossible for a dog on a leash to behave like that, but in the first few days, I'm not always quick to realize she's in heat, and we end up going for a walk without a leash. And then there's a gang of gentlemen waiting by the entrance. Of course, the Queen is shocked by all the attention and starts jumping around them, completely ignoring me. The first time it happened, I was terrified. I remember searching for her all evening, walking around the neighboring yards with a flashlight, and coming home empty-handed. I had a cup of coffee, and then I went out again. As I stepped out of the entrance, she was already sitting by the door. She didn't walk down the stairs, she flew, because she knew she'd done something wrong. After that, we had her spayed. Now the heat cycle is a lot less stressful for the dog, but she's still not opposed to ditching me with the guys. At least I don't worry about having kids, and it's unclear who the father would be.

Grooming:

Her grooming is my personal nightmare. We've lost almost all the groomers in town. I have no idea what to do. She gets anxious, barks, and won't sit still. It's a real challenge. The groomers end up spending one and a half times the usual amount of time on her. One groomer even asked me to hold the dog, because she was struggling. I was covered in fur and scratches, because she kept moving her legs. Now I need to groom the dog again, and last year's groomer isn't taking my calls. They don't want problematic dogs. I'm thinking of buying a dog clipper and doing it myself.

So far, this is costing me around 2000-2600 rubles a year (grooming every six months for 1000-1300 rubles). We're getting a standard grooming service.

Yorkshire Terrier / York Reviews.Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.Grooming and washing my dog:

I've got to say, Yorkshire Terriers don't have a thick coat like you'd expect - they're actually more like a hairy breed. That means they need to be washed more often, as their hair gets dirty quickly. Plus, Yorkies are a long-haired breed, so they require a bit more maintenance. I wash my dog once a week, unless it's been raining, in which case I need to give her an extra wash. I use a regular dog shampoo from Magnit, which costs around 200 rubles. Here's a photo of her after a wash:

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.I have to brush her every day, especially when she's due for a trim.

To be honest, she's not a fan of getting brushed or washed. I have to catch her quickly, as she's always trying to escape. I dry her coat with a hair dryer (I'm not sure if that's allowed, but it makes her coat look fuller and more voluminous).

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire ReviewsYorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire ReviewsVisits to the vet:

I was lucky to get a robust little girl, Yorkies are usually prone to all sorts of health issues. But mine's a rock! I've only had to visit the vet twice in seven years, both times for mastitis. Her milk ducts became inflamed, and even started leaking milk. I had to administer antibiotics myself, which was a bit of a challenge. There were three different meds I had to give her, and it all worked out in the end.

I've also had to take her in for spaying, but I don't count that as a health issue.

Dog clothing:

I bought her a winter coat and a spring jacket, but the problem was that she just wasn't used to wearing them. Even in winter, she'd go for walks without the coat on. I tried to get her into the coat a few times, but she'd get really upset and even try to bite me. I managed to get her into the coat a couple of times, but she'd just fall over on her side and refuse to get up until I took it off. We did put the spring jacket on her occasionally.

York Reviews.I've lost track of where these rompers are - after two moves, I couldn't find them anywhere.

She's totally comfortable walking around outside in the winter without any clothes on, and she seems to be loving every minute of it.

Personality and interaction with kids:

Yorkies are notoriously hard to train, and my experience is no exception. I was only able to teach her two commands: sit and stay. Even those, she only does if she feels like it. The 'place' command is more like a puzzle for her - she doesn't really understand what it means, so she just kind of wanders off and hides for a bit. I'm okay with that, to be honest. I've got no idea what the personalities are like for other Yorkies, but my Elsie is a force to be reckoned with. When I pick her up, she's not content to just sit there - she's constantly moving and wriggling around, which can be a bit much. And in the car, she's just as restless as when she's in my arms.

Yorkshire Terrier / York Reviews.And to make matters worse, she's also a bit of a barker. To calm down, she just licks her paws and gets all drooly. It's not exactly the most pleasant experience.

And then there's the fact that she's not a fan of kids - not my kids, not other people's. No matter how hard I try to socialize her, she just growls and snaps at them. If the kids don't understand what's going on, she might even try to nip at their hands.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.I've had a few instances where she's snapped at my kids. Not too aggressively, but enough to make me nervous. She'll click her teeth to intimidate, and sometimes accidentally nip at their legs or hands. I scold her, teach her, and even throw a shoe in her direction, but nothing seems to work. On the other hand, if there's something edible in their hands, she becomes their best friend, approaching them to beg for food or snatch it if I'm not paying attention. Occasionally, she'll have these moments of tenderness, and she'll come to lie down next to the kids. And yes, I do let her sleep on the couch beside them.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.They do play together, in a way. They just wrestle over a stuffed animal.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire Reviews.And that's how we live! It's also good for the kids to grow up with a pet.

Takeaway:

Honestly, if I had known what I was getting into, I probably wouldn't have gotten a dog, let alone a Yorkie. But since I'm already in too deep, I've had to learn to accept the breed's flaws and make some compromises on my own comfort.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkshire ReviewsI'll give you the lowdown on the pros and cons of this breed.

- I'm obsessed with my Yorkie, and I don't know how I'd live without her.

- They're great with kids, and my little ones have grown up with her.

- My Yorkie is super loyal, and she's not too keen on strangers. If I leave her alone for a bit, she'll sit by the door waiting for me to come back.

- I've had Yorkies since I was a kid, and they've always been a part of our family. She loves to cuddle and be close to me.

- My Yorkie is a natural-born walker, and she's always by my side.

- I feel like I've gotten lucky with my Yorkie's health – she's not had any major issues.

- Their hypoallergenic coat is a big plus for me.

- Yorkies are prone to health problems because they were bred artificially. Be prepared for some serious vet bills – it's not cheap. I've seen some friends deal with some pretty nasty issues, like my friend's Yorkie had problems with its stomach and joints. It cost her over $10,000 a month in treatment!

- It turns out Yorkies aren't exactly kid-friendly – they can get a bit testy around them. I've tried to train mine to be more chill, but it's not easy.

- Yorkies can be a handful to train, and their personalities can be a bit...much.

- It took me ages to potty train mine – over six months of daily cleanups.

- My Yorkie has a bit of a twitchy thing going on.

- She pees a lot – either from excitement or anxiety.

- I got a Yorkie that's a total worrier – she freaks out when she gets a haircut.

- I have to get up early to take her for a walk – not my favorite thing to do.

- They have a long heat cycle, and I've had some pretty annoying suitors showing up at my doorstep.

- I've noticed Yorkies are often passed around.

- Owning a Yorkie is definitely not cheap.

Given that we're reviewing the breed, I'd only give it 3 stars. I'd give it all the stars in the world if it were my own dog, but I wouldn't recommend it. Yorkies are a really challenging breed, especially for families with young kids.

Yorkshire Terrier / Yorkie reviews.Thanks for reading!