Caring For Your Yorkie Rescue Dog

If you are considering adopting an adult Yorkshire Terrier (a Yorkie) for your next pet good for you! There are thousands that need good, loving homes. But there are some things to keep in mind to know whether a Yorkie rescue dog can fit in harmoniously with your household. Knowing these things now can save your from a lot of heartbreak later on.

Most Yorkshire Terriers in rescues or animal shelters are male. Most are over ten pounds, which means their frames are sturdier than show-quality or teacup sized Yorkies. A purebred Yorkie often has faults that would get them disqualified from the show ring. Yorkies take just as much time and effort for caring as you would a big dog. Although they don't need as much exercise as a big dog, they do need a lot of grooming and attention. Yorkies are not the best breed for those who have never had a dog before, in general (You'll always find exceptions to this rule.)

Your Yorkie rescue dog might not match the photos of champion show Yorkies in dog breed books or websites. That doesn't mean your Yorkie is not a real Yorkie. Many Yorkshire Terriers fail to reach the stringent show standards. If your Yorkie is heavier than seven pounds and is not overweight, the chances are good that your dog will be a lot healthier than a three-pound teacup Yorkshire Terrier. Your dog also may be a different color, have floppy ears or have an overbite. But the dog still could be a purebred.

The most usual problem people have with Yorkie rescue dogs is with housebreaking issues. All toy dogs have small bladders and tend to have accidents from not being able to hold a lot of urine. However, many Yorkies have been successfully trained to use a litter box. Expect your dog to have an accident if they can't go out once every four hours in the daytime. Be sure you have cleaning materials and take anything really valuable off of the floor.

There are two other things to keep in mind before you commit to a Yorkie rescue dog. They are more expensive to take care of than the average dog. Because of their silky, fast-growing coats, they need to be trimmed by you or a professional groomer about once a month. They have about the weakest teeth in the dog kingdom and often need to go to the vet several times a year.

Yorkies also often have trouble being able to hold their urine before they have a chance to go outside. However, these clever dogs can usually be successfully treated to use a cat littler box. You need to be prepared for accidents and how to clean them up. If you've never housebroken a dog before, you will need to get a lot of training on how best to do it. And never be afraid to ask for help with your Yorkie.