Finding Yorkie terriers for free is extremely difficult.
But it’s not impossible. Especially if you are flexible.
If you absolutely must have a purebred puppy, you are highly unlikely to find one for free.
But if you are find with an older dog or a mixed breed, you may get lucky and find a wonderful Yorkshire terrier at no cost.
Whatever you are looking for, it never hurts to try and see what is out there.
But you need to know where to look. Where you will have the highest chance of finding what you are looking for.
Keep reading to learn the best places to look if you want to find a Yorkshire terrier for free. Here’s hoping you succeed and get exactly what you are looking for!
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Yorkie Terriers For Free
If you want to get a Yorkshire without spending a penny, you’re going to have to be patient. If you check the right places, and keep checking them, there is a good chance you can eventually find what you are looking for.
Of course, this does depend on how flexible you are. As mentioned, it is not likely that someone will be giving away a purebred Yorkie puppy. Everyone knows how in demand they are. Why would someone give them away for free, when they can make a lot of money selling them?
That said, it does still happen occasionally. Perhaps you will get lucky, if you stay persistent and keep at it. And if you are more flexible, especially if you are willing to adopt an older dog, the chances of finding one for free increase dramatically.
The other thing that really imporves you chances is knowing where to look. Instead of watingtime searching places where your chances are virtually zero anyway, you can focus your efforts on those methods that have the highest chance of success.
Those places are pet shelters and rescues, social networks, animal forums, and advertising sites. Of course, the one place where you have the highest chance of finding the exact dog you want are breeders, but the chances of them giving you a dog for free are low.
Nevertheless, we included them as an option below. However, they are more of a last option. Start from the top of this list and work your way down. Then keep checking back and keep those feelers out there. If you stick with it, chances are you will eventually succeed.
Check Local Pet Shelters And Rescues
Shelters and rescues are generally the best and easiest way to find a free Yorkie, but they are very hit or miss. If you are flexible in the type of dog you want, you will be much more likely to find a pet at one of these places.
However, if you are dead set on a purebred Yorkie puppy, you will have to get extremely lucky.
First of all, most shelter dogs are older. These are dogs that have been abandoned by their owners and not may people abandon puppies.
Even fewer abandon purebred puppies. As mentioned, purebred Yorkies are quite expensive. The likelihood of someone paying all of that money for a puppy just to abandon it shortly after is miniscule. That is not to say it never happens. It is just is not likely.
Another potential issue with shelters and rescues is that the dogs you find there are often suffering from various health and psychological issues. Chances are your ‘free’ Yorkie will end up costing you a lot in medial bills.
Now tat we’ve got all of the bad news out of the way, we need to mention the big plus of adopting your Yorkie from a shelter. You are giving an essentially homeless dog a new home. And a new, loving family.
The feeling of helping out a poor, unwanted animal is incredible. That alone makes adopting from a shelter worthwhile. But you do need to know exactly what you are getting into.
And you also need to temper your expectations. You will probably not find a cute little purebred Yorkie puppy. But you could find an older crossbreed Yorkshire terrier mix that will love you more than you could ever dream. And that’s pretty amazing, too!
Check Facebook Groups
Obviously, shelters are very hit or miss. Mostly miss, and the more requirements you have, the less likely you will find what you are looking for. It’s good to check them first, but you will probably need to move on to some other potential sources.
And next on the list are Facebook groups. Again, your chances of finding a free Yorkie are not great, especially if you are looking for a puppy, but it is still worth checking.
That’s because there are tons of Facebook groups out there. You will find many catering to dog adoptions and likely some specializing in Yorkies. Often there are local groups you can check, depending on where you live.
You’ll need to run some searches on Facebook to dig up any groups that might have what you are looking for. Then read through more recent posts, or perhaps add a post of your own explaining what you are looking for.
Most of the available dogs you’ll find on FB groups are going to be older. They are usually abandoned dogs, or ones in search of a new home. That said, you may find someone with a female Yorkie that has just given birth. It’s not all that unusual.
What is unusual is for them to give the puppies away for free. They will probably be trying to sell them. But maybe you will get lucky. It’s worth a try anyway. And if you can’t find anything, on to the next possible source of free Yorkies.
Online Forums And Advertising Sites
Facebook Groups are usually the best place to connect with people looking to give away dogs, but if you are not having any luck there, the internet has billions of other sites. Many of them also discuss dog adoptions.
Forums are a good place to check. There are a number of forums that have sections where people advertise dogs they are giving away. Maddie’s Pet Forum is a good example. Reddit is also worth a look.
There are also advertising sites like Craigslist. Whatever sites like this that are active in your area are worth a search. Another good place to check are the social media pages of adoption agencies.
Research the different options and see what people are offering. If you see what you want, but they are charging, break out your haggling skills.
Most people advertising in places like this are willing to haggle, though they probably won’t go down to free, if they are looking for money in the first place. But there are always people giving away puppies for free, too. You just have to get lucky that they have a Yorkie.
Reach Out To Breeders
Now you have to decide what is more important to you: getting your dog for free or getting the dog you want.
If you are looking for something a bit more specific, your chances of finding what you want elsewhere are low. But there is bound to be a breeder who has exactly what you want. The downside? It’s going to cost you. And probably a lot.
There is always a slim possibility that a breeder may have some dogs to give away for free, but it won’t be any dogs that they could sell otherwise. In other words, it will be an unwanted dog.
It really comes down to compromise. If you want free, you have to be very flexible with what you accept. If you have a specific breed and age in mind, you are highly unlikely to find it for free.
In addition to the cost, there are other potential issues with breeders. For one, not all are ethical. Some resort to unethical breeding practices to create specific crossbreeds that fetch higher prices.
Then there is the issue of tail docking. In the US and Canada, most breeders dock Yorkies’ tails, in order to adhere to the breed standards. If you do not want this, you’ll probably have to let your breeder know beforehand and reserve a dog in advance.
Beware Of Scams
If you finally do locate the exact dog you are looking for, congratulations! However, I hate to rain on your parade, but it is best not to get too excited yet.
There are a lot of scams out there looking to take advantage of people desperate to adopt a puppy. Make sure you do your homework and research the person or organization from whom you are planning on adopting your Yorkie.
It also helps to know some of the more common scams people try to run, so that you can recognize them instantly. Let’s take a look at the most common scams you might run into.
Pure Bloodline Scam
This is probably the most scam. It preys on the desire for purity in a bloodline. Many breeders will advertise purebred Yorkies, but the dogs in question ad not pure at all. This is not a bad thing per se, but if the claim is that they are purebred, then it is fraud, plain and simple.
A good way to spot this scam is if the price is too good to be true. That usually means it isn’t true. You should also always ask for the dog’s documentation.
As for being able to tell by the look of the dog, that is not always possible. But if the Yorkie’s color is not a combination of either black and tan, black and gold, blue and tan or blue and gold, then the dog is not purebred The one possible exception is the tri-colored Parti Yorkie.
Ghost Puppy Scam
This scam is very simple. Someone will advertise a puppy, almost always online somewhere, but there is no actual puppy. They will ask for payment in advance, perhaps just a deposit to reserve the pup.
Once you make the payment, you will never hear from them again.
The way to avoid this scam is obvious. Do not send any advance payment, if you have not yet seen the dog. You should also do your research on the person or organization offering the dog.
You can often spot this scam, because the seller is too flexible. Perhaps they quickly agree to a demand, like cutting the price in half, or throwing in some type of extra. If they are super agreeable, it is probably because they do not have an actual Yorkie to sell.
Health Issues
Some breeders will knowingly sell dogs that have hidden health problems. They look just fine at first, but once you have a vet do a thorough examination, you learn the dog is suffering from various issues.
To avoid falling for this scam, give the pup a thorough health checkup before you buy it. No ethical breeder will have an issue with this.
Yorkshire Terriers For Free: Conclusion
Yorkshire terriers are a relatively expensive breed. Especially if you want a show quality dog. If you are looking for that, and a puppy to boot, the chances of finding one for free are virtually zero.
But if you are happy to adopt an older dog and/or one that is not purebred, ou may just be able to find someone giving one away. They are definitely out there, if you know where to look.
The forums and markets we listed above are where you are most likely to find people giving away dogs for free. Keep an eye on them all, ask around, and above all, be patient. If you stick with it, you should eventually get lucky and find someone who has what you are looking for.
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