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About

Hi, I’m Cathy Bendzunas and I have been a dog lover all of my life. I grew up with poodles and had never heard of Yorkshire terriers until the day I came across a painting of one in a dime store.

Cathy Bendzunas with yorkie and yorkie mix

I must have been about 11 and I spent my whole allowance on that painting of that Yorkie. I kept it in my room and went to sleep every night looking at it and telling myself that one day I would have a real live Yorkie of my own.

That day came when I was 19, I bought my first Yorkie from a local pet store (don’t shame me, that was the only way I knew how to get one back then). Anyway, his name was Ernie and he was a love bug. I was immediately hooked.

For a pet store dog, Ernie was actually a surprisingly good specimen with a sweet disposition. Later on, I got Chassie and other Yorkies came after that.

For a while in the early 80’s I showed them and bred them but gave it up once I became a working mother.

I have had many dogs since then but have never lost my love for the Yorkshire Terrier. I also have a deep love for Chihuahuas and have a well-known site about them called I Love My Chi.

I’m an experienced dog mom that shares what I know about Yorkies and dogs in general. Some of what I share are researched facts; some of it is what I have learned from living and working with dogs all my life, and some are just my opinions or the opinions of other pet parents.

Please check with your veterinarian before taking medical advice, introducing a new food, treat or supplement, or to confirm anything else I suggest here to be sure it is a good fit for your dog.

Currently, I have Ziggy, who has the sweetest and quirkiest personality I have ever seen in a dog. He is just so much fun!

yorkshire terrier looking up in grass with blue flowers in background

I also have Lucas, who originally came from a hoarding situation. He’s Yorkie-Chihuahua mix. He tends to be fearful a lot and I have to wonder if it comes from his early beginnings. Still, he’s a sweet boy.

And last but not least, I have Bear. He’s still a puppy and he’s all black except a little white on his chest and toes.

I decided it was high time to start a site about my first love-Yorkies.

Though I no longer breed yorkies, I still know a fair amount about them. I have lived and worked in the dog field for many years. I have been a dog groomer, worked in a kennel, worked in a dog hotel and volunteered for the SPCA.

We have several Veterinary advisors that help with all the medical information on here.

female veterinarian holding light fluffy dog

First is Dr. Sara Ochoa’s bio:

Sara Ochoa, DVM graduated from St. George’s University Veterinary School in 2015.  Since then, she has been at a small and exotic animal practice in Texas.  In her free time, she loves making quilts and spending time with her husband Greg and their 4 fur kids.  Two dogs, Ruby a Schnoodle, and Bug a Japanese Chin, one cat named OJ, and a leopard tortoise named Monkey.

Next is Dr. Paula Simon’s bio:

woman kneeling in front of dog with a snowy scene in background

Dr. Paula Simons is an Emergency and Critical Care Resident who aspires to be a veterinary criticalist. She is originally from Pennsylvania but ventured to Canada where she pursued veterinary school and a rotating internship before returning to the United States. She is passionate about supporting pets and humans during their times of need. She has a special interest in critical care nutrition and trauma. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, volunteering abroad, and spending quality time with her cats Moo and Kal.

Thanks for visiting us here at Yorkie Universe!

Feel free to get in touch with me at cathy@yorkieuniverse.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Cathy signature with Yorkie drawing