Why should I buy a yorkie

[lorriem]

Gee I am reading this board and i wonder why am I even considering buying a Yorkie? Everyone seems to be having so much problems with them from housebreaking to snamping at them and then the health problems. My three including the pap have been easy to house break and even learned at an early age when I was unhappy with them just buy the look i will give them. Does this not work with yorkies? Do I always have to pamper them if so i do not think it is fair to my other three. I have a lot of thinking to do. We are going to another breeder today to see the difference from the Yorkie that I might buy but do not like the fact that she wants me to take her at an early age. This new breeder keeps them for 12 weeks but the price is very high. It would be worth it but not with so many problems that i read here. Any positives on yorkies. BTW we were warned when we were to get our papillion that they were hard to house break. She now has kidneys that hold better then i have ever seen.

[LilMissy]

I think the housebreaking can be easy or hard with any breed of dog. Depends on the dog, and the owner. Yorkie's just have to pee more because they have smaller bladders. So you will have to get use to letting a Yorkie out more regularly. My Missy is only 10 weeks old and has been consistantly using her pee pad since I got her a 7.5 weeks old. She's only NOT used the pad twice.

Reasons to get a Yorkie are endless. They are happy, spunky, loving, and fully of personality. This is the first one that I've owned, and I can tell that I will forever own a Yorkie now. They really steal your heart with their charming ways.

I think the reason you hear of so many problems is because this is where people come when they need help. Not many people search the internet for a messageboard just to brag about how wonderful their pup is. (Well some do, but you know what I mean). You will always hear more negative than positive. I'm sure if you go to any other breed specific messageboards you will see the same.

Good Luck with your decision!

[chachi]

I have two with no health problems. They were hard to potty train though but I had never did it before either

[MissSophie]

I am sure that Yorkies are not for everyone. However, I have had other dogs in my life and can admit (and I am not proud of it) that I have never loved a dog more. In fact, I didn't think I even liked dogs very much. But Sophie is like my child. I don't know if it is because we are empty-nesters or because we just are in a better place to care for a dog, but sometimes I feel that I love her more than I have loved anything in my life. One thing about her is that she is so small and helpless but doesn't know it.She thinks she is invincible. She also gives love back endlessly. As far as the dog thing, she doesn't smell or shed which really won me over too.

[layorkiemom]

You are very smart for doing your homework. Yorkies are not the dog for everyone but for those of us that love the breed they are the ONLY dog LOL. Toy dogs require alot of care and attention, this is true, but even in multiple dog households they do well, considering of course,the breeds are compatible, I would not put a little dog with a terrier temperment with a houseful of pitbulls but that is just common sense.

If you do not feel that you have the time and energy to give up to another toy dog or that the 3 you currently have would be slighted in any way you are probably right about rethinking it. This is just my opinion based on what you have written, they are very high maintenance dogs.

If I were to want to steer clear of health and temperment issues you should stay away from breeders that sell their dogs before they are 12 weeks, breeders that do not offer a good health contract and a breeder that does not show but that is just my opinion and experience.
Check the YTCA website for breeders in your area that are "reputable".

Good luck in your decision!!

[tumismom]

all my three girls are healthy and it was easy to potty train them. They are 99% potty trained. Well, they are beyond pampered only because my Hubby and I choose to. They are our babies.

[Erin]

Mine both have health problems (Sammy had knee surgery, Loki has some genetic medical issues) and both were a pain to house train but they are totally trained now. I think people just give up on the housetraining too soon because it takes too long, but trust me it's possible. Loki also had some "yorkshire terror" behavior issues and we did 2 years of training which was awesome and he is the best dog ever now.

Anyway, I wouldn't trade them for anything. Totally worth it. Sammy greets me every time I come back into a room like she hasn't seen me all day. She makes complete strangers smile with her personality. Her tail never stops wagging. Loki understands complete sentences and MUST sleep touching me (and I have to sleep touching him, so it works ) I love them

[lorriem]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

I think the housebreaking can be easy or hard with any breed of dog. Depends on the dog, and the owner. Yorkie's just have to pee more because they have smaller bladders. So you will have to get use to letting a Yorkie out more regularly. My Missy is only 10 weeks old and has been consistantly using her pee pad since I got her a 7.5 weeks old. She's only NOT used the pad twice.

Reasons to get a Yorkie are endless. They are happy, spunky, loving, and fully of personality. This is the first one that I've owned, and I can tell that I will forever own a Yorkie now. They really steal your heart with their charming ways.

I think the reason you hear of so many problems is because this is where people come when they need help. Not many people search the internet for a messageboard just to brag about how wonderful their pup is. (Well some do, but you know what I mean). You will always hear more negative than positive. I'm sure if you go to any other breed specific messageboards you will see the same.

Good Luck with your decision!

Thank you for your responce. I have never used a pee pad even for my pap who was a bit over 2 lbs when I got her I did try it once but it was chewed up before she ever got to use it (by her). She is 4 now and weighs 5 lbs. I found out that the other two dogs really trained her with my help. When they had to go out I would let them out and put Amy on a leash and she would also go out with me. She learned like the other dogs that when they needed to go out it was to do whatever they had to do and then come in. The leash came off after 4 mos. They all seem to have to go at the same time now.
From what I have read is that the papillion and the Yorkie are built the same though the yorkie does have thicker bones .

[SamiNFurbabies]

My yorkie is my fourth dog and does not require any more attention than the rest...but they all require a good deal amount of attention.
She is potty trained---but I had to find a method that worked for her--
Because she is a rescue, she doesn't do well with scolding...so I don't "yell" at her. I keep her on a fixed schedule (every 2-3 hours outside we go!) and if she makes a mistake I take out the cleaner...but she has been very good the past two months. And I never raise my voice with her.
She is very loving---she knows my feelings. She is really a doll baby. She gets along with the other dogs and loves them very much...and when they get their loving...she'll sit by my foot or on her bed and keep herself occupied.
She's a good girl...but she, like all yorkies, requires someone to treat her as an individual and give her plenty of love and care.

[maggiesmom_2007]

Well first and foremost you have to decide if the Yorkie is the right dog for you. Yes they need constant grooming. That is if you want them in a long coat. But for the most part they are fairly easy to care for and don't require anymore pampering than any other dog. As far as Potty training goes they are pretty fast learners if you keep at it. Sometimes they will test you to keep you on your toes. I would say that out of my bunch our Pomeranian was the hardest to get the potty training done. When you said that with your other dogs all you have to do is look at them when they do something your unhappy with, well all of my dogs are like that. My Yorkies will go so far as to come apologize when they have done something they aren't supposed to. As far as health problems , like others have said that comes with owning any dog. Each breed has their own set of health problems. Granted some are healthier than others. Sometimes as owners when our babies get sick we come to this forum to not only try to find out what possibly may be wrong. Someone may have gone through the same thing. Or just to find something that can help that doesn't require a vet visit that can be expensive and easily treated. Sometimes we just want someone to reassure us that things will be okay or that they are there for us if we need to talk. Alot of us pamper or spoil or babies because we either can't have children of our own or our kids have all grown up and we still feel that need to be a parent. So please don't discount getting a Yorkie just because they seem to have alot of health problem, or are difficult to train. Instead get one because when you find the right one or the right one finds you, there is that feeling in your heart that tells you that this is love and you can't see your life without that little one. So after saying all that I hope you make the right decision. Good luck.

[lorriem]

Originally Posted by MissSophie

I am sure that Yorkies are not for everyone. However, I have had other dogs in my life and can admit (and I am not proud of it) that I have never loved a dog more. In fact, I didn't think I even liked dogs very much. But Sophie is like my child. I don't know if it is because we are empty-nesters or because we just are in a better place to care for a dog, but sometimes I feel that I love her more than I have loved anything in my life. One thing about her is that she is so small and helpless but doesn't know it.She thinks she is invincible. She also gives love back endlessly. As far as the dog thing, she doesn't smell or shed which really won me over too.

We are empty nesters also. And I do know how you feel. We have always had a dog even when the kids were at home but since they left we have our three and i wanted to add one more. I have always wanted a yorkie.We have always set out looking for one but then another dog would be seen first and we would fall in love with that one. As you can see i am a dog lover and I have all the time to take care of them. I just want a healthy dog and one that is trainable. So far all the dogs i have had were easy to train but I quess i have just been reading to much into this board like the other poster said.Everyone that does post on any board does when I think about it asks for help.

[tumismom]

you just have to find a good breeder and do lots of research. I am strict with my girls when it comes to their diet and health. I never let them eat table food and I give them long daily walks for their healthy heart and weight. So far they have no major health problems.

[LilMissy]

I never used a pee pad for my previous dogs. It just works for Missy because she's only 1 lb and was 7 weeks old when I got her 3 weeks ago. Plus, it pours rain here all winter long. Once she is a little bigger, and the weather is better, I will try to transition her to outdoors with the help of my pug dog.

[Ladymom]

Any purebred dog is at risk for genetic health problems since the gene pool is small. The incidence of health problems in Yorkies has really gone up since they have become so popular. They have become a favorite of backyard breeders and puppy mills. Yorkies are now 36 times more likely to have a liver shunt than all other breeds combined.

The key to getting a healthy Yorkie or any purebred dog is to get a puppy from a reputable breeder who is very knowledgable about genetics and health tests all her breeding dogs. All the parents should have bile acid tests, thyroid panels, orthopedic exams/knee xrayed, heart and eyes cleared, etc. A reputable breeder knows the backgrounds of all the dogs she breeds for generations back and carefully selects her breedings to best compliment the strengths of each dog.

The best place to find a reputable breeder is through the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America:

Yorkshire Terrier Club of America About The Club

[amandawash]

Gosh, I guess if you have to ask yourself that question, or ask others to convince you, maybe you shouldn't buy one