Help! First Yorkie baby coming home soon and husband is anxious!

[olivermom]

HI My name is Emily and My husband and I are adopting our first little yorkie baby in the first week of August. I grew up in a house with multiple pets including several dogs, cats, hamsters, etc. My mom used to answer the phone "City Zoo, Head Zookeeper?" My husband has pretty potent allergies which include allergies to dog and cat dander. Growing up he has always had pet birds. Now Mike and i have two lovely black capped conures, Caesar and Charlotte and finally he has become comfortable enough with the idea of a pet dog to let me get one!! I am so excited. Unfortunately I am also really worried about how this new addition will make him feel and what his reaction may be in the first few weeks. Does anyone have any advice on how to reassure someone that getting a puppy with be a happy experience and not one that changes everything for the worse? Even better is there anyone out there who was the primary force in wanting the dog and your spouse was ok with it because it was what you really wanted, not because it was his dream? I have read a lot about precautions to take and what to do to keep the birds safe but also want this to be a positive experience for my husband who is a little leery of the unknown. and advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Emily

Momma to Caesar, Charlotte and soon Oliver!!

[Perrella]

Well...chances are, you won't have to do anything at all. That little sweet darling will wrap him around her little paw in a heartbeat. Just relax and enjoy it, you will see.

Good luck! Keep us posted how it's going.

[mrtyorkie]

I was in a similar situation. Husband has pet allergies and I was the driving force behind getting a puppy. My little man doesn't bother his allergies at all and has completely won over my husband. Yorkies are just the cutest and can charm anyone over

[LisaD]

I agree with Perrella. He will love little Oliver.
I grew up like you with all kinds of animals. My husband did NOT. His mother is weird..anyway...I just broiught a yorkie home several years ago for him to see. It was a friends. He was hooked. He had NEVER, would NEVER purchase a dog...Well guess what, he did. He bought our first yorkie, Dixie 14 years ago. She passed away and it broke this mans heart. We have tried other breeds, it was too hard for him to deal with another yorkie for thinking of Dixie. We have 2 now and I want another.... HE is fine with them.

[dinkyweil]

hi emily. sorry about no caps. i am onehanded due to babysitting friend/s yorkie and protecting her from my dog who it turns out is terrerial. my hubby did not want and dog and finally gave in. npw he adores the dog and is probably responsible for the dog being so spoiled.

[susan lynn]

My husband has severe allergies and asthma. He has had no problems with the dogs. Also he likes animals but never had them inside his house. I have always wanted a Yorkie, so after my 2 Cairns died I was so sad because I have always had a dog my entire life. After a year I guess my husband got tired of me crying and being sad he surprised me with Tessie on Mothers Day. I knew he must REALLY love me because I was shocked, He said we would never have a dog in the house. Well for some strange reason we now have 4 beautiful, sweet Yorkies in the house. He loves them and spoils them. Also the little girl I got as a gift is now Daddy's girl and she worships him, he rocks her all the time. So I think you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Good Luck.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

I would suggest having your husband spend about 5 minutes with Oliver and he will just be as taken with him as can be. lol These little guys just have a way of wrapping everyone around their widdle paws.

No worries, your hubby will be so taken by your baby that any apprehension he may have had will be gone.

Congrats on your addition and can't wait to see pictures. Welcome to YT!

[AbbyMax]

One of my friends got a Yorkie after meeting my yorkie several years ago. Her husband was a former police officer and dog handler. He had never had a small dog and did not want one. I thought they were going to get a divorce. Well, after about a week with the new baby, her husband fell in love with her. Lucy quickly became her husbands dog. Now eight years later, Lucy has two yorkie sisters. Her husband will not take them for a walk - but Lucy goes with him for rides in the car everywhere he goes. Too funny.

[My Sophia]

I can just imagine how excited you are. If he isn't taking them already, have your DH start taking an OTC allergy med like Zyrtec or Allegra or Claritin. Yorkies are one of the best breeds for allergy sufferers, but even they will shed a little dander and can trigger a reaction. Having the meds on board prior to your baby coming home can help head any reaction off at the pass.

[Abby08]

" My husband has pretty potent allergies which include allergies to dog and cat dander"
Emily, I am confused, you say your husband has 'pretty potent allergies' yet you are considering getting a Yorky.

Has he recently had tests to confirm or not that he is no longer allergic to dog dander? Perhaps a visit to a specialty doctor would help alleviate or confirm his fear. Then you both would know and you could make a better decision as to whether to have a dog in the house.

As cute as Yorkies are, that just won't help if he is truly miserable healthwise if you go ahead and get one without finding out first.

Many pets, Yorkies included, are turned over to humane societies and other animal prisons, and are put to death because there are too many of them in these places. One of the reasons, they are turned over to these places,(amoung many) is because the owner, spouse, or child becomes allergic to them.
Please don't be one of those people. Check with your husband and a allergist first.
Then if it turns out your husband is too allergic to dogs,and you still want a Yorky, well, you'll have to find a different husband that is not allergic

Just joking, but really, this is an important thing to find out for you,your husband and any Yorkies in your future!

Good luck

[mackenzie2270]

i have two Yorkies, My cousin is terribly allergic to dogs. He comes to visit for at least 10 days. They do not seemed to bother him. I bathe these girls at least once a week and do not seemed to have any dander. He gets choke up right away if they are goning to bother him. I asked him if they bother his allergies, he said no. These little guys have human like hair. So I think he should be ok with this breed.

Linda, Sassy, and Patti.

[My lil friend]

I have bad allergies to "you name it". I find that dogs that are bathed often and dont shed,do not bother my allergies. However birds put out a ton of dander and if that isn't bothering him I am surprised.

[backwardsrain]

Is there any way you can visit someone who has a Yorkie or similar breed, or visit the breeder's house before buying the puppy? It would help if you could test your husband's allergy to dogs first before committing to a puppy. Most people aren't allergic to hypoallergenic dogs, but some people are! Their saliva can cause an allergic reaction as well as the fur and dander, so you might want to avoid the puppy licking your husband too much. Or see an allergy specialist first, like someone else suggested.

[cheryl19]

Hello fellow upstate New Yorker!!

Your husband will just fall in love trust me.

Would love to see photos of your birds

[Micah my love]

Good luck with your new baby..i have owned birds and they can really keep the feathers flying so if he can tolerate them i don't believe he will have a problem with a yorkie and he will fall in love