Should I get a Yorkie?

[JellyLegs]

Hello

I am trying to see if a Yorkie is the breed for me. I have spent several hours browsing the forum over the last week and have found it very useful and its so nice to hear/see how much you guys love your little babies.

I have a couple of questions, so please forgive the long post.

I am 22 and am (on a good day) wheelchair bound, most of the time I have to stay in bed, for anyone who has been confined to bed for any length of time will know how frustrating and boring and lonely it can be. I would just love a pet to keep me company and entertain during these times. Would a Yorkie be a good breed or would it get too restless?

My mum has said she would be able to walk, socialize and take it to puppy school for me, but I am wondering as I have so much time, I want to train it to be a kind of service dog so that it can help me as well as keep me company, would it confuse a puppy to be trained by me at home and mum out of home? Would it be fair on the puppy or would I be being irresponsible to get one being unable to train it out of bed/house.

Are there any special requirements of a Yorkie breed that I should take into consideration? My dad had a friend that had a Yorki as a kid and rembers it as a really bitey and yappy dog, So is saying it not a good idea, but from what I have read that sounds unfair and with love and training I could have a really friendly little baby?

Thanks everyone sorry for the ridiculously long first post lol.

Thanks for reading

[mustangbee]

Welcome to YT!!!!!!

I'd say a Yorkie would be perfect for you. With help from your Mom,There's no reason not to get a furbaby. I would get some stairs by your bed so he/she can get up and down. Yorkies have hearts of gold, I'm sure a furbaby will be great company for you. Get ready for lots of Yorkie Kisses, they love to kiss!!!!
Please keep us posted!

[carolina yorkie]

I agree with mustangbee...with help, a yorkie would be a perfect fit. They are very loving and social creatures and will stick right by your side. Bed stairs are a great idea!!

[JellyLegs]

Thanks for the welcome and opinions very appreciated
yup little stairs would be a must

[Patti]

I think it would be a great breed for you! You can also train it to go on we we pads to make it easier on you. Once they get through the puppystages they love nothing more than to lay by your side. You may want to find one that is 4 or 5 months old and a more laid back personality. You could enjoy hours traning a puppy to do tricks. Good luck with your decision.

[Bailey's Peeps]

Here at YT, we're a wee bit biased - but that doesn't make our comments any less true. I have only had a Yorkie for a month, but I have had multiple dogs of varying breeds over my lifetime (I'm coming up on 63 years old) and I cannot imagine a breed of dog that would be better in your circumstances.

They are bright and you'll never be able to figure out how so much heart is squeezed into their little bodies.

As mustangbee said, get stairs so your Yorkie can get up and down from your bed on her own. They're so tiny that even a bed can be a good sized playground for them. If, when you're in your wheelchair it would not be possible to bend over and pick up your baby, just get a set of the light-weight plastic stairs that you can have next to your chair for her to get up within reach for you. With your mum's help, you'll be able to take care of your furbaby's needs and she will return so much love you'll be hard pressed to absorb it all!

[Kerri]

Yorkie's are the best dogs! Yes, I am very partial to the breed! I love my two and I am sure you will be very satisfied!

[Zeus' Mom]

Welcome to YT!! Yorkies are the best little cuddlebugs, so you wouldn't have to be worried about being bored or lonely with them around! Good luck with your decision and please keep us updated!

[tsehasd]

Hi and welcome. I think a yorkie would be great. I have a daughter who is handicapped and we have two yorkies and they are so good to her. Something to think about is. Sophie is 8 lbs and is heavy to pick up. She is trained to go outside. Winston is 3 1/2 lbs and is very easy to pick up. We brought him when he was 5 months old(the breeder wanted to keep him longer becasue he was small). But he was paper trained when we got him. He will go outside but it is nice having him paper trained. My point is that Winston was very easy to adjust to our household because he was older and maybe it would help you if you found a puppy or dog that is a little older for training purposes. Another thing to think of is even though Sophie likes to snuggle, my winston is a true lover. I have read that male dogs are more than a female. Good luck. And it is so much fun looking.

[JiggityJig]

Here is a thought:

Why not look for a "rescue" yorkie? I have two dogs that came from homes where they were not given a lot of time or attention, and I know that they seem especially loving and appreciative of our affection and company.

Most rescues will really give you a good/honest idea of what the dog's temperament and drawbacks are, b/c they want to avoid putting the animal into ANOTHER home that is not a good match for them.

A smaller dog would be best for you for a number of reasons, but you can't always go by a breeder's questimate for adult age (even if they are trying to be honest). So another good thing about acquiring an older dog is that you would KNOW what their grown weight would be.

ALSO, you would avoid those puppy years, when they really can be hyper, get into things, and need a lot of exercise.

I know that everyone wants to start out with a "cute little puppy", that they can train themselves from day one. But there are also "pluses" to getting a dog that is already grown, with a known personality, etc, cuz when we get our puppies, it's like having a baby....we have no idea whether they will grow up and be snippy, hyper, un-pottytrainable, unhealthy...or whether they'll be laidback, like to snuggle, "smart", etc etc.

There are many people here with EXTREMELY positive "rescue yorkie" experiences, and I do encourage you to consider the option!

[browniesmom622]

i would deff say get an older one 6 months or older it would make things alot easier other wise i dont see why not as along as your mother is open to doing ALot of work

[BabyFidgette]

I agree. A Yorkie would be GREAT for you...but you might want one that's older than a puppy. My (almost) 9 month old is very cuddly, but she also wants to run around and play a lot. It would be great to have a furbaby lie on you all day, and an older one would want just that.

[Mitzis Mom]

A Yorkie would be great for you! They give so much love and they are soooooo smart. They sometimes outsmart you

Did you see this video?

I also think a rescue would be a good idea for the before mentioned reasons. An older dog can still learn new things and loves it. Mitzi came in my life when she was already 4 yo. She was always a little love muffin but now with 9 yo she can truely comunicate with us. My husband had her before we met and he took very good care of her but he did not have the time to teach her tricks and unfortunately to go potty outside. Now she is fully housebroken and lets me know what she has in mind. Let's say, I am very well trained now.

Go for it! You'll not regret!

[BLowry]

Yorkies are a very lovable breed. They will stay by your side and give lots of yorkie kisses....I agree with some of the posts that maybe an adult dog would be a good choice then you wouldn't have to go through all the training.
You had mentioned a service dog. In my opinion, a yorkie wouldn't make a very good service dog. Yorkies are a very high energy dog. Just my opinion!

Good luck with your decision

[MyTrixie143]

Hello and welcome to yt!!
A few years ago I saw two yorkies that were in fact service dogs. They do great because they are so loveable and in tune with you and your feelings. If you really want one as a service dog I would pick out a puppy and have someone train it for a year. If you could I would look into programs that train service dogs for you. Usually a family will get a puppy and train it for you and give it to you fully trained in about a year. If you wanted to train it all on your own I would say you would be better off getting a older yorkie. This would be alot less stress on you and you woulden't have to deal with all the puppy stages. One of the most important things is that you need to look closely at the temperment and disposition, you want one that is mellow and laid back rather than hyper and bouncing off walls. All in all, it is a great idea and yorkie would be perfect. Good luck to whatever you decide!!!