Anyone else find this offensive?

[amyhinmn]

To the group of people who I have been getting to know and feeling comfortable with, can anyone else relate to me and find this offensive and ignorant/short-sighted? I wrote, in response to yorkies whining:

Is this a common problem in yorkie adults as well, or just babies? Do they grow out of this? I have cats, so I cannot have an adult dog wanting to be near me 24/7 when I am home. Our girl is pretty good about not whining when we say no, but we would not satisfy her whining from day one. Even when we got home, we would not take her out of her pen until she settled down and stopped vocalizing. But, I am wondering if we should purposely separate her from us more often to teach her that she cannot always be with us.
amyhinmn

Then, Stitches29
Senior Yorkie Talker wrote:

Amy, this is sad to hear because Yorkies are people dogs. Their whole world surrounds around people. Cats don't need anybody. Cats could survive if they never saw another human. Some dogs are like that too. To me the definition of a Yorkie is LOVE and ATTENTION and that must go two ways. Hope you change your mind about your baby.

I then responded because I was upset about her generalizing the typical way people do about cats, which petpetuates MYTHS about cats that often leads to inadequate care and/or consideration:

Actually, I am 100% offended that you would even say that about cats. THAT SHOWS YOUR IGNORANCE and limited exposure to cats. My cats are all 9 and 10 years old, and they are the loves of my life. They are so loyal, and so loving, and get jealous and fight over attention. Either you have never owned a cat, or you or someone you know has "owned" a cat and never put any love or attention into the relationship.

Cats are every bit as friendly and needy as dogs, provided they are given the love and attention they need from day one, THE SAME AS A DOG. People who do not like cats are control freaks who want an animal to respond to their every command.

I am seriously quite pissed off right now. I was hoping that I could fit in to a dog lover's forum, knowing that people who are over the top about dogs often don't like or are indifferent to cats, since cats don't "obey" or "need anyone" just as you have said. Perhaps I was wrong.

Of COURSE between my boyfriend and I my pup will get plenty of love, attention, and spoiling. I am an animal lover and have done many rescues of everything ranging from a frog to a raccoon to cats. I DO NOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH ANIMALS IN THIS WORLD ARE WORTHY AND/OR NEEDY OF LOVE, AS APPARENTLY YOU HAVE FOUND IT YOUR PLACE TO DO SO. I will NOT, however, displace my ten year old cats who are the funniest and most loving as any dog I know. Some people think it is ok to displace loyal animals when a baby or some other "circumstance" comes along. Not me. I was expressing my concern that the yorkie will consume me and not let my cats get near me. Not that I would not pay attention to her, or that my boyfriend and I cannot take "shifts." The type of stereotypical thinking you have engaged in about cats is so mainstream and disgusting that I do not know what else to say. You are the kind of person who contributes to the persecution of cats in our society.

She responded:

Amy, you can get pissed all you want. I have a cat and he's 14 years old. My other cat died at 19 from renal failure. I can tell you more about cats than anybody. Here's a picture of MY cat. I was only telling you that cats are survivors. When a disaster hits, the survivors are usually cats, rats and roaches. So you can get un pissed as fast as you got pissed. That shows your IGNORANCE

Then luzangela428 wrote:

I think you really need to relax stitches was only making a valid point that YORKIES need a lot of attention and love...not every dog is the same but YORKIES are those kinds of dogs.....she didn't say a bad thing about a CAT..and she certainly didn't attack your cat...but if you were so worried about your cats being "displaced" maybe you should of thought it over before getting a dog that needs attention...so you don't feel like you have to take it away from your CATS.....I agreed with you Stitches

I am really feeling alienated from a forum of people who are supposed to be animal lovers, but feel that some of them "choose" which animals need/deserve the most love. This is absurd. A cat needs just as much love as a yorkie, and a yorkie needs as much love as a pit bull. I believe this person is perpetuating stereotypes about how animals/breeds typically are, and I think it is shortsighted and dangerous.

[Trish]

Sorry you were offended. I Know it would not have been meant for you to take the wrong way. I hope this doesn't offend you but I have a cat and if she could use a tin opener she wouldn't need me

[red98vett]

Well...I wasn't crazy about purposely leaving a yorkie in a pen when you get home.. to make it quiet and to show it that it can't be with you 24/7 due to the cats...

I think it sounds like punishment for just being happy to see you when you come home... and I could never take that joy away from my girls....

My favorite times with them are when I walk in the door and get greeted like I'm the most important person in the world....

[bchgirl]

When you ask for an opinion, that's what you get.....someone's opinion.... which may or may not be the same as yours. I frequent quite a few message boards and have come to realize that how you interpret a written post and how the writer actually intended their post might be two different things. I didn't read stitches' post as "cat" negative, but certainly understand her response to your second post. While someone else's opinion may be different than your own, it doesn't mean they are wrong or attacking yours....it's just different...period.

Dogs have pack mentality ingrained in their brains. I really don't think Yorkies are any different in this respect than any other breed. I have three cats. They are sweet and very loving, BUT if they want attention THEY come to us. The dog, however, will wake from a dead sleep to follow me to another room, not because he deserves more.....he simply wants it. I think your baby whining/yapping when you first get home is simply because she is so excited to see you. I don't get this response from my cats, they aren't programed this way. None of this is a slam against kitties, they're just different from dogs.

I love all my animals equally, but I realize some expect more of me than others.

I've received lots of advice and help from this board, along with enjoying reading the antics/pitfalls of other's Yorkies. If you continue to visit the board, I'm sure you will also.....

Deb

[bchgirl]

Originally Posted by Trish

. I hope this doesn't offend you but I have a cat and if she could use a tin opener she wouldn't need me

My cats' response to my arriving home is...."oh, good the cat food opener is here".....LOL

[lily's mom]

My cats' response to my arriving home is...."oh, good the cat food opener is here".....LOL
lmao.....isn't that the truth!

[Hickey007]

Maybe I saw it in a different light I don't know, but no I don't really see a problem with what you said amy. Let me first say that I probably wouldn't recommend keeping the pup put up purposely anymore than what you have to. If your pup is still pretty young than chances are she will get more indepent and won't have to have you around all the time. If you are cooking or cleaning or doing something in another room she'll be perfectly fine lying on the arm of the couch nestled in the pillows napping, oh wait that's mine. No really yours will too. At first Reagan had to be in the same room with me all the time(I got her at 14 weeks) now (about 7 months) sure she's happy to see me but hey she's fine all on her own. Yours may also not be completely comfortable in its new home and looks to you for comfort.

I completely understand about the cats. I have two and whenever they hop up on my lap to be petted Reagan is all over them(mainly trying to get them to play) but I tell her no and put her down and continue petting the cats.

Also about the whining I don't satisfy Reagan's either. She really doesn't whine too much though. If you were in a store and a child started screaming to get a toy would you give him one, I wouldn't. If we have put Reagan in her pen and she starts whining even if we were going to get her out we wait until she stops. I don't want to teach her that whining gets her what she wants. When I first get home its another story my pup is so happy to see me but she doesn't really whine then she waits patiently because she knows the first thing I'm going to do is come get her (I'm so happy to see her too).

I don't think amy was saying that she was going to not pay any attention to her pup, lock it up in the backyard and never see it. I think she was concerned with what many of us are concerned about, as a matter of fact just before I clicked on this post I noticed one a few below it that said something like "whining... help". Just try not to be too offended though amy just keep in mind maybe they misjudged you but everyone here has the best intentions of the pup in mind.

[BeccaGA16]

I think it is just hard to understand main points that people may have through writing. Sometimes we get caught up in one sentence and miss the main point. I think that this just got out of hand and the original posts were not meant to offend.

I have 4 cats. I have rescued all as kittens from my neighborhood, they were all abandoned runts. I bottled fed some of them and nursed a couple back from the brink of death. I am lucky to have 2 cats that are affectionate cats, and two very independent cats, I love them for their differences.
I love them all dearly and have spoiled them from day one and all though they do love attention they do not vocalize this need. Dogs and cats are different, cats will come up to you and calmly nudge you or softly meow for attention, and dogs get more excited. I have had my Yorkie for a little over a month now and he is a handful! My cats, even though sick and young, were easier to tend too! I have to agree that Yorkies need more attention then cats, and are very different in nature and you should embrace that because it is such a gift!

I love them all (Cat or Dog) equally, BUT, they all have different attention and affection needs.

I hope that helps!

[Marlee]

Ok, I am going to add my two cents in here and if I get my head bit of so be it.

First off I do not think Stitches29 meant anything hurtfull by what she was saying. In fact it is a proven fact that cats a far more independant than dogs are. It does not make them less lovable, or make them less wothy of attension, it just makes them less dependant on human contact than other animals, this is not meant as a slight, it is actully proven fact. They do survive when others cannot, and unlike a yorkie, if they are ever hit by a tragidy that would take away their family they could live out their lives on their own. 9Not that i want this to happen ever, I think all animals should be hugged and loved every day. A yorkie on the other hand is a higher maintnece animal, and requires much more attension than even the average dog, also not an oppinion a fact.

I have had several animals through out my life, and I have also done rescue work (which I love) I have had 9 cats over my life, 2 I still have (one is a spoiled rotten baby, and the other is a spoiled rotten old lady ) I also have a doberman, and 2 Yorkies, and from my personal experience my yorkies need far more love and attention. When I come home I am greeted by all of my pets. Isis my Dobie will love up on me and as soon as she is done will run back off to my daughters room. My kitties will love up and want some attention to but as soon as they are done they are off to my bedroom until they want more attention. Last but not least my baby yorkies go nuts and lick me and jump on me and lick me some more until I pick them up and give them kisses, and this can go on for several minutes. I finally have to put them done so I can get other stuff done, because believe me if they had it their way I would love on them 24-7 which I practically do anyway, but I have 6 kids as well I need to care for!

I guess what my point is, that yes cats need love to, but most of them want it on their terms only, they are usually not the type to be at your feet all day long. Yes they love you and love attention, but when they have had it they have had it and there is nothing you can really do about it. My kitties are happy and healthy and get as much love as they want from us; they even have their spots on our bed as well as they Yorkies. My Yorkies do on the other hand get depressed and lonely with out a lot... I mean a LOT of attention, with out human contact, like if tragedy struck, they would die.

Once again, I am not trying to offend you, nor do I think Stitches was either, all of our furbabies, no matter what they are, need our love and attention, just some of them need us far more than others, nothing wrong with that just a fact. I actually got my Yorkies because of it. I think I depend on my animals for their love as much as they do on me.

Have a great and furbaby filled day

[StewiesMom]

I think this thread is extremely inappropriate.

[nancynancy]

I also participate in a home decorating forum, and even with a supposedly innocuous topic like that it's hard to avoid controversy. It's amazing how upset people can get from time to time.

I once took a month long break from the home decorating forum because I was so upset about one of my postings on paint colors that had been misinterpereted by someone else. The sad fact remains that people, no matter how nice they try to be, are going to disagree with each other from time to time.

I love my yorkies, but just like children, they do need to learn how to handle separation. After all, you can't spend 24 hours a day with them. So start with a brief separation and then gradually increase the time interval. Eventually your baby will learn to be more independent.

Amy, you sound like someone who really loves all kinds of animals. I think that's wonderful. In my own case, it breaks my heart that there are millions of dogs and cats who are abused, don't have good homes or don't have any homes. But I honestly wouldn't adopt a large dog or a cat. I grew up in New York City and rarely had any exposure to animals when I was growing up. This is probably the reason I never feel comfortable around any animals except very small dogs like yorkies.

[celeste]

I'm new to the forum, and I want to stay completely out of this. But I would like to say that I agree that all animals, no matter what, should all be treated the same. I read the post and I don't really understand the reason why ya'll are arguing. I thought it was about your dogs whinning and it turned into something about cats. I myself love cats and dogs, but i have always been a cat person a "little bit" more than a dog person. I know dogs take a lot more attention and care than a cat, i've learned that since i've gotten Gucci. But I've loved every dog, cat, what ever, are all the same. Everybody is allowed their own opinion. But i think the dog whining needs to be resolved and the cat problem needs to be dropped. Sorry if that sounds mean and if feelings were hurt but I know not everybody is going to get along with what everybody says. I've have had good experences with this site and I hope I will in the future, but I just thought that I needed to say something about this situation.

[YorkieRini]

[QUOTE=amyhinmn]
Is this a common problem in yorkie adults as well, or just babies? Do they grow out of this? I have cats, so I cannot have an adult dog wanting to be near me 24/7 when I am home. Our girl is pretty good about not whining when we say no, but we would not satisfy her whining from day one. Even when we got home, we would not take her out of her pen until she settled down and stopped vocalizing. But, I am wondering if we should purposely separate her from us more often to teach her that she cannot always be with us.
amyhinmn

*********************

Amy,

Yorkies are what I call a high maintence breed. The behavior your are describing is typical of Yorkies whether adult or puppy. It doesn't sound like you were aware of how needy Yorkies really are. They are VERY demanding of attention and to be quite frank you need to be willing to give it. If not your Yorkie can end up with separation anxiety or other personality issues. If you can't meet the demands then maybe a Yorkie is not the breed for you.
As a breeder, I know first hand exactly how demanding they can be. Educating potential parents to my puppies is what needs to be done. I use the 'scare tactic'...lol..I tell folks that never owned a Yorkie that they are needy and need contastant attention. In most cases they do not do well when someone works ouf othe home full time unless you can stop by at lunch OR you have another Yorkie to keep them company..I also tell them to be prepared, Yorkies will ALWAYS have accidents and are stubborn. Most times people will say, oh..well I'm not interested then and other times they say they are wiling to make the commitment and are willing to have their life revolve around a Yorkie...LOL....to me that is the true test.
It sounds to me that you didn't know how much commitment a Yorkie does require. I have 11 and I always say I am owned and operated by them and that's no joke!

Your previous post about paying too much...sounds like your baby's not what you expected. You sound more sad than happy with your new bundle of joy!

LIke my husband says..'Yorkie people are weird'...me included. He knows he comes 2nd in line..my son and my Yorkies come first..ROFL...

Sorry you took offense..but the reply is reality with Yorkies.

Hugs,
Irene

[red98vett]

I never thought my life would be ruled by such a little dog but I cherish every moment with them and wouldn't have it any other way - I totally agree that they THRIVE on our love and attention way more then other pets I've had.

[YorkieRose]

Never have owned a cat...do you think the poster should try and get the York and cats used to living together..how long would it take..a Yorkie will leave adults Yorks alone when they learn they can be bit..is it the same with cats?