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maryeverett1 · 03-31-2010, 05:25 AM

I have a 6 year old and 3 year old at home and 3 yorkies! We got Louis when he was 12 weeks (a year ago) and Paris when she was 12 weeks (9 months ago) and they just had a baby together who is now 12 days old. What I will say in my experience is that the yorkie temperment is fantastic for kids! I have a sister who has had her yorkie since my oldest was a year old and several friends who had yorkies before I ever got one! In that regard they are fantastic! Here is the issue I see with young kids and yorkies! Because they are smaller dogs they are fragile especially at a young age! A yorkie puppy does not know how to get out of the way of a falling child, or a child that is running and not watching where she is going! The first month that each of my yorkies were home and even now with our newborn puppy and adult dogs there are rules for my kids and any child that visits our home which are: you are not allowed to carry the dogs around for any reason, for puppies: you are not allowed to hold the puppy if I am not in the room with you! Some children are rough by nature...we have a next door neighbor's little girl who has 2 labs so she is used to being able to be rough with her dogs and I have to closely supervise her when she is in our home! So while yorkies have great temperments for kids and love kids YOU will have to closely supervise your grandkids until they get used to handling the fragile puppy and until the yorkie grows up enough to learn how to get out of the way of kids if it needs to! There also should be a place where the puppy and even an adult dog should be able to escape if they have had enough like a pack n play or a crate! Yorkies are a fantastic breed but are very fragile! I knew of a story that I was told of a young child who got a hold of her own yorkie and accidentally squeezed it to death. She wasn't trying to be mean but the dog was fragile enough to where it ended it's life! I also heard of a child who accidentally dropped her puppy off of a bed and broke its leg! I will say because of my own vigilance and teaching my girls how to properly handle our dogs I have NEVER had a single problem with my own girls and our dogs! So children can be taught the right way and it be a fantastic experience for everyone involved: you, the dog and the grandkids! It's just up to you whether or not you want to have to train your grandkids, closely supervise them and be vigilant for awhile while everyone is learning! Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide!! Have a great day! Mary
Ps. If there is anything else I can specifically answer on the subject let me know! Would be happy to help if I can!

03-31-2010, 05:25 AM	#2
maryeverett1 BANNED! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 795	I have a 6 year old and 3 year old at home and 3 yorkies! We got Louis when he was 12 weeks (a year ago) and Paris when she was 12 weeks (9 months ago) and they just had a baby together who is now 12 days old. What I will say in my experience is that the yorkie temperment is fantastic for kids! I have a sister who has had her yorkie since my oldest was a year old and several friends who had yorkies before I ever got one! In that regard they are fantastic! Here is the issue I see with young kids and yorkies! Because they are smaller dogs they are fragile especially at a young age! A yorkie puppy does not know how to get out of the way of a falling child, or a child that is running and not watching where she is going! The first month that each of my yorkies were home and even now with our newborn puppy and adult dogs there are rules for my kids and any child that visits our home which are: you are not allowed to carry the dogs around for any reason, for puppies: you are not allowed to hold the puppy if I am not in the room with you! Some children are rough by nature...we have a next door neighbor's little girl who has 2 labs so she is used to being able to be rough with her dogs and I have to closely supervise her when she is in our home! So while yorkies have great temperments for kids and love kids YOU will have to closely supervise your grandkids until they get used to handling the fragile puppy and until the yorkie grows up enough to learn how to get out of the way of kids if it needs to! There also should be a place where the puppy and even an adult dog should be able to escape if they have had enough like a pack n play or a crate! Yorkies are a fantastic breed but are very fragile! I knew of a story that I was told of a young child who got a hold of her own yorkie and accidentally squeezed it to death. She wasn't trying to be mean but the dog was fragile enough to where it ended it's life! I also heard of a child who accidentally dropped her puppy off of a bed and broke its leg! I will say because of my own vigilance and teaching my girls how to properly handle our dogs I have NEVER had a single problem with my own girls and our dogs! So children can be taught the right way and it be a fantastic experience for everyone involved: you, the dog and the grandkids! It's just up to you whether or not you want to have to train your grandkids, closely supervise them and be vigilant for awhile while everyone is learning! Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide!! Have a great day! Mary Ps. If there is anything else I can specifically answer on the subject let me know! Would be happy to help if I can!