Quote:
Originally Posted by Breezeaway  I beg your pardon but my yorkies are still ratters, long hair and all. They love to go to the barn and hunt vermin. Why would you breed that out of them? Its the terrier in them. That is what we all most love about the terrier, not to be another lapdog. If they are a lapdog they are not terriers anymore. |
I'm envious that you have a farm, and the space, and safety to run your yorkies freely.
Not so for many of us. But we do the best we can to nuture and maintain the Yorkie drive, and temperament.
Razz although wrapped, swims, hikes, and chases anything that comes in his line of vision; he is a great alert guard dog. And he is rewarded for this behaviour.
Nuturing and maintaining a temperament, is not unifocused. You as the owner, breeder, etc can do this by deliberate stimulation. Be it the prosaic obedience, or the exciting agility, or rally, or fly ball. Terriers don't need to hunt vermin to protect their drive and function.
And I'm happy to say I don't have mice or rats in my home, but we do have the occasional fly and spider, and he is on them forthwith.