Thank you for posting this... good information and good reminders
I know someone who recently adopted a dog (not yorkie) from a local shelter (not one that fosters). She had the best of intentions; however, she unfortunately fell for some of the above myths. By the time I had the full story of the 'new' pup's behaviors and expressed that I felt contacting a professional trainer was necessary as the dog clearly wasn't understanding what was expected of her behaviorally, things went from bad to worse very quickly. The pup bit a family member, the bite required emergency care, a report was filed by the hospital, and the pup was picked up by animal control. The family was told the pup would be tested and barring a medical condition (which might cause the aggression) that could be treated, the dog would be put down. I was told this procedure is required by law, but I was very saddened and frustrated by the entire situation.
Pets are a responsibility and a privilege; and while we treat them like 'furbabies', they are still dogs, not little humans... they don't automatically understand our language and what is expected of them, and I don't believe they hold grudges or do things to 'spite' us.