I do not like to sell my babies to families that have a child under 6 years of age. It isnt so much the child being gentle with the dog, although that is VERY important, it has more to do with the fact that a toddler does not have the physical maturity to safely navagate around a small dog. They trip and fall and stumble, because they are just not developmentally mature yet. There are several threads on the forum now, that announce the Yorkie was stepped on. With a small dog, you know what that can result in. The child certainly did not mean to do it, but it happened....they simply do not possess the mental maturity or the motor skills necessary to execute avoidance tactics! I always "save" my larger Yorkies to go to homes with children 6 and up, but I know the personalities of the dogs I breed and produce, and my larger dogs have wonderful, tolerant personalities, so sweet and playful, they do well around every family I have ever placed one with. They are large enough they can romp and play with the child, and they are not nervous and fearful of the child and the boisterous play. If you get the right size Yorkie with the right personality, I think Yorkies are wonderful around children. |