[OwnedByJezebel]

I don't have any advice on where to find your pup in Ontario, I'm sure others will be able to help with that, but I do want to say something about the temperament issue.

My first two Yorkies were rehomes, I got both of them (several years apart) when they were about a year old.

The first one wasn't keen on strangers (although he did not have any issues with us when we got him). He wouldn't attack people outright, he would ignore them, but if they tried to pet him, he would snap. He was also a bad resource guarder. If a stranger left him alone, they would never know he had these issues. I attribute this to him being essentially raised in a pack of wild Yorkies by a bad breeder.

The second was rehomed to me by a show breeder that had decided that she wouldn't make the cut in the show world. She was great with people, but hated all other dogs (except our Maltese). Strange dogs were always something she could not abide. We just kept her away from strange dogs.

When I got Jezebel, I picked her out of her litter. She was rough-housing with her litter mates, then she noticed me walk up and she ran over, wagging her tail and wiggling. Then she ran back to her litter mates and started playing again. After a minute or so, she noticed my husband, and ran over wagging and wiggling to meet him, then back to play.

Her 2 sisters never acknowledged any of the humans, but they would play with her when she initiated play (she was the ring-leader). Her brother just stayed off to himself, never greeted any humans, and did not want to play. I often wonder how they turned out, personality-wise, based on how I saw them interact that day.

To this day, Jezebel is still a social butterfly. When she goes to the dog park, she tries to get every dog to play. She stops whatever she is doing whenever someone new walks in the gate and runs to meet them, greeting them and their dog. She is quiet, and only barks when the front door bell rings. When she wants something, she has this low wookie-like groan. When the lawn crew is in the back yard, she sees them outside but totally ignores them. When another dog is not nice to her, she totally gives in and does not escalate the situation, but she doesn't give up, either. She waits a few seconds and tries to initiate greeting again and tries to pull them out. It's like she is saying "see, I'm not a threat, but I'm coming back because I still want to be friends!" There have been dogs at the dog park that she works with until they finally start to play. I've seen two different owners that were amazed at what she did, because they had never been able to get their dogs to play with other dogs at the park until they me Jez.

I got another rehome when both Jezebel and the rehome were about a year old. He is great with all people but is a little she with other dogs, but warms up after a bit, no aggression. He does bark when the front door bell rings and when he is playing, but otherwise he is quiet. He doesn't have the spunky terrier attitude that Jezebel does. He wants to be in laps, she is independent and has no jealousy, so she couldn't care less when he hops up in one of our laps. They love each other and they are a good fit together. We only need ONE ring-leader!

My current dogs love going places. The dog park, walks, even boarding and to the vet. I only board 2-3 times a year (maybe 10 days total), but when we get there they are so excited and they go with the handler, so excited to see her, and never even look back at me when they leave the lobby. One of the professional trainers there (who trains agility, conformation, and obedience for competition) gave Jez and Chuy temperament tests (required if they are going to be allowed to play with other dogs), and they passed with flying colors. They received no special training before the evaluation, it was just their natural personalities.

I guess my point is not to base your opinion on the Yorkies that your have babysat. If you are able to see the dynamics of the litter when you pick out your pup, you just might be able to see what kind of temperament to expect as an adult. With Jezebel, I was able to observe her in the litter, with my rehome, a very sweet gentle boy, I did not and I was not the one that did his first year of training.

They aren't all yappy, neurotic, and anti-social. Choose carefully and you will get the proper spunky terrier attitude that is balanced and friendly. I don't think mine are the way that they are because of training, I think they were largely born with these personalities and they were properly nurtured, because I did not try to change their personalities in any way.