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Originally Posted by Mobious15  Thank you for your advise and help!! I am already shopping for breeders, if I don't rescue a yorkie first. I must admit I am very excited at the thought of having a yorkie and the companionship. I try to not be a jealous person but it does get to me in a way (and sometimes it makes me feel a bit lonely) how Brandy, my BF's german shepherd, only listens to him and she seems like a yorkie herself in the aspect that she literally will follow him to and from the bathroom and wants and tries to go where ever he goes lol! The main issue I am worried about is if getting a yorkie would cause us to argue or come with too much added stress in the beginning. My boyfriend is not much of a small dog person, unlike me, and would probably joke/tease me about how great and smart Brandy is compared to my new baby (which I would not take lightly bc I am already in love with which ever yorkie I adopt or pick out in the near future and see them as my own child). I know every yorkie is different but what can I expect on how long it would probably take to potty train? I would love for my yorkie to be able to do tricks like Brandy and would these be possible?: My bf can look at Brandy (no matter where we are in the house) and say "go to bed" and she'll go upstairs and jump up on the bed. Or if we are outside he'll say "Brandy, go potty" and she'll go potty within seconds after given the command. Like I said earlier, I don't have any experience with yorkies so I do not know but are these things I could possibly teach to my new yorkie?? |
Getting a Yorkie might cause an argument, but so might getting a set of dishes. I cannot tell you if that will happen or not, and hopefully you won't ever argue, but very possibly, too, he will see your Yorkie as the 'different' Yorkie he will be under your care.
My DH was not a small dog person either...he says now that Yorkies are the very best breed...the best of both worlds, a 'big dog you can carry around', and that he doesn't want any other kind of dog. He has convinced several of HIS male friends to get a Yorkie, and they are all IN LOVE with the breed. I have had large breed and small breed mixes, including one Yorkie-Poo. The large breed dogs were typically very smart and very
trainable. Often, it appears, to me, that the 'dog intelligence' charts do not reflect actual 'intelligence'...they reflect 'trainability' instead. You can search on YouTube or YT and find Yorkies that are trained to perform 'tricks' outside normal 'manners' training (sit, stay, come, etc.). All of my dogs have been great, and all of them have learned to understand what I say, and 'read' me and my actions...this is the first time my DH and I have had to resort to a sort of 'umm...err...nodding/sign language' and we're contemplating texting as an alternative, to communicate, however. It seems that the Yorks learn EVERY word we say by about the 3rd usage of the word. They have amazing vocabularies...which brings me to the 'child' part of what you wrote.
If you want a dog that is 'known' to be trainable and do 'tricks' perhaps you want to consider well what breed you think will fit that description. Poodles, and I like Poodles, are a breed, for example, that are known to be very smart, sweet, cuddly, and trainable...I don't think I've ever seen a circus without a (Poodle) dog act. lol However, if you want a dog that acts, and 'feels' like a 'child' to you, then I would say a Yorkshire Terrier may be the closest ever breed to fitting that description. I rather treat my Yorkies as I would any human child...and they respond similarly to what you would expect a human child to act under identical circumstances. This may just be my 2 kids who are like that...others may tell you differently. However, it is my understanding from my reading about the breed, that Yorkies were bred to be 'independent thinkers'...to be able to work out situations
intellectually and adapt and solve the issue...not just follow mere commands...which they will do, too. Or,
sometimes...
...my kids act more cat-like and take what I say 'under advisement'...they 'mull it over'...and 'choose' an alternative more suitable to their own wishes...same as my cats do. My Yorkies want to do everything we do, go everywhere we go, and WE WANT THAT TOO.
While most people expect this type of behavior from a at, few expect it from a dog. This is from my own experience...not a hard cold fact...lol
Personally, I prefer the 'true intelligence' along with everything else the Yorkie possesses in his/her nature...they are a wonderful, beautiful breed, and not just a mere companion.
I should mention that I did not potty train my Yorkies...I got them 3 months apart...Brody was 14 months old, and Mia was 17 months old, although they are exactly 6 days different in age. I had no trouble potty training my Yorkie-Poo, who had silky hair and 'Yorkitude' and would "snub me" for failing to comply with certain of HIS "demands" and it was sooooo funny to see him do it, too...little nose up in the air, eyes closed, face turned away from me...!
I suppose convincing your BF might be easier
if he could see more than one Yorkie in action...hear that others have had somewhat different experiences with different dogs. He was close to one dog, but that dog might not be 100% representative of how YOUR Yorkie will be WITH YOU, if that makes sense. Brody and Mia were both very different dogs with their previous owners than they are with me. Perhaps you could just 'risk' (and resolve) whatever 'argument' might arise from you bringing home a Yorkie fur baby to introduce to him, or whatever method of negotiation you choose. Whatever the outcome, I wish you the very best and look forward to the pictures of your new Yorkie...