Advice--Yorkies vs. Maltese?
 

So this may be the wrong place to ask this question, but I'm getting a puppy and deciding between a Yorkie and a Maltese. We have no other pets or kids, but hope to start a family in the future. I've heard that Maltese are better with kids and that Yorkies tend to be a little more yappy. I've loved the Yorkies I've met, though, and think they're so adorable (but then, so are Maltese). Any help with this tough decision is appreciated! Thanks :)

Welcome to YT! If you are planning on starting a family in the near future, you might want to hold off on a puppy. Puppies need so much attention between training and what not. If you are getting ready to have a family, then the puppy might not get the attention it needs. IMO yorkies are the best! (Maltese are cute too). Good luck on deciding on what is best for you.

Ok...I have a maltese and a yorkie. My maltese is soooooo yappy. He barks at everything, I mean everything, and his bark is sooo loud. If someone comes to my house he will bark and bark, and if he doesn't know them or they don't acknowledge him he really barks, a lot! My yorkie RARELY barks ever. My maltese is more loving, he will sit in your lap for as long as you let him, but my yorkie always has better things to do than to sit still, unless she is tired or going to sleep, then she loves to lay beside you or in your lap and cuddle. Tear stains can be a problem with maltese. My yorkie is much smarter than my maltese. I know that the things I have said can be related to breeding and not the breed, and while I love them both, if I had to choose the breed I like best it would be yorkies. If I ever get another dog I would get another yorkie.

Just want to clarify--I'd be getting the puppy within the next month (I hope!) and don't expect to have any kids in the immediate future (it would be,um, at least 9 months) ;)

If you get a yorkie, the personalities can vary if you get a boy vs a girl. In general, boys are more loving but girls want to cuddle more. I have two boys and they are the most loving dogs you could ask for. They just kiss my face off, lol.:p You should just browse around the site and learn as much as you can about yorkies. Then you will get a better idea if one is right for you. You will love it here!;)

I have a Maltese and hope to get a Yorkie some day. There are many members here who have both so you will get some good answers.

As far as Maltese go, they are not recommended for young children. They are just too fragile. We had a scary event with a member on another forum just the other day. Her 12 year old son put the lid down on the toilet and put the Maltese up on it to put her harness and leash on. She fell off and badly sprained her leg even from such a short distance. They took her to the vet and he said that not only are their bones fragile, their internal organs are too. The vet said that just last week she lost a Pomeranian due to a ruptured spleen suffered during a fall.

For that reason, reputable Maltese breeders will not sell a Maltese puppy to a family with children under about 10-12 years old.

I would suspect the same issues would apply to Yorkies, but I'll let the Yorkie owners answer that.

I had a maltese, and I have 2 yorkies now..The maltese was sweet, and my g-kids loved her as she did them, but her bark was very annoying(high pitched), and hubby is on his office phone a lot which is in the house, so, I had to rehome her..don't get me wrong, the yorkies bark too, but, they don't have the high pitched bark..They both have sweet personalities, the maltese wanted to be held ALL the time and wanted all the attention, but was very loveable.
Whatever you get, when you do start a family, it's very important that you don't ignore the dog, and that you teach your child from a very young age, how to be good to pets..This is what my daughter always did, my g-kids are now 5 and 8 and are both very good with all kinds of animals..

Yorkies :thumbup:

I have both a yorkie and a maltese, and I have to say that I love both breeds. My yorkie is a male and he is so incredibly loving. My maltese is a female and she's really a sweetheart.

My biggest recommendation to you would be to get a larger one (10lbs or so) since you are planning on having children. Ten pounds is still a tiny dog, and you will still have to be very careful with him/her. Never leave a child unsupervised with a yorkie or a maltese. It's too dangerous even if they are "bigger".

The thing about maltese is the fact that they are so white, and it takes a little more to keep them looking clean. One time playing outside, and they look dirty. LOL :) Sometimes they get tear stains as well.

You might want to also join www.maltesetalk.com to get more info on maltese.

This is another great Maltese forum. It's a busy place and a great place to learn more about Maltese:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/inde...se.com/forum/#

I'd also check out Bichons and Havanese. They are a little bigger and much sturdier than Maltese and Yorkies who should be in the 4-7 pound range.

I'm especially partial to Havenese since they have such a wonderful, proactive breed club who is striving to keep the breed healthy and free from the genetic problems that are so common in Yorkies and Maltese.

I had a maltese before, but I had to give him up because he was really crazy. I couldn't handle him anymore. This is when I was younger. Honestly, Yorkies are the breed for me. That's why I have 4 now! It's all on your preference. Goodluck!

advice yorkies vs Maltese
 

I have had both and I think all dogs have their own personalities as we do./
Had a Maltese that passed away at 16 and he had a split personality, never knew if he would bite or give kisses, my yorkie is 14 months old and she is the sweetest thing that I have ever owned.
Good Luck,

I think if you are planning on starting a family, you might want to consider a slightly bigger (still small) breed of dog, or a larger yorkie (15 lbs or so).

I do truly think children can co exist with small dogs, but babies and toddlers grab and yank at puppies without knowing that they shouldn't. A friend of mine brings her toddler over sometimes and he goes to pet my dogs but will accidently smack them on the head because he just doesn't know how to be gentle yet. With them being so small, accidents happen so easily.

I do wish you the best of luck in your search!

advice yorkies vs Maltese
 

Her is a pic of my Maltese with his Papa.

Welcome to YT. I personally think Yorkies are better off with bigger kids and adults then with babies. They can be so small, and be hurt so easily. Atleast a Maltese has a little more girth to it.

I don't have any advice as to which breed is better but I can tell you what my experience has been with young children and a Yorkie. I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a 9 month old baby girl. My puppy is almost 14 weeks and we've had him since he was 8 weeks old. I purposely got one that was fairly sure to get a little bigger, in the 7-10 pound range, because of having young children. My son is very good with Max, they chase each other around and wrestle on the floor. Carson knows not to hit Max or throw things at him. Becca tends to grab Max's fur and doesn't yet know how to "pet" him but Max is very good with her, doesn't bite or jump on her. He visits with her for awhile but soon moves on as he gets tired of the fur grabbing and head bonking. :)

Potty training Max has been a little rough to start off with but this past week has been great. I was using the crate training, then I wasn't and now we're back to it. It's working out really well this time around. It's really nice because when things get a little out of control or I need a break, I can put Max in his crate and know that he's safe and not getting in to trouble around the house.

Good luck in your decision! You'll be happy whichever breed you choose!

Hard question
 

I love both. I would say both are equally yappy or not. My yorkie doesn't yap at all... however I have had puppies of both and you never know. My mom has one maltese... yappy ... the other silent!

There is something so special about both... it has to be you. The absolutely only 2 negatives I can find... is yorkies sometimes have a terrier smell... so they can't go long w/o baths... but maltese... never do and from the very beginning maltese hate to poop in their crates... I mean EARLY on... but maltese are much more stubborn house breakers!

That being said... my yorkie's hair is so much easier to care for than the maltese my mom and I think my yorkie just has the best personality... she is a sweet heart through and through... so... basically

6 in one hand 1/2dozen in the other!

Actually, the standard for both Yorkies and Maltese calls for them to be 4-7 pounds full grown so there should be no size difference between the breeds if they are bred properly.

Of course there are supersized Maltese out there from backyard breeders and pet shops. Maltese also have just as much problem as Yorkies do with unscrupulous breeders trying to breed the super tiny "teacup" ones.

One thing I wouldn't advise is trying to get a Maltese or Yorkie that will be considerably larger than the standard. A reputable breeder strives to produce puppies who are as close to the breed standard as possible. They start with good quality dogs, screen for genetic problems inherent to the breed and do the necessary health testing beforehand. This is the type of breeder you want to get your puppy from.

If you decide that a larger 10-15 pound dog is more appropriate for your family, please find a breed that is supposed to be that size and get a puppy from a reputable breeder.

What about a silky terrier? They look quite a bit like yorkies and are a little larger. Shih tzus are also a little bigger and are supposed to make better "family" pets.

Thank you to all of you for all your input and suggestions. My husband and I are really set on either a Maltese or Yorkie, and are interested in the 5ish pound size as I want to take him with me as often as possible. I also am not really interested in most other breeds, especially because of my allergies. Since I don't have kids yet I figured the puppy won't be a puppy anymore by the time it has to deal with a toddler in the house and I think that with a baby having a dog at home from birth, and my supervision, s/he will learn early on to be as careful as possible--unlike a child visitor who wouldn't know better. Still, I realize this is ideal thinking :) My concern about "yappiness" seems clarified in that it's more the independent dog than the breed. This seems somewhat true for housebreaking, too?
As far as family-friendly, I just wanted to get people's experiences about these breeds being around kids because a few people have mentioned to me that they know Yorkies to be more short-tempered with kids (not that I'd necessarily blame them--with the hair pulling and head-bopping and all!) ;)
Thanks again for all your wisdom!

Are you sure that yorkies and maltese won't set off your allergies? They are not hypoallergenic, they just don't shed as much, and have hair instead of fur, so many people's allergies are still affected by their presence. Also, the other breeds that have been mentioned, the Bichon and the Havanese do not shed either, but they would still be slightly sturdier for a family home.

I agree. There is no dog that is truly hypoallergenic. I'd also worry that even if the dog doesn't bother your allergies, your "someday" baby may have allergies since he or she would be more likely to. Allergies are one of the top five reasons dogs are turned over to rescue.

Have you made a list of the reasons you want a Yorkie or Maltese? Personality and suitability to the family is much more important than looks. Often people choose this breed because they are so gorgeous (no prejudice here!:D ) without considering the more important factors.

If you do decide to get either breed, I would really urge you to get one that is on the higher end of the standard size-wise. A five pound Yorkie or Maltese is just not a good idea with small children.

Agreed here. If you have dander allergies, any dog even "hypo allergenic" ones will still affect your allergies.

If you don't mind taking medications they aren't "as" bad, but still I know some people don't like to do this.

To the OP -- I'm not trying to be negative :) Just wanted to give you something to think about :). I bought my first yorkie poo thinking he was hypo allergenic and I found out he most certainly isn't, along w/my other babies :)

I think Maltese are darling, but Yorkies simply melt my heart! My boy is the affectionate one all the time, my female is affectionate on her time. She barks, he rarely barks. I think a lot depends on the individual dog.
If I was planning on starting a family and had the room, I think I would get a lab or a golden retriever. They are big and hearty, and great with kids. My Yorkeis ARE my kids.

I have kids, lots of them ranging from 2.5 to 18yrs old.. I have 5 kids and 5 dogs. 2 labs, 1 boston terrier and 2 yorkies. I was up in the air on whether I wanted a yorkie or maltese just like you. After researching It seemed to me that they were so similiar that my deciding factor was eye stains.. much easier to keep a yorkies face looking nice then a maltese... probably a weird deciding factor but just the same that is what I made my decision on.

Now as far as kids and dogs, regardless of which you decide on don't plan on them being dogs for your kids... if thats what your looking for then you need to go with much more kid friendly dogs which imo are retrievers.. hands down. If you have allergies obviously they are not an option for you. My yorkies are MY dogs, my older children are allowed to interact with them (10, 15, 18) but my little ones aren't. They are always supervised or in their ex pen, not just because of my little ones but because of the big dogs as well. If they are out running about the room my youngest son knows he can't walk in the room, its against my rules because even though he is good with the dogs accidents happen and I he could trip and fall on one of them which could be fatal, they are now 3.2lbs and 2.4lbs respectively. I did not intend on my oldest one to be so tiny but even if she ended up 7lbs I would handle things the same way.

Ok, probably way more info then you asked for but I know you were looking for true opinions on the breed and kids so I think I gave you mine :) I don't feel as though telling you that neither is a good choice is any help for anyone. I would have been extremely irritated if people were telling me that I shouldn't get the breed that I was looking for just because I had or was planning on having children.

I also have both and both have plus and minus'. The Maltese is a perfect lap dog... but ours never wants to do anything else. It may be just this dog but she was never very playful and seems to have bad problems with arthirits, since she was fairly young.My Yorkie is very playful though. She was difficult to house train, but so was my Yorkie, in fact the Yorkie has been much harder. They are both too fragile to be around young kids without close supervision. They are both very loving and sweet and both are yappy, neither more annoying than the other. I love both breeds and would have both again.

Thank you, Jackie. You're right :) And I absolutely expect this to be my dog as I've been wanting one for many years, and have no intention of leaving my dog unsupervised with young children. Still, they will be in the same household and I was curious about people's experiences with Yorkies, Maltese, and children. I know it is considered less than ideal, but like you (and one other person who posted earlier), I think there are many families with toy breeds and young children--so my question was more about whether one is better rather than "IF" to get one, because I do plan to get one within the next few weeks--and as yet am not even pregnant (that I know of), so it seems silly to not get a dog I've been wanting for years when I can't even know for certain if I will have kids at some point (although I certainly hope to) who may be clumsy with small dogs (and I would do my best to protect both).

Please don't rush to get a puppy in just a few weeks. It can take awhile to find a reputable breeder and even longer as many have waiting lists for puppies, especially if you are looking for a female.

Getting a well bred puppy from a good breeder is extremely important, even more so if this dog will be around small children. Puppies from pet stores/puppy mills and many backyard breeders are not handled enough by humans early on and can have socialization problems later on. You also want to make sure you get a puppy from a good breeder, one who is breeding for the lovely temperament each of these two breeds have or you could end up with a nasty dog. It is buyer beware when buying either breed as there are a lot of scammers out there.

This forum is a wonderful source for locating a good Yorkie breeder. If you decide to get a Maltese, please join Spoiled Maltese and we can help you find a reputable breeder.

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/inde...se.com/forum/#

Here's a good overview of both breeds. You will see that they share almost all the same pros and cons:

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/maltese.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/rev...eterriers.html

They both have the same warning:

Yorkshire Terriers/Maltese are NOT suited to children, no matter how well-meaning the child. Children cannot help being clumsy, and that a child meant well is little solace to a Yorkshire Terrier who has been accidentally stepped on, sat on, rolled on, squeezed, or dropped onto the patio. Most Yorkshire Terriers feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can't help making -- and stress and fearfulness (even defensive biting) may be the result.

I second this. I was a little shocked by your plans to get a dog in a month, much less a week. If you've waited this long, you might as well wait a little longer for a quality dog from a quality breeder, and not from a nasty puppy mill or backyard breeder. It will make all the difference in the world in the temperament of your pet. Good luck, whatever you decide.