I'm thinking of getting a Yorkie!
 

Hi!

I'm planning to get a dog and I'm trying to decide whether to get a Yorkie, a Maltese or a Chihuahua. I want a small dog that will be a lap dog and that will do well being taken to the office with me during the week. I've always had big dogs before, so I'm excited about getting a dog that will be able to travel and come to work with me!

I'm not sure which breed to get and whether I should look for a puppy or buy/rescue an adult dog, so I figured I'd go to the experts and see if any of you Yorkie owners have suggestions or if you can tell me what qualities you like in the breed.

I'm doing lots of research right now to be sure I make the right decision, but I still also have questions about what kind of grooming Yorkies require (frequency?) and whether to train the dog to use a litter box, papers or just to go outside (which I always did with my big dogs).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

We maybe a little bias. I say if you want the perfect little one ":aimeeyorkYorkie:aimeeyork! Just keep in mind that they need more time than a chihuahua little with the hair and stuff. They can be trained to use pee pads.

Hello & welcome to YT! It's great that you're doing a lot of research. I personally have a Chihuahua & a Yorkie, & I love them both! My Chi is the ultimate lap dog. She always sits in my lap & loves to cuddle with me. I don't know what I would do without her in my life. My Yorkie isn't as cuddly though, but there are a lot of people here on YT who have Yorkies that are the best lap dogs ever. It really depends on the personality of the dog. Some are cuddlers & some aren't. It's up to you as to whether or not to get a puppy. When they are puppies, they need A LOT of care & attention, especially when it comes to potty training. My Yorkie is two months & I have to take him to go potty every hour because his bladder is too small to hold his pee for longer than two hours. If you feel that you simply don't have the time to potty train a puppy, then an older dog would probably be the best choice for you. Yorkies are very smart dogs, & they will learn quickly. You CAN train your Yorkie to go to the bathroom outside if you'd like. This is what I am doing & thus far it is working out very well. He has only had one accident in the house, but that was my fault, not his. A lot of people live by puppy pads, but I just don't like the idea of having puppy pads in my house. My Chi is puppy pad trained & I am constantly having to keep an eye on the pads to make sure that my thirteen month old daughter doesn't play with them or drag them around the house. Plus they are quite costly after awhile, & a lot of dogs don't like to pee or poop on them more than once. In fact, a lot of dogs also like to pee on one pad & poop on a different one in a different place in the house! There is one member here however who sells puppy pads that are washable, so if you're interested in saving some money, you can buy some from her for sure. As for whether or not to get a Chi or a Yorkie, that decision is up to you. I love my Chi & my Yorkie, although I must admit that I am partial to my Chi because she is my first dog ever. Yorkies are wonderful dogs too though! I'm so happy that I decided to get a Yorkie instead of another Chi. He's the best addition to our family yet!

-Amy

Hi and welcome to YT!!! Very smart to do your research first!:) And, how awesome that you will be able to take your baby to work with you!!

I have two male yorkies, and I absolutely LOVE the breed!!! They are great companions and are very smart!! Mine are both very much mama's boys and are both lap dogs, especially Jake. He is my little one at 4 1/2 lbs. They follow me everywhere, they are so much fun to play with, they are both very loving, they sleep with me.....I can go on and on about my boys because I love them SOOO much!!!

I have never owned the other breeds you mentioned, but my sister has a Maltese. He is a little bigger than my boys, about 13 lbs. He is also very loving and sweet, and I absolutely love him! I'm just partial to yorkies.:)

Good luck with your decision!:)

I own Chihuahuas mine are EXTREME lap dogs and love to lick all over my face and sit on my lap. I think they are being overbred as a breed and losing their "look" for the worst which is why I stop breeding chis and got them fixed. I now have started researching yorkies and they are wonderful and DON'T SHED (EXTRA PLUS!!!). They are all great breed with something to offer you should just base it on your lifestyle but I recommend the yorkie of course:D:rolleyes:;):yorkiesar

Thanks for the input! :D

I didn't realize Yorkies didn't shed! That was one of my concerns... couldn't imagine walking around with all that long hair stuck to my clothes and wasn't sure what I'd have to do to prevent it!

Sounds like some of you have Yorkies that are lap dogs and some of you find that yours aren't cuddlers. Anyone know how I would go about finding one that's more of a lap dog type? Is that about choosing a breeder that breeds for that kind of personality or is there something that I would look for when going to choose a puppy? Do you think it's better to find an adult dog who already seems to have that kind of personality or to find a puppy that I can train to be a lap dog? Is it nature or nurture? :confused:

Thanks!

Well my little boy yorkie (Bailey) is such a cutie he is my little lap dog. i also wanted a lap dog to cuddle and kiss ALL the time :D He was not that hard to train and i find he is sooooo good in the car. The little things like brushing him and bathing him and washing his face and eyes everynight b4 you go to bed i thought dam more work BUT i love it we sit on the couch snuggled up as i wash his little face and then he stands up for me to brush him :D i love every minute of it. Good luck with your choice and keep us updated at what u get :D

I have five and they fight for my lap. Sometimes the all 5 manage to get on it at one time. I'm thinking that it depends on how much human contact they had with the breeder. Also the poster that said her yorkie was not cuddly also siad it was only two months old. Mine were all over 2 months when I got them. Just speculating here, but a breeder who sells their yorkie puppies at 2 months or sooner possibly does not handle them a great deal.

They do require more grooming than a Chi, but you can keep their hair short if you don't want to mess with it. Then you get the best of all 3, a small short haired dog that doesn't shed.

what more could one ask for LOL

I think it has to do with nature AND nurture. As I sit here now with my laptop I've got a pup on either side of me sound asleep... snuggled RIGHT UP AGAINST ME. They are the ultimate cuddlers. When Ruthie was just a wee puppy, she was very independent and not too much of a cuddler — after she was spayed, she turned into the ultimate cuddler. Oscar was fairly cuddly as a pup and is even MORE cuddly now (he's 2 1/2), so I have to believe that is has to do with me and how I've 'trained' them. I used to take them both to work with me too.

Go with your gut on which breed to get — I think we're probably all really biased here! I love my dogs; they're playful, cuddly, full of character... grooming needs are NOT that bad at all and the fact that they don't shed is a huge plus! I lose more hair than they do... lol

If you can find a reputable breeder, you can tell them what you are looking for and they will try to place the right puppy with you. Each puppy has its own personality, so it is up to you and/or your breeder to pick the one that fits best with your lifestyle. Since you want a lap dog, you probably wouldn't want to choose the puppy that's jumping all over the place. But you don't want to pick one that's overly calm either.

I have a male yorkie and a female maltese. Maltese require a tiny bit more grooming maintenance simply because they are white and just stepping outside makes my maltese not white anymore. LOL :) Neither of them shed, and they are both extremely sweet!! They are actually both great lap dogs, but they get wild when they play!

Since you say you want to be able to travel with your dog, it's important that you start training your dog to like it's carrier and crate from the time that you get him/her.

I love both the yorkie and maltese breeds. I think the key is to find a very reputable breeder who will help you through the process. A reputable breeder won't hesitate to answer any questions that you may have. Try to find a one or two excellent breeders for each of the breeds that you like and maybe talk to them about what you're looking for.

Good luck!!

Mine (2 tyears old) loves to cuddle especially when he is tired at night but during the day, he prefers to have his own 'adventures', not so much of a cuddler during daytime. I keep mine in puppycut so no matting. I only comb him a few times a week and he is all good to go!

WELCOME TO YT!!!
A toy Breed is the perfect companion & lapdog...just bear in mind that the tiny ones need extra special care & attention and a Yorkie with the longer coat needs ALOT of work!! My Pixie has a longer coat and it is beautiful. but..my goodness! its hard work sometimes! she loves the garden..which you can imagine creates alot of work with her coat! I think it is a good idea to train to go outside but also to use puppypads..I wish Pixie had taken to pads too as when the weather is bad i would rather she stayed inside!
Goodluck in whatever you decide..stick around..there's always lots of good advice for free here!;)
Kerry & Pixie:aimeeyork

Welcome to YT! I can only speak from the Chi side (haven't found my Yorkie yet), I agree with everyone else about the snuggling and care... BUT if you're going to take your baby to work with you then you will need a hair remover if you choose the Chi. I have 2 one LH & one SH, they both shed...I love both dearly but they do shed! Good luck with your search!

Thanks for all the input! I'm starting to really lean toward a Yorkie! Does anyone have recommendations for responsible breeders is Southern California? Or suggestions as to how I would find somebody good?

Thanks!!! :D

Do your research and don't be afraid to contact more than one breeder — you'll learn a lot just by comparing them. Visit the breeder and ask to see where the dogs are kept - it should be CLEAN and safe. Ask the breeder about a health guarantee (most will offer a guarantee of at least a year), make sure the dog is up to date on its shots and has been dewormed. If you don't get a good, positive feeling from the breeder, then go elsewhere. Ruthie's breeder truly LOVES her dogs and still keeps in touch with me to help out with any questions or issues I may have — THAT to me makes a good breeder — where the relationship doesn't end the minute you write the check and leave with the pup. Follow your gut instincts. Look at the dogs they are breeding for sound build. If you can go for a visit, take a look at the dogs and how 'happy' they seem. Happy, healthy, playful dogs in a clean, safe environment are key when picking a breeder. I would also ask about things like liver shunts and luxating patella - ask if any of their puppies have developed these conditions. Be sure to ask to see the parents of any pup you are thinking about buying.

I'm sure there's lots more people can add to this! Just do lots of research and happy hunting! :)