Would a Yorkie be good for me and my girlfriend?

[mackie1604]

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I have been together for over 3 years, getting close to being engaged, etc etc. We've talked about a dog for quite a long time, but unfortunately, I have fairly bad allergies.

I grew up with Cocker Spaniels (which I love) but they shed SOO much and I can get very symptomatic when I'm around them. We've been looking at a Yorkie pup, born in January at a locally owned pet store near by.

My only experience with Yorkies has been my brother's, seems like a good dog......kinda skiddish, but I think that's because his wife likes to yell. (don't get my started)

For me, we have a nice home with a small fenced back yard. Girlfriend will be home and I work normal scheduled 8-5ish.

I held the puppy last night for a little bit, allergies seemed great, no issues. I've heard that Yorkies shed almost no hair, which is probably what I need.

Any thoughts?

Some of the medical problems worry me, like the shunt's etc.....is that most for the super small dogs? (The puppies we saw seem to be in the normal size range (mother was 11lbs, father was 7).

Any advice you can give would be so helpful and much appreciated.

We know a puppy/dog is alot of work so I want to make sure we make the best choice of breed so we ensure the dog will be happy and healthy.

Thanks in advance,

Mackie

[donnarod]

My Yorkie is such a joy, just like having a kid in the house. She is 9 lbs and very healthy.
Good luck. I am sure you will get a lot of praise here.

[TLC]

If you are worried about medical / genetic defects...I would STAY far away from buying a dog from a Pet Store

You are doing the right thing by researching the breed BUT you also have to research a Good, Responsible Breeder. You want to make sure the pup is healthy and free from genetic defects.

Pet Store Pups = Puppy Mills = NOT HEALTHY = Not Good

[Critter]

My adult daughter has always had allergies to dogs and cats, while getting the yorkies has not triggered an allergic reaction like other dogs she still has some reactions to them sometimes (I don't know why not all the time but only sometimes). I will say though it has not been a big issue and my daughter is still at home while attending college. We have smaller yorkies, one is just over 4lbs and the other just over 2lbs (but is still a puppy and growing). they have been really healthy! I think they are great additions to our family

[Marilize]

Hi there. You didn't say if you are new to yorkietalk, but if you are, welcome to the best forum ever.
I am extremely allergic to dogs. If my parents' staffies' hair gets on my skin, I get hay fever like crazy and where the hair (even a single one) is, I itch and sometimes get eczema. I also get asthma attacks. I have to drink anti-histamines every day.
The good news: I have a yorkie and am not allergic to him at all!!!!! I don't even need the pills most days.
I heard about hypo-allergenic dogs from a friend and decided to research it since I love dogs to bits and always wanted one in the house, but with the allergies I couldn't.
I found a list of hypo-allergenic dogs and the yorkies drew my attention. After a year of research, I decided to get one.
And I have never looked back. Yorkie don't shed at all, so most allergic reactions are eliminated.
I hope this helps.
Good luck!!

[phfgkl]

Originally Posted by mackie1604

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I have been together for over 3 years, getting close to being engaged, etc etc. We've talked about a dog for quite a long time, but unfortunately, I have fairly bad allergies.

I grew up with Cocker Spaniels (which I love) but they shed SOO much and I can get very symptomatic when I'm around them. We've been looking at a Yorkie pup, born in January at a locally owned pet store near by.

My only experience with Yorkies has been my brother's, seems like a good dog......kinda skiddish, but I think that's because his wife likes to yell. (don't get my started)

For me, we have a nice home with a small fenced back yard. Girlfriend will be home and I work normal scheduled 8-5ish.

I held the puppy last night for a little bit, allergies seemed great, no issues. I've heard that Yorkies shed almost no hair, which is probably what I need.

Any thoughts?

Some of the medical problems worry me, like the shunt's etc.....is that most for the super small dogs? (The puppies we saw seem to be in the normal size range (mother was 11lbs, father was 7).

Any advice you can give would be so helpful and much appreciated.

We know a puppy/dog is alot of work so I want to make sure we make the best choice of breed so we ensure the dog will be happy and healthy.

Thanks in advance,

Mackie

Welcome Mackie. Acutally AKC says up to 7 lbs. The mother seems pretty good sized.
Since yorkies have hair like people they actually do shed, but, not as much, they don't have an undercoat. Make sure a breeder has a health gurantee, and yes, stay away from pet stores.
Myself, I always liked getting from hobby breeders, their dogs are usually in the house and part of the family.
Good luck with your search. Just remember, if you get one of these pups, if you housebreak to outside, make sure someone is always with him/her, as they do get stolen, plus a large bird can swoop down and pick one up in a heartbeat

[bcrass2]

I think yorkies are a great addition to most homes. They are very loyal and have such a good personality. They are like having children! Mine are spoiled beyond belief. I suggest getting one from a reputable breeder. That will decrease the gentical defects. This will be a great trial to see if you're ready for children. You could put an engagement ring on the yorkies collar (which you won't use for walking) and ask that wonderful woman in your life to marry you.
It sounds like you have mastered playing house

[mscat]

hi there and welcome to YT. I think It's great that your looking into the Yorkie Breed first before making any final decisions.
My son has severe allergies, and he does great with our Yorkie . My kid who is 15 needs shots, inhalers, and meds. Yorkies do not have a undercoat and are considered a hypo allergenic breed.
If you buy a yorkie Pup from a reputable breeder thaen chances are slim that you will run into any major health issues. DO NOT let any of those health issues stir you away from you the most wonderful breed there is! In fact all dogs have a chance of getting any health problems . ANy animal . Not just in the Yorkie. If you start reading up on any breed you will fin this out to be true.
my Yorkie just turned a year old a coulpe of weeks ago . I got her at 9 weeks , which i should have waited until 12weeks, but she did fine. Suzi is her name , and she has brought such great into our lives . It has been the best choice we have made bringing her home I've never regretted it!

[LunaBelle]

Sounds to me like a yorkie would be a very good choice for you and your girlfriend. My husband and I both suffer from pet allergies and have absolutely NO reactions to our yorkie. This being said, please do not get your yorkie from a pet store - especially if you are concerned about health issues!! Do a lot of research before you commit to owning a new puppy. Good luck finding your new family member!

[sher84]

Hi, and welcome to YT!!! A yorkie sounds like a great dog for you two. The smaller dogs aren't always unhealthy, my little girl is 2lbs, and very healthy. My son has EXTREMELY BAD allergies, and Chloe doesn't bother him at all. As others have said, PLEASE stay away from pet stores. Please keep us posted if you decide to get a furbaby!!!

[Britster]

Yorkie sounds like a good choice for you guys! But, I wouldn't buy from a pet store and support the puppy mills behind them (go to youtube.com and type Oprah puppy mills and you will see where your pup and it's parents came from)

And I wouldn't worry about the health problems, you see a lot of questions on here simply because when people have worries and questions, this is where they come! But most of them are healthy little guys if you take proper care of them! Also, yorkies can be stubborn so you have to be sure there will be a dominant alpha leader in the house to control them and they will be absolutely fine! Easy to train (in my opinion) but housebreaking can be an obstacle.

[John Stelting]

Yorkies should be groomed each and every day so while they don't shed like other dogs you will have some hair in air while you are grooming your furbaby. And as other's have stated, but it can't be stated enough... DO NOT BUY FROM A PET STORE...... If possible contact a Yorkie Rescue and see if you can offer a furbaby a forever home.

[Miao]

I think a yorkie would be great for you and your future fiancee and wife to-be. This is as long as you're sure you feel she's the one. Having a yorkie, or a dog in general, is a commitment almost like having a child together. It can very well bring up disputes later on of who gets what, and I'm sure you won't ever get to that point, but it is very common. It is a great time for you to raise a pup as you stated, she will be at home, it will be like raising your first child together. You'll be able to see if the two of you can handle the stress as a unit and make the best of it. This may also help to satisfy the internal ticking of the clock for a short while during which you have time to enjoy your engagement and early point of your marriage together without the more consuming addition of a skin baby for maybe the first two years unless you've already planned for children right away.

During my search for my first yorkie, I was open to buying from hobby, show, or "oopsie" one-time breeders. However, after reading numerous posts and registered kennel or show breeders' websites, I had purposefully avoided inquiring with certain registered kennels within what I considered a workable distance. These are the ones with the usual, "this breed is not recommended (or is unsuitable) for households with small children" and so forth. I know I plan to have children, and that I will soon be trying to have a child of my own that was why I was even considering marriage as it was time after having been together for 11 years and we weren't getting any younger.

While inquiring about various ads posted on Kijiji and the local paper, what I ended up getting was a phone lecture from a seller I had suspected was from a certain kennel I had no intention whatsoever of contacting while looking for a prospective breeder. The website write-ups and such already had me turning away as this was one of those who say yorkies don't belong in a household with children. But as I was asked to call via the email exchanged, I did as much. This ended up a waste of my time, and I would have thought this applied to the both of us, getting the speech about how a yorkie is not suited for me because with a new marriage and a future infant/toddler in the making, I will have no time for the pup and very young children with this breed aren't a good idea--have I considered rescuing from a shelter? What I had failed to ask her is how I would have time to help a rescue adjust to an allegedly hectic and inappropriate life for a yorkie, but okay for a rescue (pure or mix--unless she was meaning a large breed dog which she didn't specify) if I wasn't good enough for one of her dogs. I later went on to her website and noted there was a write-up that covered exactly my thoughts there about rescues as the site seemed passionate about the support of rescues and their well-being.

I wish you better luck on your search and I'm sure you'll find a great breeder, possibly consider one here one YT in the * Featured Yorkies for Sale * or Yorkies For Sale or Wanted. But if you're buying from those posting in YT, you shouldn't do any less research than you would normally as nothing is guaranteed and anybody can easily run a search on the internet and end up signing up on here and sell you a dog with questionable backgrounds.

[Britster]

^ As for the kid thing, Jackson LOVES kids. Yes, he's on the bigger side so he can be "roughed" around a little more than a smaller dog, but he loves them. He's always around this little 1 year old girl and they play. As well as a 5 year old boy among older children .

[LunaBelle]

I have three children - 3, 2 and 8 mos. old and all is well here!
I think that as long as the adults in the house are responsible about how the children and dog interact, it's fine to have both! My yorkie loves my kids and vise versa.