Should I buy the shy one?
 

I visited a breeder who was highly recommended and AKC referred on Sunday. The puppies were 7 weeks old. There were 5 pups in the litter and the one I came to look at was the last one to be sold. The thing that concerns me is that he seems very shy.

His brothers and sisters were very energetic and ran to greet me and palyed with each other. Both of the parents were also very friendly. When the Sire and Dam were in the room he was very excited to see them (to the point where he got on their nerves).The breeder said that he was the runt when he was born and that the other sibling picked on him. He did not want to play when the breeder tried to get him to be active, he just kind of sniffed the toys and wandered arond on his own. He rolled over and let me rub his tummy when I went to pet him in his bed and he eventually licked my fingers a little bit while he was resting. His tail was also down most of the time.

I will go see him again in about 2 weeks to see if he is any different. I did put a deposit down but I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. I'm a laid back person myself so it seems like he'd be a good match for me but I'm a little concerned about him being so anti-social. Will he grow up to have behavior problems? Is it a phase becuase he is only 7 weeks and hasn't fully developed a personality? Or should I see this as a red flag and look elsewhere for a puppy?

hello,

i got my remy #1, when she was 12 weeks old. when i got her, she was the same way.. very very shy. eventually she grew out of it with my fiance and i. the entire time we had her till she passed away, she was shy when she met new people, she was "shy" at first, but opened up to them eventually... she is still a puppy, im sure she will grow out of it. :D

good luck :)

Oh he sounds precious! You can't expect to know fully how he will be when he goes home with you at this point because he is only 7wks. old.I have a few dogs and they all have different personalities.I myself think it is how you raise him.If you treat him delicate and just cuddle him all the time and don't run and be silly with him then he will probably always have this laid back personality.Once you get him home cuddle him and make him feel special.Play with him with all kinds of toys.Then socialize him with other peoples and dogs once he has had all his shots.I put Jasper in a Puppy class and they teach the dogs basic comands and how to interact with other dogs and people.I think he will be fine and sounds like he would be a good fit with your personality.Best of luck!Keep us posted!

I think you are going to get a wide range of answers on this. :D My first thought is, do you have a dog already? If so, what is it's personality? If it is outgoing and active, this may not be a good fit for your pack. When I picked out Gracie Ruth, I initially was drawn to her sister. But Bella was more reserved and quiet and I had Boo to think about. He's active and loves to play. I really thought that Bella would get too frustrated with Boo's attention. Gracie is very active and was just going to be a better fit for our pack. She's turning into a really special girl. :)

Similar thing with Yogi. His brother Pablo is timid and Yogi is more outgoing, yet the last time we all got together for a playdate with some other friends, it was Pablo being the outgoing one and playing with the new visitors. Yogi just wanted to hide behind his Momma. :p

And there's no telling how much of this pups personality right now, is due to him always being picked on. He might blossom into an amazing fellow once he gets away and you help him get some confidence.

I'd try to go see him again, maybe even several times. Try interacting with him in another room, were it's just the 2 of you. Good luck. Let us know what you decide.

Myself, I would never buy one that is shy. I always let my pups pick me when it was possible to do so.

:thumbup: , but see if his behavior changes when you go back.

When I went to see my Gus, his two much larger brothers, by 2 pounds, played with each other, but Gus was interested in me. We are best buddies now.

If you're a laid back person then he may very well be a good match for you. I know that I purposely went looking for an energetic and spunky pup, because I have 3 kids that she would need to keep up with :bunnysmiley2:

It's true, your going to get several different answers.
The day I saw Buddy in the pet store he wanted nothing to do with
me. He kept looking to get back into his crate, I would guess because
he felt safe there. He wanted nothing at all to do with me.

Didn't stop me. I bought him and had no problems training him or
him getting close to me. We're attached at the hip.
I know Yorkies can be shy but I would guess they would come out
of it with the proper love and care.
See how he is next visit. Being the runt he may have been pushed
aside by his sibling more than once causing him to feel that way.
I have no doubt once he's home with you he will rule the roost in
no time. Don't let shyness scare you away.

Good luck, he sounds wonderful.

When we were looking for a sister for Crosley, we had the choice of two females. One was very energetic and running around nipping our fingers and real feisty!
Wrigley was the shy one! She came to us, but she was calm and laid back, so was her brother that was there. They had the same exact personality!
It worked out good for Crosley because she was 4 1/2 years older and didn't have to deal with a really rambunctious, annoying little sister! :p
Having said that, Wrigley is still very shy. She's shy around people and other dogs and she's 2 1/2 years old.
So it really does depend what you are looking for and what fits in best with your family!

Good luck on your decision!! I say give it some time and see how well you bond with him. If you think hes a good fit for you he probably will be..

The Puppy Aptitude Test is a good predictor of future personality:

Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test

Did the breeder do health testing (bile acids, especially) on the parents before breeding them? Since this puppy is the "runt" and so quiet, I'd be concerned about its health. With liver shunts being so common in Yorkies (36 times more likely than all other breeds combined), you have to be very careful when buying a Yorkie puppy these days.

A new puppies interactions isn't always telling of what they will be like later on
The main thing that I would be concerned about is that his shyness isn't anything that is Physical ... because pain or discomfort will be shown in a dog's demeanor

As far as the runt of the litter goes
I have had many dogs in my life and the ones that were the most dear to me were the runts of the litter
I don't know if it was because of their small size or because they usually are smarter than their littermates
they need to be sometimes to get what they need
but they are often closer to their human counterparts
and I've noticed that they always have a better personality than their brothers and sisters
BUT
They sometimes have more health problems at the same time
so if you like this little guy
have him checked out first

You are right Teresa, but Pablo is such a mommas boy too. They love to cuddle. When friends came to see the pups, Pablo would turn his back and hide his face. Now he is getting better such a sweet happy boy that loves his momma to hold him.

I did go twice for my very first yorkie and the one that picked me the first time, also picked me the 2nd time

it is so hard to tell how their personalities are really going to be away from their parents and litter mates. Our first one was the runt and he had a shy personality and this has been how he is, he is very sweet, loving, quiet etc. Our 2nd one we wanted one that somewhat matched that personality and Harley seemed to fit that, he did not interact a lot with the other puppies and seemed really quiet. well the minute we got home he was all over the place, he has way more energy than Sam and they are nothing a like. We have had a hard time intergrating them together but it is working and I have come to appreciate what they both bring to our family.

Ranger was SHY, laid-back and timid. Exactly what I wanted but I knew I would have to socialize him well. Go figure cuz now he's a crazy moster, lol! I guess I did a good job socializing him... I think it's hard to determine a puppy's personality, especially when they are so young and tiny. Good luck, but I say go for the shy one!!

When I first broght Suzi home she was shy and timid .However, as soon as she felt comfortable Suzi changed... Sometimes , Suzi reverts though. the little guy that you might bring home may the the perfect match for you. But, go with the way you feel. Visit the puppy a few more times before making any final decisions . :aimeeyork

When I went to pick out a puppy there was 3 little girls. Small, medium and large. All 3 were so cute and I had a hard time deciding. Piper picked me out. She always wanted to be in my lap. If I was holding another puppy she wanted my attention. The puppies were 7 weeks so I was picking one out leaving a deposit and bringing the puppy home in a few weeks. Piper was the medium size girl. When I came back a few weeks later to bring Piper home all the babies were still there and Piper was the one that always camed to me and wanted to stay in my lap. It was as if she knew I was her forever Mom. I think it was love at first sight.

depending on how shy the baby is and the personality of the other one, well it depends :D

i have a very outgoing girl and a very very shy timid girl - both from the same breeder...the shy one is more work because everything needs to be done at a snails pace as not to startle her. she hunkers down when you go to pick her up, her ears go back when she is not expecting you to make eye contact, etc she is such a sweet girl though and not aggressive :)

if you do go with the shy one, it might take more patience and awareness. i need to make sure i am extra aware of my shy one when the kids are playing otherwise she would never get attention because the other ones all jump in my lap and jump in my face to give kisses. i need to be extra cognizant to give her equal attention because she is not as pushy as her siblings ;)

Mine was a little shy when we got him, he wasn't very sure about us and seems a little shy/scared not sure which maybe a combination of both. I did socialize him as much as I could and bring him to anywhere that I possibly could. He turns out well and loves to go out to meet people and dogs. I actually like him being who he was because he wasn't overtly high strung or hyper.

As long as he is healthy, I wouldn't hesitate to get the shy one. Our little JoJo was a little shy at first because we were strangers. He could not be more loving than he is now. He is a little reserved when he meets someone new but warms up quickly. Still is not real sure about being around other dogs because he probably doesn't know he is one. With a shy one you will probably just get more loving.

He sounds precious! I wouldn't worry about him being shy...he might have been tired or something, who knows. He let you rub his belly, so that's a great sign that he likes you already. I'm sure given a few more weeks, he'll be just fine.

My Tucker was the runt. The breeder said he was the least active of the three pups. However, I liked his looks. He is 5 months old now, and not the least bit shy. He loves to play, and loves people. I don't know how much you can tell about them when they are still with their litter mates, especially when the pups are the runts of the litter. Tucker's personality changed almost immediately. He very outgoing, and very active.
Tucker's Mom

My Lucy is shy around new people. When I first got her she had NO personality. She is fun,feisty and every bit of a Yorkie!! In fact she is laying with me right now. But, get her around new people and she just mopes around until she is comfortable!!! I think he sounds like a cute dog, think about getting him!!!:)

There is a difference between shy and poor health. If he livened up with his parents and was more reserved with his siblings, then it probably is as the breeder said, he was forced into the background by the more exuberant siblings. As long as he respond to you ( which he did with the belly rubs and licking your finger) and he does not appear sick, I think he will come into his own when not around the other siblings. Also as another post stated, if you have another pet, keep in mind the personality differences. But to me he sounds like a keeper! Let us know how it works out.

!
 

I think you should go with your gut and heart. Visit the puppy one more time with an open mind like everyone said. My puppy was the one who chose me, but I read in a book you shouldn't just let that be the one factor. He is pretty friendly and social, but I think a substantial percentage in determining personality is based on training and environment. Good luck and I know you'll find your perfect pup!

Thanks everybody,
I talked to the breeder for a while today and she told me that Riley is doing well. He goes for his first vaccination next tuesday.While we were on the phone the said that he was zooming around the kitchen since she just let them all out a few minutes ago. I was glad to hear that. She told me that he is still the most shy out of his littermates and that his grandfather was also shy. He'll just need some extra love and patience. I made arrangements to go visit him in 2 weeks. I'm definitely more confident that I picked out the right puppy now that I've talked to you guys and the breeder. I can't wait to bring Riley home!:)

Good luck on whatever decision you make...:)

Sadie was VERY shy when we picked her... (We had our choice but liked her best ) She was very shy the first 48 hours.... and then...ZOOOOOM she was a wild woman! She ran and played and she is still like that now at 1&1/2 yrs. We love her to death and she and Chewy are best buddies.... Best of luck!