Completely overwhelmed...
 

I bought a puppy about 2.5 weeks ago. He is a sweetie - really good so far. But I am overwhlmed with all the negative info I have been seeing about this breed. I worry if he will ever be housebroken, worry that he will be a snappy dog, worried that I did the wrong thing and just wasted a ton of money (I paid $1800 for him). I fear that I cant handle it and wonder if I should find him a proper home now before we all get too attached. I just dont know what the heck to do. Like I said, it seems like he has a great personality so far - but how do I know it will stay with him? He is only 12 weeks old. Oh - and here is a pic of my Harley. Hes so sweet and tiny! I have been lurking here for weeks since I got him. I figure you would all have some insight on what I should do!

Welcome to Yorkie Talk, Harley is adorable!!!!!!!! Puppies are always a handfull and with proper training and being consistant Harley should do just fine. You have come to the right place for advice and help for you and Harley. I would give him a chance, and be very consistant with house training. I am sure others will come along and give you some great advice too!!! Dont give up, he is a cutie!!! :)

People are going to ask for advice when things are going wrong. Can you imagine if we all posted when everything went right?

Be consistent in your training. If he is food motivated be sure to carry "cookies" (treats) for when he does the right thing. (potty/poopie outside)

Have toys at hand all the time when he chews the wrong thing just take away gently and give the proper toy.

Max was a great pup. He learned to go outside within 6 weeks. I really think it was less but that is a good estimate.

All dog breeds have their own health problems. Large boned dogs are going to be more apt to have ostio. The mid size heavy dogs and the hip problems. The littles people were "pumping" out so fast that they were not as careful as maybe they should have been.

Relax...be strong..enjoy the love laughter and tears from your new addition.

:thumbup: Agree completely.

Remy will be a year next month. He was actually extremely easy to potty train. He goes outside and has a pad in my condo as a backup (which is the only place in the house he can lift his leg... we have no marking problems) Very few accidents at this point. Be very consistent, get him on a schedule and it will help. At first he was going outside every hour, now he can last up to 6 during the day and easily overnight. He has a very easy going demeanor and just wants to please. And he has won over all of my "big dog" friends who never thought the would like a "little dog" Would not trade him for anything :D

Bear in mind that the reason you see so much negative stuff is because this is where we all come to ask Q's. If you look at other breed-specific boards, you'll see the same thing.

My Lucy is just over 1 year old, was reasonably easy to house train, went to puppy classes and learned all the standard commands by 5 months, and has continued to learn ever since. She's really sociable and loveable, great with people and dogs alike and loves to play. We've had the odd concern during the year (runny poo once, and the natural concern about spaying), but she's been a joy - I don't know what I'd do without her now.

All in all, the negatives are vastly outnumbered by the positives with this feisty, adorable breed. Even my husband (who was not keen at first) started calling her his 'little wart' - because she grew on him! He's now as smitten as I am.

Laura,

I can only answer for myself and my husband but I will tell you that we have never bought anything nor done anything that has brought us as much joy and laughter as our Yorkie puppy.

We are retired and definitely set in our ways. We never had children nor ever had an inside dog. (As children we grew up on farms and had outside dogs.) We had our routines down pat and didn't even realize how stale and stagnant our lives had become.

Taffy has turned our lives upside down and inside out. She has a personality all her own and at times it varies from inquisitive toddler-like to rebellious teenager-like. However, the one constant is her lovable and irresistable personality. Even when she's shredded a paper napkin into microscopic pieces for the umpteenth time, she's still adorable.

To the outsiders looking in it only appears that we got a dog...a pet.

However, in spite of the scientific classification of species, we know we've added a family member. Through her antics and her unconditional love, Taffy has eased the aches and pains of aging and has truly given us a new lease on life.

She's brought springtime back into the autumn of our lives and infused our house with energy, excitement, and enthusiasm for living. She's only six months old and we've only had her for three months but imagining life without her is totally incomprehensible.

Welcome to YT :aimeeyork All you need to do is ask questions all kinds of people to help. Your little guy is beautiful if you don't want him I'd take him in a heartbeat. :D:D
Take a deep breath everything will be fine.

Hi! :wavey: Welcome!! You've gotten some good advice here, we love these little ones so much that every little sneeze brings us running to ask for advice and get support. :rolleyes: But relax, enjoy your baby...they don't stay babies for very long. Do the work now with manners and getting him exposed to all experiences and you'll have the most wonderful companion you could ever imagine. They pick up on your stress signals, so relax, be calm and confident and Harley will be that way too.

Oh, and keep posting pictures, he's adorable!! :D

WELCOME!! AND.... Hang in there ;)

I am in the same boat with you, but we have TWO!!! ACK... yes double the trouble. I actually was JUST about to post a "HELP!" thread cause I have one that goes out like a CHAMP! Shes great... doesnt wine and holds her pee and poop til we are outside. THE OTHER??? OMG... WILL NOT go outside... she holds it til shes BACK inside... and then poops in her crate. She WINES LIKE A BABY! All night and in the morning. They are a piece of work!

BUT like everyone said... it takes time. They WILL go outside if you keep up with it. There will be accidents... but also the best joys. Just get past the puppy stage and it will be great.

AND THEY ARENT snappers... Yorkies are the best breed and the MOST affectionate. Its like a real baby in ways...

SO STICK WITH IT! They are much joys

I totally agree. You may need some bitter apple just incase he chews on furniture, (Baxter did) but stopped after afew tastes of that stuff. Just love him and you will be rewarded 1000% If I knew how sweet these guys are I would have gotten one years ago.

You are so blessed to have a sweet yorkie baby, he will get better soon and before you know it you will be looking for # 2 yorkies are very addictive. good luck on your potty training

Welcome to Yorkietalk! Stop worrying and enjoy:). He is beautiful. Just love him and give him lots of attention. Yes, mine took some time to potty train, but she is 8 y/o now and can hold it for several hours. She can snap, but we know her and know what situations to NOT put her in. However, I don't believe that every Yorkie is a snapper. We take our baby everywhere, and she is the PERFECT pet. My husband and I are completely in love and can't imagine life without her.;)

My mother was adament that she didn't want a dog. No No No more dogs!! Amelia has paid for herself 100 fold in the last year.

I moved back in with my parents a number of years ago to help because they have health issues. My father is in begining stage of Alzheimer's and my mother suffers from a number of different ailments. I truly believe that Amelia has added time onto their lives because they now take her for walks and get down in the floor to play with her. My fathers mind is much sharper from where it was even 6 months ago. My mother has a great deal more energy and neither are as depressed as they were before she came.

I think that each breed of dog is different. Each dog is like a child. They have their own peronalities and quirks. They have things 'associated' with the breed but aren't controlled by that.

Someone on here said that it is impossible NOT to smile when you see a Yorkie. And after watching people when Amelia comes in the room I totally believe that. She had some problems with the whole potty training thing in the begining because she doesn't care to pee in the snow but we've worked through all that.

We wouldn't take anything for Amelia at this point and mom has gone from NO DOG to picking out another that we will be picking up in September. :)

I remember feeling just like you, I had just been through and aweful ordeal myself and the fear of loosing Laci horrified me... I was so afraid of every little thing I read... mostly early death... liver shunt , hypoglicemic attack... but then I just started to think, its no different from a real baby.. things happen and you just need to be aware!!
Laci has brought more joy to my life then you can imagine... she is the best companion in the world...
You will have so much joy from your little puppy..
Housetraining just takes time and alot of patience... Laci learned to go outside fairly quickly but she still does have accidents.. its not really a big deal..
A few kisses later and I forget all about the little pee pee stain..;);)
Enjoy your new puppy, think about the positive stuff and he will bring you many years of Joy :D

Welcome and Congratultions on your sweet boy. He's adorable. I completely agree with the other posters. I have 3 and can't get enough of them. They bring such joy and happiness to us. There will be health issues with any living thing, even human children. Don't be afraid we are here if you have any questions. He is a doll. Love him and he will be your best buddy for years. You won't regret it I promise.

Welcome and congrats! It is always hard when you first bring home any puppy. I know with each of mine there were moments of "what did I do". It gets easier each day as they fit in to your schedule. Just be consistent with potty training and give lots of love and they return it threefold. I have had many yorkies and everyone had their own personality but all of them were wonderful sweethearts. Hang in there and we are here to support you through it all.

Aw i really feel for you, but really you have nothing to worry about. Bailey is my best friend and he has been so good to train. He never chewed anything and was really good when it came to toilet training. He does have fits but with some simple medication he is as fit as a fiddle :D You really cant get rid of your little one, u wont know what ur missing..... we are all on this site coz we LOVE yorkies soooooo much. He will be your little best friend and with some simple training u will be fine. My ex had a golden lab and she chewed EVERYTHING, ate holes out of walls and everything she wud not train well at all. It all depends on the dog and how much effort u put into training. Bailey has been the BEST dog i have every had... and we had ALOT of dogs growing up. Good luck <3

Harley is one handsome little guy!
Be a parent to him....he'll be fine & so will you!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

My Sadie is eleven months old. Your words so perfectly explained our feelings about her. What a beautiful description of our little ones!

My carpet has already some pee stains, all the nice things are up and out of reach, we are used to shuffle our feet so we don't step on the babies but also automatically step over toys, to being attacked with kisses in the middle of the night, to fight for a small part of the bed to lay down our poor tired bodies, getting up before sunrise to walk the babies before the day gets hot, to shovel walking paths in the backyard when snow fell, to walk in the backyard with the eyes down to spot 'land mines', regretfully to pass on vacation invitations b/c we can't bring the babies, knowing the vet better than the hairdresser, asking ourselves where our money went...

So..... if you don't want your little boy Harley, JUST GIVE HIM TO US b/c we love every minute with our 4 little monsters and don't mind to add a 5th!!! ;)

if your puppy has been great, why give up on him by what you read. Just breath, and give him time. Just like kids, some let them run wild all of Wal-marts when us others would never let that happen. Same with dogs and puppies. It is the way you train and raise them. Just give him a chance, before giving up.
Good Luck

Your fears are natural, this is my first yorkie also but if you read all my posts since I joined this Feb you won't find one negative thing.l
:D Actually that is a lie, On many occassions Ive mentioned she is too perfect and no challenge to me lol. Potty training 2 wks, only chewed one bit of wallpaper,doesn't bark hardly, loves people and other dogs , never had to get her up in the night for wees and is completly trained and she has just turned a year old!
Im not on here to boast but to assure you that all yorkies are different and to say regardless of the above your baby will be your best friend and will love you unconditionally.
Don't give up. x

WOW! Well said!
Hi Laura and welcome to YT!!

I share many of these same sentiments. Although not yet retired, my children are grown (24 and 21 years old) and I was VERY used to having my own time. Insert puppy here! LOL! I had NO IDEA what I was getting into and truth be told had I ready YT BEFORE getting her I probably would have had the same reservations as you. As for the potty training..consistency is the key. They may take a bit longer than most dogs, but they do get it. Like others before me have said, most Yorkie's don't get sick. We hear more about the sick ones though as this is a place for help, guidance and support. And did I have days when I asked myself "what did I get myself into"? You bet! But they do get older and easier with each passing month. Sophie is 10 months old now and her personality is a charm. I just remarked to my DH this week that although Tabu (or Great Dane who we sadly had PTS 10 years ago) was a great dog. She did not interact with us like this little Yorkie does. It's almost as if they talk to you. They are coy and loving and sly and smart and funny! I can't imagine my life without her and it clearly explains why many of the YTers have more than one!

Thank you all for your amazing welcome and wonderful replies. It has def helped ease my anxiety a bit! It is exactly what the pp said - I was finally to a point where my kids are getting easier. They wanted a dog, and I conceded. (But got a dog *I* wanted - lol.) I knew since he would have terrier in him he would be a great playmate for the kids, but when they wore him out he would be a good lap dog for me.

And right now in the puppy stage I am realizing how much freedom I dont have anymore! And how many more bills I DO have - ha!

He is still sweet as pie, really good - very little yapping if any and does all hs duties outside when we bring him out (though not house trained by any means yet, we just take him out of his crate and straight outside!).

I am def going to soak in all the info here and try and make life with our new puppy as enjoyable as possible!

I definitely had a moment of "what have I done" when Thor was finally, really mine, even though I worked really hard to get him. For me, I couldn't get over the idea that I was going to have a dog that could get taken by a hawk. That was unreal to me.

Thor has honestly been a nightmare to potty train, has some socialization issues, and I completely overpaid for him, but he has made up for it a hundred times over by being the wonderful doggie that he is. I am lucky that he is physically very healthy, though like you, I worry about what might come. But mostly, he is a furry bundle of joy. He makes me laugh every day.

3 Perfect Yorkies
 

Welcome to Yorkie Talk! From what I've noticed about Yorkie Owners.....there
seems to be 2 kinds, you either Love them to death and have a perfect relationship or you Love them but have alot of problems? Most people don't bother "Walking/Exercising" them and that causes alot of Behaviour problems.
I have 3 perfect Yorkies, that are 5, 4, and 3 yrs. old and I have never had any problems w/them because I took the time to "Train/Socialize" them.
I did'nt hear about all of their so-called "Negative" traits, until I met other Yorkie Owners that had Problems, both in person and on this site. All of my experiences have been positive since I was oblivious to their Breed specific
quirks? I firmly beleive that you have to take the time & effort to "Train" them to do everything even to Relax & Calm down, otherwise you will have a
"Hyper" puppy etc. They seem very over whelming at times but the best way
to bond w/them is through Grooming, Walking (the Correct way) and Training!
Set up some rules and be consistent, they are worth the effort. Good Luck

Yep! The pros outweigh the cons. They might be a little more high maintenance than other breeds. But it is worth it since yorkies are SO much fun!

I had wanted a Yorkie for years and when it was getting close to when I would be able to get one I started reading a lot and thought...oh no I had no idea <insert negative stereo type here>.

I almost did not get a Yorkie. I had another breed picked out and then it finally came to the time to start my search and I just said you know, my Mom's dog is a Chihuahua and there are a lot of negative stereo types about them as well, and he did not live up to most of them (he is a couch potato! hehe).

Anyways at the last minute I changed my mind and I got my Yorkie. I am sooo glad I did. I've only had him a little over a month and already I can't imagine life without him and I didn't even think I wanted another pup yet!

The one thing I was afraid of the most was the snappiness...but Toby so far loves everyone and to keep him feeling this "love" I make sure I take him lots of places and let him get to meet lots of different people.

I wouldn't worry :) I think you did the right thing!