Received a little discouragement
 

I love the yorkie breed, from what I have researched so far, but have never had one and do not know of anyone that has one to actually be around them to really know their personalities.

A friend of mine just told me that I need to rethink my decision on purchasing a yorkie (she really means well). She said they bark incessantly. Need more attention than the average dog and if left alone (for example when I have to go to work) can become insecure and skittish (although I do work for a dog-friendly company :)). She also said they are not good apartment dogs. I have a pretty large (larger than most) two bedroom apartment with a back yard, part grass-part concrete, with a tall fence around it.

I want to hear thoughts from all of you because I know you know this breed!

Thank you for your help!

Your friend knows not what she speaks of
 

Your friend may mean well, but, definitely is incorrect in her description of Yorkies. I have five Yorkies. They are not yappers, they bark if someone comes to the door or they are playing chase with one another. I work five days a week, and go out in the evenings 2-3 times a week, they are home with each other and do fine. Your apartment sounds just perfect for a Yorkie. I'm sure if you read some more on this site, you will find we are all "crazy about a Yorkie". I, myself would have five more if I could. Yorkies are smart, eager to please, delightfull to be around, and will love you unconditionally as you will them. That is not to say that it is all smooth sailing. There's potty training, chewing and other things they must be taught, in order to become a good pet. Here are mine paying very close attention to what I'm trying to teach them.

Welcome to YT! Sit down and be prepaird to hear about just how wonderful this breed truly is... I'm not a breeder, but Yorkies are perfect for apartments and darn, you even have a private grassy area! My GiGi doesn't bark constantly, in fact she rarely barks (she's still little). As for separation anxiety, that can happen to any dog and you did mention your work is dog friendly, which I take that as you can bring her with you! They are a wonderful little breed, I have a Maltese and a baby Yorkie, they are different breeds thats for sure, but what fun! This forum is full of breeders, rescues and those that just LOVE this breed. They will be very honest, straight forward with not alot of fluff and tell you all the pros and cons to Yorkies.
Best Wishes on your choice.

Well.... I have come to learn that no dog fits in this cookie cutter descriptions most people use. I use to think all yorkies were these cute balls of energy that would play non-stop inside and out. BOY WAS I WRONG!!!
I have been a yorkie owner for 2 happy months and I've come to learn that yorkies are like people, they are individuals and no two yorkies are exactly the same. Some are cuddle bugs, some are more independant, some are vocal and some don't like toys.
For example, Kaji is the sweetest little lapdog in the entire world. He is so quiet, only yips when I come home from work. We live in a condo with 2 other girls and 2 other dogs (yes, we have a full house). He enjoys his morning and afternoon walks. He does love to have all my attention, but won't whine if I don't give it to him. He is content to just sit near me. He sleeps while I'm gone. A fire-engine, a cop car, an ambulance can pass by my house and he will not even peep. The sky could be falling and still no sounds. However, he does protect mommy when she's sleeping or when he feels there is a person with bad intensions around. He growls when someone comes near me when I'm sleeping. He gets the zoomies when we're out on walks and has been known to play inside as well. I seriously think they adjust to your lifestyle and they're so people like that you'd be surprised how easy they are to read.
I hope this helped! :)

harleyyorkie Your Yorkies are all so cute.... :)

:thumbup: The previous poster is so right! Yorkies are very loving companions. Mine does not bark incessantly, only if someone comes to the door or if she is playing. Sophie was fairly easy to housebreak, it just takes time and commitment. They are very special dogs and do require a lot of love and attention. That being said, I know of many who work and still enjoy a great relationship with their yorkie. All the better and lucky you if you work for a dog friendly company. If you want a truly smart, fun and loving dog you can do no better than a little yorkie. I say go for it;)
Jackie & my :littleangSophie :aimeeyork

This is a good place for your questions. Welcome to YT. Lots of help here.

To date Roxy has not been a constant barker (almost 1 yr old), but then I make her stop. Enough is enough. Many dogs of any breed are incessant barkers because they get away with it. Some discipline/training may be required. Not all yorkies are incessant barkers. Your home sounds good & great you have fenced yard. If you are able to take your dog to work sometimes is great! We are home a lot & Roxy loves to go with us anywhere. We leave her home sometimes as I want her to know that sometimes it's OK to be home alone. If she's constantly with us, she will never learn that. And let's face it... sometimes a person can't always take them everywhere. I don't want her to end up with separation anxiety. How often are you gone other than working hours? Many yorkie owners work, don't have dog-friendly work places & live in apartments. No one can say for certain whether the yorkie you get will be a barker or not. Some are worse than others.

I don't find Roxy to be dependant on constant attention. She's a bit independant & plays well on her own. Yorkies require grooming time which can vary depending on kind of haircut you choose.

How many yorkies has your friend been around to personally vouch for what she is telling you? She may be misinformed. Yorkies can be as different in personality as people are. Keep reading all the sections on YT to learn all you can before making a commitment. Good luck!

Your babies are Beautiful....

Hey...I live about 16 miles from you. I'll gladly meet you up with you. My husband cousin lives in Livermore and she has a girl Yorkie that we haven't met yet. We could all go to a park out there. My guy is almost 14 months and so much fun. He only barks if he feels there is danger. People coming to the door etc. He is very smart. He was the teacher's pet in puppy class! lol
sure, he is a typical puppy right now, everything on the ground is his. he is a vacuum cleaner, but I know that he will grow out of this stage. He is pee pad trained and stays in a large crate when I to work. PM me and I'll give you my phone number! :thumbup: Donna

I have a yorkie, I also live in a Condo, and I also work M-F.( I do take him to work with me everyday) Your friend has some good points, but it is also how you raise your puppy. Peanut only will bark when he is playing and when someone knocks at the door. Our condo sounds smaller than yours it is only a 1 bedroom and I live with DH, and it works fine. He is only 4 lbs and has run of the house. I take him on long walks or sometimes If I didnt have time I will just play with him on the floor... Plus you said you had a little backyard with some grass... sounds perfect to me. I would say they do need a lot of attention. Peanut is VERY ATTACHED to me and they get like that with their owners, but I think you learn to balance it. You sound like you would be a great yorkie MOM. I think you would be better off researching some more, and talking to us ( people that have yorkies) and make your choice from that. Good luck and let us know what happens!!

P.S I say go for it too!!

Aw Gee, thanks!:)

You live close to me. I'm in Hercules,CA. I have nine dogs and one Yorkie is a real barker. Most of my Yorkies are not barkers and they each have a different personality. I also have two non-yorkies and love them dearly BUT would never get any other dog than a Yorkie or Biewer now.

Yorkies are very special and I work from home and they sit quietly under my desk. All yorkies are not created equal though! :D

:eek: omg what a cute pic!!!! you should have that blown up and framed!! I love it

Thank you, they are a big part of my life.:)

You are my hero! How in the world did you get them to sit for such a beautifull group photo?:)

I think you should be around some nice people with Yorkies and then base you decision on that. I think your friend may mean well , but she doesn't know what she is talking about :D

Thank you so much!!!
 

I LOVE this site. I knew I would find some good answers here. Thank you for all of the information and your support!!!

My friend has only been around the one yorkie (that I know of) and made her judgement on the breed strictly by his yorkie's behavior. I told her that it depends on the owner and the individual dog but I came to this site for clarification, which I received. :)

Yes, I can bring my puppy (I don't have one yet) to work and I have an area for a kennel/play area next to my desk and there are groves of trees next door for potty breaks. I wouldn't bring him/her to work every day, like RoxyLuv said, because I do want him/her to learn to stay at home sometimes.

Beautiful pictures HarleyYorkie. Would love to get together Donna (I don't have a puppy yet though)!! I'll p.m. you.

Thanks again to EVERYONE!! :) :) :animal-pa

I have had two yorkies, my first beloved baby had the best personality. She was not yappy AT ALL. Listened very well, was not hyper or crazy. Very laid back, always went potty on her pads no prob and we were in an apartment!

My second girl, is just as lovable and sweet. She IS however some what yappy! I call it very vocal though because she loves to let you know whats on her mind. My mom is actually a tab bit jealous of it because she says she's never seen a dog "talk" like Lola does. She barks at me if she has to go potty, if she wants to play, or if she doesn't like something someone or our other dog is doing. She also barks at noises she may hear , if someone is at the door or when she is playing. Besides that she is kind of hyper and crazy but she is a love bug and I just love her the way she is. We are in a house now and have a yard so I think your place sounds good for a yorkie. :D

Thank you. I'm so glad you came to YT for clarification. I hope you will be getting a Yorkie, and please post pictures when you do!:thumbup:

REALLY bugs me...
 

OMG it :mad:REALLY :mad:REALLY :mad:REALLY :mad:REALLY bugs the stuffins out of me when I hear people say that all little dogs are yappers, or they assume that they are because they heard that they were. While your friend may mean well, where is she getting her information? Does she have a yorkie herself? When I was researching getting a dog 2 years ago, I did A LOT of reading up on a lot of my favorite breeds. Yorkies, Shih-tzu's and the Cocker Spaniels are my top 3 favs. WELL at the time there were NO Yorkies within my area, to buy. Well I need to rephraze that, with in my price range. Well through a friend of a friend they told me that I shouldn't get a little dog all they do is yap. Well 5 years ago we had a miniture Schnauzer. He wasn't a yapper and BIG SHOCK he was little. Maybe not as little as a yorkie but he was small none the less. Well I decided at that point that I wasn't going to let anyone make up my mind for me!! I then went and did more research after a lot of dissapointment in not being able to find a yorkie that was a reasonable price. THEN one day a friend of the family said to me... My daughter just got a puppy, its a shih-tzu and they have one left, the brother to my daughters dog. They are selling him for $350.00 I was like DANG good price!! So I went up with money with the intent to just look at him. Well ha look YEA RIGHT, the second I saw him I was IN LOVE with him!! Well last year I was still really wanting my YORKIE!! I have ALWAYS wanted one and I had been saving and saving since I got Rocky to possiable get my fav pooch. Again came the talk about ALL little dogs being yappers... I was like jeepers, all this little dogs are yappers from people who don't have a dog or only have HUGE dogs. UGH... Well long story a little shorter I did get my yorkie, WHOOP WHOOP.. through another family friend, whos dog was going to have babies, I just about did a back flip... I said to the friend.. I WILL TAKE ONE!! She then put me on the list, BOY was I thrilled. Well December 7th Nicky was born, and OMG the second I saw a picture of him I was in love with him!!
To answer the question NO he isn't a yapper, and yes he does good alone well alone with Rocky!! Sorry to rant on like I did, I just don't like to hear people classify little dogs as yappers, some might be yappers but not all little dogs are yappers, I think those that do yap alot are starved for love and attention. Just my thought though.

I've only been a Yorkie owner for 10 months and I honestly don't know what I do without my little guy. I am so ready to get another one but I am waiting on my husbands blessing. Harley has just been the best companion....even my husband has fell in love and he didn't even want a dog.

:thumbup::thumbup: Very Good!! I think it is GREAT that you went into more research on here... That really shows that you want the best! And I think you would be a great Yorkie Mom( as I said before=)

I take Peanut to work with me everyday M-F 8-3 we go home on our lunch from 12-1 and he he comes back with me. I think it is GREAT you are able to bring your yorkie to work. I think it is the greatest feeling having them there with you. My advice to you on that is wait until he/she is a little older and he/she is potty trained and behaved well. The more you work with him/her at home the better.

I have 3 yorkies. Trixie could care less about the barking thing. The only time she makes a peep is when she is playing. Coco, I call him my little mayor, barks when he sees someone outside or someone is at the door. Pebbles only barks because Coco barks. She doesn't have a clue what's going on but she has to add in her two cents. It lasts for 2 seconds, then they go back to what they were doing. Other posters are right, they are all different. There are no guarantees with any dog you won't get a barker. I had a beagle who didn't shut up. He used to howl.

Good luck in making your decision and be sure to come back with a picture of your little yorkie. you won't be sorry you chose this breed. Your llife will never be the same!!!

yorkies are the best; my dog doesnt bark at all; and she's fine when left alone by herself. i live in an apartment adn she never gave me any problems; people dont even know that i have a dog. that's how quiet she is; like an angel :) they love attention, whenver you give it to them ; who wouldn't!
you have a back yard; so that's a plus; a yorkie is the perfect choice for a pet. you will fall in love like never before. best of luck!

Welcome, and I hope you find your perfect companion. Not every Yorkie is the same. Ours will bark at things that shouldn't be around our house :D squirrels and other critters, or if the doorbell rings. We can get her to quiet. I first would put her in her kennel when I went to work and would come home for lunch to let her out. She did fine. Now she sleeps on top of the bed pillows during the day, and even though I come home for lunch still, she could sleep there all day. She has gotten into a great routine and expects her day to always be the same. She is good about knowing what is expected. I totally love the breed, and my hubby said he wouldn't have any other.:)

Honestly, I worried about the same thing but Jackson is NOTHING like that. He's not a yapper at all, he barks if someone comes to the door and he will bark during playtime w/ other dogs sometimes but it's not obsessively at all. He's got a ton of energy but he's also very laid back at the same time and will gladly take a nap on anyone's floor. He's ALL dog and enjoys the outdoors, rolling in mud, all that fun stuff... he's very very smart, knows tricks and learns them quickly, perfect companion in the car, he's just a really cool dog and the things you listed -- I also worried about. Now, I just love the breed!!!

However, I do want to say... training is essential. No matter what breed you have, they can be yappers if not taught properly. I've worked alot with Jackson since a young pup and feel that I've established my role (for the most part) as his "pack leader." I suggest watching Dog Whisperer on National Geographic channel or It's Me or the Dog on Animal planet for tips. Those shows helped me raise Jackson lol! :) Every puppy comes along with potty training, chewing, etc, it's all about consistent training and puppyhood is over so fast so don't take it for granted!

I want to add; I think the reason that small dogs become known as "yappers" is simply because of the fact that OWNERS let them get away with it. Because they're small and cute and cuddly, people coddle and baby them overly and these little dogs think they rule the roost. I don't allow Jackson to be a barker so he's not one! I used coins in a can and shook it to train him not to bark unnecessarily. I allow him to bark to alert me that someone is at the door, because I let him have that "job" lol... but then I put a stop to it right away. He does like four barks and then shuts up lol

I'm on my third yorkie. Only one was a yapper. The breeder can direct you to a more calm member of the litter. They are individuals--all different. I"ve owned other breeds. After my first two yorkies, I couldn't get anything other than one of these amazing dogs. While they require special attention because of their size, the benefits include: portability, lack of shedding, intelligence, the cute factor, terrier toughness, and a hundred other benefits.

My vet was not a big Yorkie fan. I think mine have changed his mind. I even named my current after my vet. It is so funny to see this big man dote on one tiny dog.

Fears are gone now..
 

I can't wait to get my puppy now!! I did have some concerns about how long I should wait to bring him/her to work so thanks for the advice. I am going to research that a bit more. I still plan on bringing him/her home during the November or December break. It is important to me that I have quiet/alone time with my new puppy before getting out in the world. Although once I get him/her I am not going to want to leave it at home alone. That's going to be hard.

I enjoy reading all the stories (long and short). So much good information. I plan on having a lot of patience and train as often as I can!!

BTW, can't wait to prove her wrong!!!

Everybody is going to kill me, but I agree with your friend. This isn't to say, you can't train them to be non-yappers, but most Yorkies need much more help with the no barking command than other breeds. They do make great watch dogs, and are very protective of you and their environment. Concerning apartments, I don't think the size of the apartment matters as much as the noise factor, and how thin the walls are. You have to be prepared to do consistent training. My house is very close to the neighbor's house and Joey still barks when he hears the neighbor banging his trash can, so they will be inclined to bark at noises they hear. I do think Yorkies need more attention than the average dog, they seem to be much more people oriented than any other breed I've owned, and I don't think it's fair to leave them home alone all day, although many people do it. If your job is pet friendly, and you could take him that would be great, many people do this, or buy another dog as a pet for their Yorkie! :D House training is probably the biggest problem, Yorkies seem to have much more problems with this then other breeds, and here too, you can train, but you need more patience. I read many "frustration/rehoming" threads, and I think too many people think that Yorkies will be easy, at 3 years old, Joey's easy, but the first couple of years took lots of training. Best of luck with your decision, at least you are not going into it with blinders on.