How many of your Yorkies do the "typical" Yorkie behaviors?
 

So, I was watching an episode of Dog Whisperer today with a Yorkie named Fossee (I think?) and I've seen maybe 3-4 other Yorkies on his show before, as well as seeing them on It's Me or the Dog.

They all seem to have the SAME issues. Freaking out and attacking vacuum cleaners, brooms, mops, (and in this particular case, ironing board), way too attached to their owners, won't play with other dogs, "bullies" other dogs, barks at other dogs, etc. Not just from TV though, I've noticed other Yorkies at the dog park that don't really run around with other dogs or socialize, they just kinda sniff and walk away and stand there.

It totally perplexes me because I've never had any of these issues with Jackson. He's apparently not that "typical" Yorkie that is seen on television with the Napoleon complex. Is he feisty? Absolutely. Terrier? For sure. Lots of energy? Definitely. But none of the issues pertain to him and I'm just wondering if he's just odd, or if I trained him "good" or if it's just his personality? Jackson loves every single dog he's ever met, he doesn't really have many fears, a little nervous about the vacuum but never attacks anything, he just sits back. He walks right beside me (mostly) and will easily walk by another dog, only showing a bit of interest. He runs like a wild man at the dog park and enjoys a long game of chase. ANYWAYS... question in point: do your guys Yorkies have these typical traits? Or is it just a case-by-case basis?

Mine arent antisocial but they are more owner oriented. Jewels is afraid of other dogs. She is more of a nervous type of dog and has been since she was a pup. Chachi is okay with other dogs. Chachi is more of our well rounded and trained yorkie. We have just let Jewels be Jewels. Oh and neither of mine like the vaccuum cleaner but they dont bite it or anything they just go upstairs when I turn it on. So do the cats its funny. Its one way to clear a room

That Yorkie on the Dog Whisper was actually Buddy! Not really but when
I saw that episode I almost wet myself because that is Buddy to a "T".
When the ironing board comes out he hangs on it with his teeth!:eek:
Attacking it like it was his worst enemy.
Funny you think Jackson is different because I think Buddy is so different
in personality then most of the Yorkies on this site. He would love a piece
of most big dogs, is determined to get his way, attacks the ironing board
like a beast and all the above that you mentioned! He is far from laid
back:rolleyes: However, he is loving, cuddly, smart and eager to learn, fully
housebroken and stops barking when told, is a great eater and takes
correction well. Even frets when he's scolded. However he is a handfull
and I love every minute of it. Getting a second one scares me so therefore I haven't done it yet. That's why when I read other's with
multibles I can't believe it. Then I realize their normal dog's and not
like my Buddy.

Peanut is really laid back, he goes with me everywhere and he will just lay in my lap, example I took my Mom to get her hair did and I went in with Peanut and the whole time he was laying/ sleeping in my lap! He is scared of the vacum, and will try to attack the mop, broom but its more in a playfull way. I think its all how you raise them and care for them :D

I have 2 yorkies. I have one that is like the above. She will not play with other dogs, or my other yorkie for that matter, but will play with me :rolleyes:. Kind of bullies other dogs and is very "resource protective" including me. But she just loves people and kids. (I never knew how she came to love kids, because she was never around them growing up). She loves to meet new people, sniff them and go on to someone else.

The other one loves to play and will play with my other "non-yorkie" dog. She doesn't necessarily need to be with me, but does love to cuddle. She plays on her own and does not need me to play with her. I don't take them to the dog park, but she may attack other dogs first, as to establish dominance and then will be friendly. She does have issues with dominance and will growl/snarl if she does not like what we are planning on doing to her (i.e. remove off the bed, change positions when she is sitting with us) and(she was a rescue, so we don't know much about how she was raised)

So I think that all yorkies have a little bit of the above listed traits. But if I had to pick, I think my 1st yorkie is better adjusted. So while I think some of it is nurture, I also think some of it is nature. They just come along with their own little personality traits and foibles.

I keep my boys pretty well socialized so they love everyone. I have lots of friends with dogs and have them over often. They play with other yorkies all the way up to labs. They think they are just as big as the labs too and Tucket even tries to hump their face. LOL!!
They don't attack anything except for one of those pillows that velcro in half to make stuffed animal? I thought Ozzy was going to attack it. Once he figured out what it was, he wasn't interested anymore. :D
Nope my boys are very sweet and Ozzy is the laid back one and Tucket is a little ornery spaz. Love them both to bits.

p.s. Let me add he loves people and children as well and loves playing
and socializing with small dogs. He has many friends and loves the ladies.
Enjoy's company too even stranger's when they enter the house. Will
bark, sniff and that's it now he's your friend but he's far from being
laid back.

I believe yorkies all have their own personalities just like people. Some have issues with one thing and others have different issues. On those shows I think they intentionally look for Yorkies that have special socialization issues or there would be nothing for the trainers to do. Sophie doesn't like the vacuum either. She quit chasing a mop after a few months. She likes other people and other dogs although she will bark if dogs are on walks in front of our house and she isn't. Other than that she has outgrown barking at everything. She was fairly easy to housebreak which I hear is not so typical but we put a lot of work into it, too.She is very playful and not overaggressive. She seems to love me & DH equally. She was well socialized when we got her at almost nine weeks and we tried to continue that training by taking her lots of places and try to keep her stimulated with lots of things to do. I don't know if she is typical but she's perfect for us.:D

Brownie has the typical Yorkie personality even down to the silly thing's he does.

What is the " typical Yorkie personality"??? anyways :D

Well, Maggie May loves other dogs, but if too many come at her at once or bark at her, she freezes up and just stands there. She is a true terror that she is constantly jumping, running and getting into everything. She is a wild woman! She has the most sweetest personality and just wants to shower you in kisses and love. :)

Hot Rod is getting much better with other dogs. If another dog trys to get friendly with me, he doesn't much care for that. We've been trying to socialize him more and he actually ran up to a new dog at the park one day so some progress. I would say that his is not a typical yorkie personality in that respect but he can give kisses with the best of them. He really, really, really likes to be in your lap and arms.:)

LOL :p I just feel bad 'cuz I think Yorkies get a bad rep sometimes since all I see of them on TV is annoying, barky little "attack" dogs but people don't get to see how GREAT they are! :D

Jackson is like Maggie May too w/ the fact that is he always into something! I'm always looking back and he's got something in his mouth.... he's a jumper, too, always jumping off couches, etc. He scares the crap outta me.

Hot Rod doesn't seem "terrier" at all to me, he's just sooo sweet!

That is true! I just adore the breed. I never try to judge a dog on its breed standards, every dog has a personality. I mean look at the chi breed, I have met some GREAT chi's and then I met some that are to the T like the breed. So I dunno...

My Buddy just wants to hump other dogs. Of course, we have to get him fixed so I hope that calms down as it is a little ebarrassing. Besides that, he loves to meet other dogs. He is a little weary of strangers, but warms up to them pretty well. His is protective of the house, and barks his fool head off until we make him mind his manners, but he is not a trouble maker. Overall, he is a very good boy.

That's exactly it. Everytime people meet Uni they think she is the mellowest calmest coolest yorkie they've ever seen. I say really? You should go to Petco with me! She's just very exciteable, but she does not nip snarl or bark at ramdom or whatever.

I do believe that on those shows they try to find the worst case scenarios. Most of the time, I think the owners are the source of the problem, not really the dog.

As for yorkies I know in my area, in Uni's playgroup there are mostly tinies (Uni's one of the biggest ones there) and they are all very socialized and playful. BUT I do know a few who are very scared, shy, unsocialized and not very playful.

anyway, I think people that DON'T like yorkies are the ones who started that rumor.

anyway, I think people that DON'T like yorkies are the ones who started that rumor.



Spoken like a true Yorkie Mommy.:p

Well, Tucker is just plain crazy and thats all I have to say...

Molly barks at lots of things...skateboards, rollerblades, lorries,(well,anything on wheels that rattle a bit really!) the postman, the milkman...in fact any kind of workman in one of those bright yellow jackets! apart from that, she's a real sweetheart! ;)

Oh I am proud to say Uni is not scared of the vacuum. she actually likes it. bf will play with her when he vacuums and it's as if she likes getting gunk suctioned off her face! (oh this is with the hose attachement if you're wondering. he does not put a whole vacuum on her face!) :sidesplt:

Last night was her first time with a blender on. We were making pina coladas :p. She did great! Ears went back but no bark or growl or anything! :thumbup:

LOL, omg, I can just see Uni's face getting sucked in by the vacuum and her just sitting back like "yeah... I like this!"

So I spoke too soon. She went running to the door at the shop and growling and howling. I went to see what it was b/c it's usually a dog when she does this. It's a man standing in front of my shop looking in. I take her away and she is still growling. Then the man comes in and she is barking like crazy. She's only done this ONE other time when a couple of real crackheads came in and she was growling like crazy at them.

Anyway, she was glaring at him and growling till he left. He wasn't gonna buy anything anyway, I know, but what was it about him that bothered her?

I so agree...it's how they're raised! Many people aasked me ...how come he isn't yappy and biting? I tell them that it's because he hasn't had a reason to!!

Bad owners = bad pets. Pure and simple. A mean dog will continue to be mean if you don't teach them. That is why all of OUR dogs are angels...right? :D

Coopers arch-nemesis is the swifter.....you know the small thing you dust with? OMG when he sees that he will hang on with his teeth and no getting it from him. When I put it on the couch for just a second he grabs it in 2 seconds flat and will bark and bark and bark at it. We have no clue why he hates the thing so badly.

He likes other PEOPLE a lot, but other dogs not so much. If he hears a dog in the neighborhood bark outside when he is outside you would swear he was going to kill them......but then at night he turns into this little cuddle bug that wants his mommy and is so darn sweet.

Chloe is still a baby, but right now she loves everything.

I guess Kiki is definitely not a typical Yorkie . She loves other dogs and plays well with them. She loves to watch me clean but has never attacked or barked at the mop or vacuum cleaner. She does love her mommy but other laps will do if I'm not around. She is very laid back little girl when she goes out with me she loves everybody she has yet to met a stranger .

Bandit has the typical Napoleon complex (he guards the dog park gate and barks at other dogs when they're coming in- once they're in they're fine). Nala is like a mini-lab. Loves everyone and everydog and won't stop playing:)

Kona chases the vacuum like she has to protect the house from it. It is too funny to watch. She follows me from room to room and nips at the vacuum. She only barks when the doorbell rings or if we ask her if she wants to go for a ride and we don't move fast enough out the door to the car!