Wanna-Be Yorkie owner with questions - YorkieTalk.com Forums

bannergirl · 01-02-2011, 09:23 PM

I would love to own a Yorkie and am trying to research the breed. My main question from those of you who have children - how are yorkies REALLY with kids? Most of what I have read does not suggest having young children and yorkies. But most of the people I have talked to have said theirs are great with kids. What is the real story?

My kids are grown and gone, but I do watch my 3 grandkids while their mom is at work. The girls are 7 and would not be a problem, but I do have a 2 year old grandson. He is fairly good with my sphynx cats, but still......he is 2.

I am not looking to get a tiny yorkie - just an average sized one. I also am not in a great rush and would be willing to wait another year or two until my grandson is older.

What are your experiences with younger kids and yorkies? Is the main concern that the child will hurt the yorkie or that the yorkie will snap and hurt the child?

Thanks for all your info.

megansmomma · 01-02-2011, 09:32 PM

Welcome to YT! In my experience my 3 are great with small kids. Like you my kids are all grown (my daughter is 15 and my baby) but our neighbors both have small kids all under 4 yrs old. You just need to keep a close eye for they don't try to pick them up. Injuries are very real and could happen easily. If you have grandkids and socialize a puppy properly I don't think there would be a problem. It nice to hear that you are thinking ahead and doing research. By doing so you will be very prepared and know how to address any issues that might arise.

DvlshAngel985 · 01-02-2011, 09:36 PM

Real story in my opinion is that yorkies and young children do not mix. My yorkie is frantic when around children. He was a year old when I got him, and my guess is he was exposed to children before he came home. Young children will see a pup as a play thing, a stuffed animal, and can do some serious harm to a yorkie. Mine is 7 lbs, the size of a newborn human baby. In my honest opinion, I think it's easier to have children after a person has been a yorkie mom. Yorkies are almost like having another child, and I'm afraid too many people will push a yorkie aside in favor for their children when the newness of having a pup wears off. Excuses will come up like, "I don't have time for it anymore," "My kids soccer practice comes first," etc etc. There are exceptions, but for the most part, those are the reasons so many people re-home their dogs.

A larger yorkie that is not a puppy may work. (12+ pounds) Unless you can commit to constant vigilance, and teach your grandchildren to only handle the pup while they are sitting, it may work.

2Morkies · 01-02-2011, 09:39 PM

From what I know...the main reason is for the Yorkies safety.
Some breeders will not sell to a home with young kids. The thought is kids like to be physical with dogs and small breeds aren't as sturdy as a Lab puppy would be.

Also, I think if small breeds,Yorkies, become fearful of kids at a young age they can become snappy.

But, like you, I think Yorkies can be good around kids if the kids are taught how to behave around them.

salazark · 01-02-2011, 10:40 PM

You've gotten good advice from the others, I just want to say welcome to YorkieTalk - and congratulations for doing your research before you get your Yorkie. My breeder has young children. It takes vigilence and training - mainly for the children. It could be done - especially with a larger one. Good luck!

kalina82 · 01-02-2011, 11:15 PM

Every yorkie is different so its hard to say. Mine is 5lbs and LOVES kids and babies. I got her when she was 13 weeks old and wasn't really around babies/toddlers until she was 3 years old. She does really well with them and LOVES the fact that the toddler my mom babysits always has snacks in hand (mainly cheerios and goldfish). the baby loves to give her cheerios.

So in my opinion it depends on the personality of the yorkie. Some are very tolerant and some are not.

If you are interested in getting a puppy I'd wait another year or so for your grandson to get a little bigger. In the meantime I'd take him around friends dogs (who are tolerant of children) and teach him to be "nice" with the doggies. a lot of toddlers don't understand petting. They like to pat instead and little dogs usually don't like this.

citygirl123 · 01-03-2011, 03:18 AM

My dog likes kids. I babysit a little girl (3 years old) a couple of afternoons a week. Mostly she naps while at my house. Copper likes her, but I have to watch. Yorkies aren't solid feeling like some of the other breeds. They feel delicate and are. The safety of the dog is the problem. I watch very carefully when the little girl is here. Copper enjoys running in the yard with her but I constantly supervise.

Good luck with your decision.

misslissa · 01-03-2011, 03:40 AM

Gatsby loves kids he has been around every age from birth to 17 he gets agitated when infants cry but not in a snippy way I walked in the other day and found my 3 year old cousin "brushing"his hair he was looking at me like "mommy save me" but he never once even bared his teeth or growled at my cousin

he did however growl at me later when i tried to comb out the tangles

Her Name Is Rio · 01-03-2011, 06:16 PM

I agree with many above - it really depends on the personality of the individual dog. My female Rio and male Bullet are baby sat every day at my sister-in-law's house with her 3 year old granddaughter Maleia. Rio has never had any problems with Maleia, but Bullet is nervous around her and has growled and snapped at her on a few occasions. I think it's more from fear than agression. Thankfully, my sis-in-law never leaves them alone and is a very good pack leader for all of them. I worry more about Maleia, who is a big-boned 3 year old hurting my 3 lb Yorkies! But really, Maleia is very gentle and is so comfortable around dogs, big and small.

yorkieusa · 01-03-2011, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalina82

Every yorkie is different so its hard to say. Mine is 5lbs and LOVES kids and babies. I got her when she was 13 weeks old and wasn't really around babies/toddlers until she was 3 years old. She does really well with them and LOVES the fact that the toddler my mom babysits always has snacks in hand (mainly cheerios and goldfish). the baby loves to give her cheerios.

So in my opinion it depends on the personality of the yorkie. Some are very tolerant and some are not.

If you are interested in getting a puppy I'd wait another year or so for your grandson to get a little bigger. In the meantime I'd take him around friends dogs (who are tolerant of children) and teach him to be "nice" with the doggies. a lot of toddlers don't understand petting. They like to pat instead and little dogs usually don't like this.

Or they like to grab hold of their muzzle hair.

Poor Kacee!

Kacee doesn't bite, but she gave that warning woof and growl.

bailie · 01-03-2011, 10:06 PM

my sonny hates kids, he is not used to them, he hides when my sisters kids call
beau is brilliant, but she is small so i worry about her more, she is facinated with kids
gino is a big 7 mnths old pup and he loves them
bailie is old and cud not be bothered, i wud never trust him
good luck on what ever you decide

Rachael1983 · 01-04-2011, 05:36 AM

I have an 8 year old daughter. She gets along just fine with my yorkie and vice versa. He tolerates her friends and other visitors. He has been around small children and likes to snuggle with them but prefers not to let them hold him. Troy isn't aggressive. He's a laid back kinda dog and likes to take it all in and anybody's lap will do.

Good that you're doing your research, but I would also suggest that you just teach your grandkids the dos and don'ts. I think you should be fine.

FlDebra · 01-04-2011, 05:54 AM

I have a 3 year old grandson and I have to admit I watch him VERY carefully when he is around the yorkies. He does have a tendency to be a little too rough. I worry especially about their necks and have had quite a few talks with my grandson. He is good for the most part and I think the real proof of that is that they LOVE him! Ben actually whines when he leaves sometimes. He gets so excited when he comes over he can't settle down for awhile. So, I think Chayce is doing a good job of being careful. Still, I would never leave him in the room alone with them. He might forget and start to pick up with the neck or accidently step on them. So many ways to hurt a yorkie. I did not let him pick them up at all at first. He could have them on his lap, with me sitting right next to him. I am just now letting him pick Ben up with me instructing and helping. He is doing well and Ben seems to just adore him. Annie will be next. My grandson's good behavior and a watchful eye at all times makes it all work well for us.

I have two granddaughters too -- they are 13 and 9. They are old enough to understand how fragile they are. But I still watch the younger one a bit -- she like to play with them like dolls sometimes. But so far they have always done okay and no one has gotten hurt. I don't get to see them near enough. They live in Virgina, so far away! We have to refresh the rules & care each visit.

I think you know your grandkids and if you think you can educate them on how to handle a yorkie and you know you will still be ever vigilant -- you can make it work too.

It is a great opportunity to teach them kindness to animals and how to be really careful when it matters the most.

I am happy to see another prospective yorkie owner doing research BEFORE they get a yorkie! Shows so much dedication and thoughtfulness. A very good sign of a very good owner-to-be.

Welcome to Yorkie Talk! Very glad to have you here. Lots to learn, share, and enjoy along the way.

chachi · 01-04-2011, 06:01 AM

My 11 lb yorkie is better with kids than my 6 lb one. My 6 lb one gets nervous around kids where Chachi the bigger one loves the activity and plays with them

fairydust · 01-04-2011, 06:36 AM

Research is wonderful and talking to other yorkie owners to be admired. Since both of our yorkies were grown when we got them, I can't say how they were trained as pups. Where they socialized? We don't know. Our smallest yorkie, weighing in at less than five pounds, tends to snap with teeth like razors. He is a rescue dog and was removed from an abusive situation. Maybe it is a trust issue...maybe it is just his personality. We trained our grandchildren not to approach him. If he wanted to be around them, he would approach them. They also learned never to touch him if my husband was holding him. Shucks, I learned never to touch him if he was being held by my husband. That is his human and he is highly protective of him. Strangers are totally another problem. Because he is so little and so cute, they reach down to pet, sometimes with these words coming out of their mouth, "Does he bite?" (Advice: Ask BEFORE you start to pet.) My reply is, "He might."

However, with this being said, he is a very sweet and loving dog. We just have to be aware of how others approach him.

We also have a larger female yorkie, 9 pounds, also a rescue, that came to us grown. When someone arrives at the house, she barks and charges them. We have made progress in training her not to do this but she still has some work in that area. Our grandchildren know that she does not bite and will settle down once they are in the house. She and my grandson became big buddies on a vacation trip. However, we have never witnessed her around toddlers. She is not a biter but think she would become nervous if they squealed and ran at her.

Like humans, dogs' personalities are different. If you have any doubts about its interaction with your grandchildren, you might want to think carefully before purchasing. There are so many dogs that have been given up by families because they weren't willing to deal with issues a pet may bring into a household. You also might consider a rescue yorkie that has lived in a foster home. The foster parents know how their foster yorkie interacts with children and if it would be a good match for you. If you need a suggestion to an organization that fosters yorkies, please contact me.

I am not trying to discourage you from getting a yorkie. They are wonderful members of our household and don't know what I would do without them. Again, good for you for doing research!

01-02-2011, 09:23 PM	#1
bannergirl Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Watertown, SD, Codington Posts: 24	Wanna-Be Yorkie owner with questions I would love to own a Yorkie and am trying to research the breed. My main question from those of you who have children - how are yorkies REALLY with kids? Most of what I have read does not suggest having young children and yorkies. But most of the people I have talked to have said theirs are great with kids. What is the real story? My kids are grown and gone, but I do watch my 3 grandkids while their mom is at work. The girls are 7 and would not be a problem, but I do have a 2 year old grandson. He is fairly good with my sphynx cats, but still......he is 2. I am not looking to get a tiny yorkie - just an average sized one. I also am not in a great rush and would be willing to wait another year or two until my grandson is older. What are your experiences with younger kids and yorkies? Is the main concern that the child will hurt the yorkie or that the yorkie will snap and hurt the child? Thanks for all your info.

01-02-2011, 09:32 PM	#2
megansmomma Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: S. W. Suburbs of Chicago, IL Posts: 12,235	Welcome to YT! In my experience my 3 are great with small kids. Like you my kids are all grown (my daughter is 15 and my baby) but our neighbors both have small kids all under 4 yrs old. You just need to keep a close eye for they don't try to pick them up. Injuries are very real and could happen easily. If you have grandkids and socialize a puppy properly I don't think there would be a problem. It nice to hear that you are thinking ahead and doing research. By doing so you will be very prepared and know how to address any issues that might arise. __________________ “Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” Mark Twain

01-02-2011, 09:36 PM	#3
DvlshAngel985 Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA Posts: 12,693	Real story in my opinion is that yorkies and young children do not mix. My yorkie is frantic when around children. He was a year old when I got him, and my guess is he was exposed to children before he came home. Young children will see a pup as a play thing, a stuffed animal, and can do some serious harm to a yorkie. Mine is 7 lbs, the size of a newborn human baby. In my honest opinion, I think it's easier to have children after a person has been a yorkie mom. Yorkies are almost like having another child, and I'm afraid too many people will push a yorkie aside in favor for their children when the newness of having a pup wears off. Excuses will come up like, "I don't have time for it anymore," "My kids soccer practice comes first," etc etc. There are exceptions, but for the most part, those are the reasons so many people re-home their dogs. A larger yorkie that is not a puppy may work. (12+ pounds) Unless you can commit to constant vigilance, and teach your grandchildren to only handle the pup while they are sitting, it may work. __________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji Last edited by DvlshAngel985; 01-02-2011 at 09:37 PM.

01-02-2011, 09:39 PM	#4
2Morkies YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: USA Posts: 798	From what I know...the main reason is for the Yorkies safety. Some breeders will not sell to a home with young kids. The thought is kids like to be physical with dogs and small breeds aren't as sturdy as a Lab puppy would be. Also, I think if small breeds,Yorkies, become fearful of kids at a young age they can become snappy. But, like you, I think Yorkies can be good around kids if the kids are taught how to behave around them. __________________ MuffinBoomer

01-02-2011, 10:40 PM	#5
salazark Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 941	You've gotten good advice from the others, I just want to say welcome to YorkieTalk - and congratulations for doing your research before you get your Yorkie. My breeder has young children. It takes vigilence and training - mainly for the children. It could be done - especially with a larger one. Good luck! __________________ *Karen and the Kids* Sadie and Beemer

01-02-2011, 11:15 PM	#6
kalina82 Phantom Queen Morrigan Donating Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: with my yorkie baby Posts: 10,141 Blog Entries: 1	Every yorkie is different so its hard to say. Mine is 5lbs and LOVES kids and babies. I got her when she was 13 weeks old and wasn't really around babies/toddlers until she was 3 years old. She does really well with them and LOVES the fact that the toddler my mom babysits always has snacks in hand (mainly cheerios and goldfish). the baby loves to give her cheerios. So in my opinion it depends on the personality of the yorkie. Some are very tolerant and some are not. If you are interested in getting a puppy I'd wait another year or so for your grandson to get a little bigger. In the meantime I'd take him around friends dogs (who are tolerant of children) and teach him to be "nice" with the doggies. a lot of toddlers don't understand petting. They like to pat instead and little dogs usually don't like this. __________________ Kellie and Morgan

01-03-2011, 03:18 AM	#7
citygirl123 Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,233	My dog likes kids. I babysit a little girl (3 years old) a couple of afternoons a week. Mostly she naps while at my house. Copper likes her, but I have to watch. Yorkies aren't solid feeling like some of the other breeds. They feel delicate and are. The safety of the dog is the problem. I watch very carefully when the little girl is here. Copper enjoys running in the yard with her but I constantly supervise. Good luck with your decision. __________________ Lynn and Copper

01-03-2011, 03:40 AM	#8
misslissa YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us Posts: 1,574	Gatsby loves kids he has been around every age from birth to 17 he gets agitated when infants cry but not in a snippy way I walked in the other day and found my 3 year old cousin "brushing"his hair he was looking at me like "mommy save me" but he never once even bared his teeth or growled at my cousin he did however growl at me later when i tried to comb out the tangles __________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget.

01-03-2011, 06:16 PM	#9
Her Name Is Rio Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fremont, CA, USA Posts: 487	I agree with many above - it really depends on the personality of the individual dog. My female Rio and male Bullet are baby sat every day at my sister-in-law's house with her 3 year old granddaughter Maleia. Rio has never had any problems with Maleia, but Bullet is nervous around her and has growled and snapped at her on a few occasions. I think it's more from fear than agression. Thankfully, my sis-in-law never leaves them alone and is a very good pack leader for all of them. I worry more about Maleia, who is a big-boned 3 year old hurting my 3 lb Yorkies! But really, Maleia is very gentle and is so comfortable around dogs, big and small. __________________ With love from Rio, Bullet, & Alice

01-03-2011, 10:06 PM	#11
bailie YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: northern ireland Posts: 947	my sonny hates kids, he is not used to them, he hides when my sisters kids call beau is brilliant, but she is small so i worry about her more, she is facinated with kids gino is a big 7 mnths old pup and he loves them bailie is old and cud not be bothered, i wud never trust him good luck on what ever you decide __________________ my beautiful sole mates,, beau,sonny,gino,frazer R.I.P my fallen angel bailie 97-2012

01-04-2011, 05:36 AM	#12
Rachael1983 Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Burbs of DC Posts: 2,198	I have an 8 year old daughter. She gets along just fine with my yorkie and vice versa. He tolerates her friends and other visitors. He has been around small children and likes to snuggle with them but prefers not to let them hold him. Troy isn't aggressive. He's a laid back kinda dog and likes to take it all in and anybody's lap will do. Good that you're doing your research, but I would also suggest that you just teach your grandkids the dos and don'ts. I think you should be fine. __________________ Owned by Troy(RIP) & Emma

01-04-2011, 05:54 AM	#13
FlDebra Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FL Posts: 7,651	I have a 3 year old grandson and I have to admit I watch him VERY carefully when he is around the yorkies. He does have a tendency to be a little too rough. I worry especially about their necks and have had quite a few talks with my grandson. He is good for the most part and I think the real proof of that is that they LOVE him! Ben actually whines when he leaves sometimes. He gets so excited when he comes over he can't settle down for awhile. So, I think Chayce is doing a good job of being careful. Still, I would never leave him in the room alone with them. He might forget and start to pick up with the neck or accidently step on them. So many ways to hurt a yorkie. I did not let him pick them up at all at first. He could have them on his lap, with me sitting right next to him. I am just now letting him pick Ben up with me instructing and helping. He is doing well and Ben seems to just adore him. Annie will be next. My grandson's good behavior and a watchful eye at all times makes it all work well for us. I have two granddaughters too -- they are 13 and 9. They are old enough to understand how fragile they are. But I still watch the younger one a bit -- she like to play with them like dolls sometimes. But so far they have always done okay and no one has gotten hurt. I don't get to see them near enough. They live in Virgina, so far away! We have to refresh the rules & care each visit. I think you know your grandkids and if you think you can educate them on how to handle a yorkie and you know you will still be ever vigilant -- you can make it work too. It is a great opportunity to teach them kindness to animals and how to be really careful when it matters the most. I am happy to see another prospective yorkie owner doing research BEFORE they get a yorkie! Shows so much dedication and thoughtfulness. A very good sign of a very good owner-to-be. Welcome to Yorkie Talk! Very glad to have you here. Lots to learn, share, and enjoy along the way. __________________ FlDebra and her ABCs Annie, Ben, Candy Promoting Healthy Breeding to the AKC Yorkshire Terrier Standard Last edited by FlDebra; 01-04-2011 at 05:56 AM.

01-04-2011, 06:01 AM	#14
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	My 11 lb yorkie is better with kids than my 6 lb one. My 6 lb one gets nervous around kids where Chachi the bigger one loves the activity and plays with them __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

01-04-2011, 06:36 AM	#15
fairydust Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 16	Research is wonderful and talking to other yorkie owners to be admired. Since both of our yorkies were grown when we got them, I can't say how they were trained as pups. Where they socialized? We don't know. Our smallest yorkie, weighing in at less than five pounds, tends to snap with teeth like razors. He is a rescue dog and was removed from an abusive situation. Maybe it is a trust issue...maybe it is just his personality. We trained our grandchildren not to approach him. If he wanted to be around them, he would approach them. They also learned never to touch him if my husband was holding him. Shucks, I learned never to touch him if he was being held by my husband. That is his human and he is highly protective of him. Strangers are totally another problem. Because he is so little and so cute, they reach down to pet, sometimes with these words coming out of their mouth, "Does he bite?" (Advice: Ask BEFORE you start to pet.) My reply is, "He might." However, with this being said, he is a very sweet and loving dog. We just have to be aware of how others approach him. We also have a larger female yorkie, 9 pounds, also a rescue, that came to us grown. When someone arrives at the house, she barks and charges them. We have made progress in training her not to do this but she still has some work in that area. Our grandchildren know that she does not bite and will settle down once they are in the house. She and my grandson became big buddies on a vacation trip. However, we have never witnessed her around toddlers. She is not a biter but think she would become nervous if they squealed and ran at her. Like humans, dogs' personalities are different. If you have any doubts about its interaction with your grandchildren, you might want to think carefully before purchasing. There are so many dogs that have been given up by families because they weren't willing to deal with issues a pet may bring into a household. You also might consider a rescue yorkie that has lived in a foster home. The foster parents know how their foster yorkie interacts with children and if it would be a good match for you. If you need a suggestion to an organization that fosters yorkies, please contact me. I am not trying to discourage you from getting a yorkie. They are wonderful members of our household and don't know what I would do without them. Again, good for you for doing research!