Have you considered a pomeranian? They are adorable, very fluffy and not quite as high maintenance. We do take him to the groomer's but he only gets a shampoo and blow dry with sanitary cut. Seymour is fiesty but very lovable. He is not too big, but not extra tiny either. breed standards I believe are 4.2–7.7 lband standing 5.0–11 inches. If I get another pup it will be a pomeranian. (don't bash me, yorkies cost too much). Seymour loves to cuddle and bonded quickly to us. Like yorkies they do get attached. Let us know what you decide.

I wonder if there's something you can do to have more exposure to different breeds of dogs before you make such a big commitment. I would NOT suggest volunteering at a shelter because you could be exposed to some pretty scary dogs - at least in my local shelter about half the dogs were pit bulls and even though I'm not in the least afraid of any dogs, I couldn't wait to get out of the pens where the pits were kept because of all the aggressive behavior.

Do you have any friends who have dogs? Maybe you could do some visiting just to get used to being around them? Or find a local rescue group that could use your help while knowing your current situation?

I hope you really can conquer this fear -- having a dog to love can be so rewarding.

JMO, but I think a Yorkie is a rather tough breed for a first time dog owner. They are incredibly smart, which leads them to getting in to all kinds of trouble. They are also really difficult to house break.

You say you don't want an adult because you want to mould the personality. I would encourage you to revisit that idea. It's really easy for a young pup (of ANY breed) to go "to the dark side" so to speak, because their owner wasn't a very strong leader when they were a puppy. Nipping, growling and food aggression issues can occur, especially if you are afraid of dogs. They can also get over protective if they perceive you as the weaker member. A slightly older dog (a year or so) might be a better fit for you, especially if you work with a good rescue who can help match the personality of the dog to your specific needs. They are still young and playful, but hopefully some of the more challenging habits have been worked out of them.

What ever you decide, I highly recommend working with a trainer early on to help you gain confidence and have a positive bonding experience with your dog.

I see people have already said it because I was going to.... if you don't want a high-wired dog, Yorkies aren't for you! Don't get any dog w/ the name "terrier" in it actually. Terrier means "terror" lol. :p Not really but they are a handful.

You may be okay with a smaller like 5 or 6 lb yorkie. My 6 lb yorkie has never bit and she never would. She growls when she gets upset like she means business but thats the extent of it. We have said many times Jewels would be a good dog for a grandmother. Shes just a lap baby

Lol, to be honest, I've seen a lot more mean 4-6lb yorkies than bigger ones. The little ones seem to have more spunk and fiestiness. I don't think size really has anything to do with it. It's about finding a dog or a puppy that your personality meshes well with.

Agreed. My Mom's 6 pounder is a lot more nippy than either Rhett or Scarlett. It's all about individual temperament.

1. Before getting a Yorkie (or any dog) make sure you have the time and financial resources to care for him/her. Veterinary care is not cheap and dogs require A LOT of time (I spend about 4-5 hours per day doing various things for my dogs). I spend at least $100 per month on my 2 dogs, often way more if we have vet visits. I am not trying to discourage you; I got Vinnie when I was in grad school myself. Just something to think about.

2. I feel you on the dog phobia thing. All dogs bite, some more than others. I was attacked by a German shephard as a kid and remained relatively scared of dogs for years. What helped me get over it was getting bit as a teen and realizing it wasn't that bad. Vinnie, my oldest yorkie, bites me sometimes and I've lived to tell about it in each instance. Chances are, your dog will never bite you, but if it does, I can assure you the world will not end.

3. Make sure you have access to living accomodations that will accept dogs. Check around your area and make sure that most rental places accept dogs. Also be prepared to pay a bit more in rent.

4. If you travel a lot, DO NOT get a dog.

5. Make sure you are really committed to training and dealing with any health or behavioral problems that arise.

6. Consider your social life. If you like to stay out late, spend the night at a boyfriends/girlfriends house, or just not spend a lot of time at home or in a situation where a dog can be with you, don't get a dog.

7. Consider adopting a dog that is already potty trained. There are so many out there in need of good homes. And a dog that is over the age of 2 or so will likely be potty trained. I adopted Vinnie from a local shelter when he was about 2 and it was so nice to not have to do the potty training thing.

Basically, a dog is like having a kid, albeit one that you can leave at home alone for upwards of 8 hours without CPS arresting you. They are a commitment in terms of time, money, patience, and energy. However, if you love dogs (and I do!) they will pay you back a thousand times over. So, if you've read all this and still want to get one, start looking around at local rescue organizations.

As for breeds - yorkies and other small dogs are prone to being "nippy." And there is rarely a "breed temperament" standard that applies to all dogs of a specific breed uniformly. All dogs came from the same place! You really just need to evaluate each dog on his/her own. I would say that you should probably not limit yourself to a specific breed but rather to some general characteristics that seem important to you (i.e., you want something under 20 pounds with a calm demeanor). Most rescue organizations will then work with your general criteria to find a dog that is right for you.

oh, one more thing - mutts are generally the healthiest, as they are least likely to suffer from breed-specific conditions.

:thumbup:
Ellie has helped a friend get over her dislike of dogs as pets, but I wouldn't say she makes people less fearful. She can be really sweet sometimes and sometimes she will growl and even snap. I personally wouldn't recommend a terrier right now unless maybe you get an adult and know their personality.

My brother has a 72-lb Pit Bull/Great Dane rescue who is easy going and seems to be always in a good mood. My 4-lb Yorkie rescue is wound up tighter than a two dollar watch, overly bold, a little too smart and in need of constant attention,or so he thinks and he will let you know it! I love him to death and wouldn't trade him for the world, but he is lucky that he ended up with a me, because I am home during the day and don't have many other daily responsibilities besides him (and he is a LOT of work). As cute as he is, most people probably would not have the time he would prefer to demand. I have to watch him constantly so he doesn't do something silly and hurt himself. (He's probably 1.5 to 2-yrs old and very much a puppy still). I honestly don't think he would be a good dog for a first time dog owner because he is so demanding, smart and hyper-active. (Overly smart and overly active dogs can be a scary combination when they get bored...and mine almost always is).

I have a sister with a Pug and it's very friendly and very good with kids. I think they are a good family dog....if you can stand all the shedding!

I also agree that with whatever breed you choose, an older, adult dog sounds like a good idea for you.

I would honestly recommend a short hair breed, only for the reason that it can be difficult to get a yorkie/maltese used to being groomed. When Rizzo was a puppy I worked with him every day by placing the clippers next to him and giving him a treat. But the first time I ran them through his fur and they got caught on a small mat, he yelped and attacked the clippers, and I had to start all over again. Treats while standing near the clipper, treats when being touched by the back of the clipper. Now I can give him his sanitary trim, and trim his nails without an incident but it took a lot of work, and you can't freak out or get scared because the dogs can sense that and it will only make it worse. I'm starting all over again with a new dog that was not taken care of like he should have been so I had to shave him down completly, he bit me a couple of times (no marks left behind, he was doing it out of fear) and it is a lot of work, and I have to remember not to be fearful or upset when he does go into agression mode.
Have you considered a labrador? I know that is going quite a bit out of the range of what you want but my lab mix that I rescued when I was younger helped lots of people out of their dog fears. A friend of mine had two kids that were deathly afraid of dogs because his moms chi's were always growling and nipping at them. When I brought Max over they were stand offish, so he laid down rolled over and wagged his tail at them. They came over and started scratching his belly and laughing like crazy when his leg went a million miles an hour. After we left my friend told me that they wanted a puppy of their own, lol, but it had to be just like Max hahaha. And I lived in an apartment, which I think big dogs adapt just fine to as long as you're taking them out for walks and exercise daily. Just don't play fetch down the hallway if you have an angry downstairs neighbor, they don't like it, lol.
I'm with the other posters here, go to your local rescue organization, they'll be able to match you with the perfect dog even if it takes a while, and even if it isn't what you were initially expecting. Yorkies are not great dogs for the first timer if they aren't confident to be in control around them.

I am going to tell you right now that you have to have a full life commitment when having a yorkie & with you in grad school you wont be home that often during the day. I always was at home during the day with my baby since the day I got her. Yorkie's are I think most like having a child & the younger they are the more work it is, they arent the fastest house breakers, but let me also tell you that they will give you more love than anything or anyone else will ever give you. I wasnt trying to complain about the breed at all, because this is will the only breed of babies I ever have. I was born to be a Yorkie Mommy. I just want to inform you of some things before you purchase a Yorkie. Because I would hate to know that you bought one & then couldnt handle it & the poor baby ended up in a shelter. :( But, Bee is my baby & she always will be. But being a Yorkie parent is a full time job :) good luck. stay in touch. if you have any questions for me DONT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME ON HERE OR EMAIL ME AT beblankets@yahoo.com

Good point about the shelter dogs. I know that they aren't all there because of behavior problems. From your experience, how honest are shelters usually about disclosing the dogs' histories? I've searched on Petfinder before and some of the dogs had very detailed info on how they came to the shelters while others just had the price info.

I don't mind the grooming. That's not a major issue for me, it would be enjoyable bonding time. What I would mind though is shedding.

Mold was a weird word choice. What I meant was simply that they suggested that since puppies are more pliant, training would likely be easier.

The teething/nipping puppy does really worry me. I'll have to think about this a lot further.

I was against Pomeranians because I keep mixing up Pom Poms and Chow Chows. I know Chow Chows have a bad biting history.

Thanks for helping me add another dog breed to my list!