Do you think Yorkies have to be spoiled to have a good personality?
 

I have two Yorkies who are both 6 years old. Very shortly after getting them I got pregnant with my third child. My other two were school aged so I was alone with the puppies in the beginning. A year after her birth I got pregnant with #4. Getting to the point, my Yorkies were not spoiled at all. I hate to say they may have been a little neglected for a while there. :(My older teen son wasn't even nice to them, saying he hated them.

Well, I don't care for their personalities. The male, Jack, is kind of skittish. I believe it is solely my oldest's fault for that. My female, Gracie, is just... well, not very loving. She could care less if we are around or not. Don't get me wrong they are nice dogs. They just aren't fun or loving. I've met a few Yorkies recently who are just the sweetest dogs ever. One even fetches balls all day long. She is just the sweetest most adorable dog ever. I am so jealous of that. The only difference between these dogs and my own is how spoiled they are. So....

I am thinking of getting a puppy and starting over. There will be no shortage of spoilage now. The kids are old enough that I can have time to spoil her.
I also have two daughters who would love to spoil a new puppy. I'm just worried I won't get the sweet loving dog that I want. I would hate to end up with three dogs that I don't care for so much. Maybe I should try a different breed. I am confused. :confused:

I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks

My opinion is do not get another dog, but work with the 2 you have. You either made them like that, or a combination of genetics and environment. Sorry, that is my story and I am sticking to it. They take their cues from you. Work with them, take them out, play with them, hold them, and show them some love.

Work with them, take them out, play with them, hold them, and show them some love

Ditto.........................

That was my original decision too. We have all been trying to spoil them and love them and give them more attention. They seem to be set in their ways. It's very disappointing. They are so unloving my 3 and 5 year old don't even care for them. I'm thinking maybe I should look into other breeds. I just love the way the Yorkie looks :(

Maybe your Yorkies do not care for your 3 and 5 year old. They aren ot the best dogs with small kids. Do you really believe adding another dog would change the situation. I think you may just make it worse. Work with what you have....it is up to you, not a 3 and a 5 year old.

We are from Colorado Springs! You are the first member I have seen from CO. We moved to Austin 3 years ago. Are you from the Springs or are you a transplant?

It is my opinion that my furbabies are loved a great deal, therefore they are spoiled. In return they "spoil" me with their love. I always said my skin kids were spoiled (and) still are......not because they are brats (because they have turned out to be responsible, hard working, loving adults) because they have always been loved. Spoiling to me is just a nick name for giving a lot of attention and love. I think I would get better aquainted with the two you have and spoil them first. This is just my humble opinion.

I think that everything I wanted to say has already been posted. I agree with everyone, love and spoil the ones you have. Another addition might further complicate this already complicated situation you seem to have. JMO. :)

Try some behavior modification techniques to get them involved and interested in you. Positive reinforcement and a lot of interaction is what Yorkies lap up! They want you, you, you and lots of you! Ha! They take everthing so personally as terriers so they sense you do not like their ways. Only you can change that. And that is where a little working with them will pay off in spades if you are positive and happy-talking and upbeat as they learn. They are very smart and just love to be worked with on a regular, daily basis where possible.

Develop some personality
 

Try some behavior modification techniques to get them involved and interested in you. Positive reinforcement and a lot of interaction is what Yorkies lap up! They want you, you, you and lots of you! Ha! They take everthing so personally as terriers so they sense you do not like their ways. Only you can change that. And that is where a little working with them will pay off in spades if you are positive and happy-talking and upbeat as they learn. They are very smart and just love to be worked with on a regular, daily basis where possible.

Hmmm, OP, you have no idea the can of worms you may have just opened by admitting on this forum that you created 2 dogs you don't like by neglecting them and asking for opinions on whether or not to get another. Your littlest kids are only, what 4 and 5 (ish)? Still a pretty demanding time in their lives. Does blaming your oldest son for your yorkie's skittish behavior indicate your son was mean to the dog?

Perhaps if you focus on loving the 2 you have and spending more quality time with them they will meet your expectations and gain your approval. Introducing a new puppy is only going to isolate the 6 year old's more when the family spends all their time with her. Is that really fair to the older dogs?

Here's an idea...surrender your two Yorkies to a reputable breed specific rescue group. They will find homes that can dedicate the time and energy to caring for your Yorkies from where you fell short (by your own admission) and then what ever you do (which I'm sure you'll ignore)...DO NOT GET ANOTHER DOG! :thumbdown:mad::thumbdown

I will say this and then shup. I am in the midst of rescuing a yorkie that is negleted as the woman had a child and the poor yorkie was left out. Did any of the other children suffer because you had more children or did you spread yourself out ? I would not get another pup as it would not be fair for those you have GIVE THEM ATTENTION. I raised 4 children and my dog at the time (passed away) was very happy.

Another thing yorkies and small children do not mix. Sorry if this comes across as harsh but I'm just shaking my head in disbelief here

I'm curious, where do the yorkies sleep? I find it hard to believe they haven't found a favorite human to attach themselves too. I agree with the other posters. Yorkies return the love you hand to them a hundred-fold. Spend some time with them yourself if the kids aren't favored by them.

If you don't like em in your bed, then purchase some doggy beds & put them in your room or some place that the kids won't bother them. I fear if you don't spend time with them, then your kids (following your example) don't either.

I think they are probably used to trying to stay out of everyones way, as they must have felt they were. A little attention & love will go a long way to turning these guys around. Please at least give them 5-6 months of some attention, & see what happens. By all means, do not purchase another one!

As any Yorkie owner will tell you, a little love & attention WILL go a long way. Just remember that they have been over-looked so long, that it will take some time. But I promise you, once they love you, you will NEVER regret choosing this breed. Once you have the adoration of a Yorkie, YOU will never be the same.

Best of wishes to you, & please keep us posted of your progress with your little ones.

What will you do if your new puppy doesn't have the sweet/good personality that you are looking for? I would suggest that you give more attention to the dogs that you already have and maybe you will see more of their personalities. Just my opinion.

Yes, it is not spoiling them to just spend time interacting with your Yorkies, talking to your Yorkies, cuddling with your Yorkie, working on the computer with one or both in your lap, watching TV through a pair of prick ears. Yorkies are highly responsive to their humans and with a Yorkie, you "reap what you sow". Once they see you are really interested, they will return your love and attention in abundance. They can't help it - they are Yorkies. But if you can't give all of this to a Yorkie, I would put out the word and I'll bet you would find some ladies that will!

I have rescued many neglected yorkies. At first they were really isolating themselves. But as I gave them a nice warm bed, good food and a gentle voice they started to come around. The more time I took talking to them they started to trust me and would then follow me everywhere. Over time they would allow me to pet them and not long after that they started to jump on the couch and sit next to me while petted them until that final moment when they jumped into my face and showered me with kisses. It will happen you just have to take it slow and be consistant with your love and attention. They know and probably sense that they were in the way and now they are confussed so give them time and a real chance at being the loving little critters that they are. Be patient and hopefully with a real true effort on your part they will come around.

Just found this post:


http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/bre...ml#post3447904

Please place all 3 puppies in homes and have your girl spayed.

I joke about spoiling my dogs, but really what they need most is activity. If a dog is ignored, the dog will have low expectations and resign itself to a sedate lifestyle, just passing time.

My boys have high expectations because I walk them at least twice a day, feed them three times a day, have play sessions, training sessions, outings and on and on. We also have plenty of rituals of affection. They "perform" for me because they know they are going to get a very happy reaction and loads of attention. The reward for all the walks, all the games of fetch, all the meals, is having a dog that greets me at the door with kisses and jumps and dancing with arms over his head.

Commit yourself to the 2 you have, or find them good homes and wait until you are ready for another dog.

:( Dogs are just like kids... Would you give your kids away because you didnt like their personalities? Of course not, so work with your "kids" and they will come around.

Quite the contrary.... "SPOILING" usually causes ill-mannered dogs, in my experience. It's not a matter of spoiling, it's a matter of making TIME for your dogs, and creating a BOND. They are NOT disposable creatures.... you can't just be like "oh well, these 2 didn't work out... let's try it again!" You are going to be highly disappointed when you find that the third is no better. It's up to the human to make an effort to bond with a dog and spend adequate time with them. It's not that difficult to spare at least 15 minutes a night hanging out with your dog and forming a friendship.

Now, don't get me wrong, I spoil Jackson in the sense that I am always trying to find the best food, he gets all sorts of treats and bones, he has wayyy too many collars/harnesses/ID tags, things like that. But he could care less about those things. I spend the time to "listen" to him, if you will, to get inside his head. Every dog has a unique personality. Jackson was very shy with strange people, I didn't just brush it off and say "oh, he's just a skiddish dog... lemme go buy another puppy and see if that ones better". No, I worked thru it with him. I wanted to find out WHY he was so nervous, and make those negative thoughts in his little head turn into positive thoughts. So I always carried treats with me so when someone wanted to pet him, he got a treat. He now loves most people and will willingly go up to them by himself. He began to learn to trust... I didn't just essentially give up on him. Where would the fun in that be??

If Jackson starts getting a little too antsy, I know he's lacking exercise. I know what my dog needs and he requires at least 1 hour walk per day. If he doesn't get that, we make up for it in another way through playing fetch, going to the dog park, going to Petsmart, doing clicker training/trick training. Someone like you might get an active dog and be like "omg he's so hyper!!! he doesn't listen!!!" But a good dog owner will take the time to discover what their dog needs.

I have been taking my time returning to posting but could NOT hold my words on this one! Take a look at what I bolded in your posts. You are NOT taking responsibility for the situation you've made. You blame it all on your children and the dogs themselves! How do you think people who work full time & have kids wind up with loving dogs? They SHOW them love! Not just for a few days or once in a while, or just when they are not busy -- but all the time! You show your dogs you care about them with more than the length of time you have to spend with them -- it is all about quality! How you speak to them, respond to their needs, and what you do when you do have time. Yorkies are the MOST loving dogs I have ever seen. A situation has to be pretty bad for them to not respond when you do show love. No need to tell the forum, but I would do some private soul-searching about how your two have been treated so far to contribute to their current aloofness to you. What are you doing NOW to "spoil them" and how long have you actually tried? If you have neglected them, and whatever else made them so unlike yorkies I know, for years, then it could take quite a while for them to learn to trust & believe the new treatment is here to stay. If you really want pets, I think you owe it to these two to show your new resolve to be a good pet parent.

Dogs are not like a pair of shoes that you return for another pair if they don't go with an outfit! You have to invest time and emotional commitment to help them develop to a good pet. Being the adult in the home -- the responsibility for caring for pets AND anything your children do or don't do IS YOURS (and any other adult in the home)!

I find some redeeming value to your situation as you are asking questions. I think you know the right answer is to NOT get another pet, but to try to develop a loving relationship with the ones you already have. I am not sure if you were hoping someone would say, "yes get another dog" or if deep down inside you wanted someone to tell you to treat these two you have as well as they deserve. I am going to do the latter with the caveat that if you cannot commit to them, that you follow miabellaamoure's advice and surrender them to a rescue organization and NOT get another dog. Maybe a goldfish would be a better pet choice for you if uncertain about the commitment. I am not being mean, just very concerned about your dogs.

Yorkies truly are overly demonstrative dogs. They normally will lick a person half to death for the smallest act of kindness. Your tone of voice is all important with them -- don't be afraid to sound as silly as possible to make them happy. A wagging tail, a lick, a twirl, standing on hind legs, jumping, even smiling in their own way should all come easily! Since it is not coming naturally for you, I suggest getting a trainer to work with you for a few weeks. Maybe seeing how you interact with them in person will help pinpoint the problem with trying to save your relationship with them. It might be something you could easily change. I wish you and especially the yorkies well! It will be such a huge benefit to everyone in your family if you can turn this around and make it work. Remember -- you are also teaching your children how to treat their pets now and well into the future by your example. How they treat the pets they get for their own children someday will have a great deal to do with the lessons you are teaching them now. Don't teach them how to discard living beings -- instead teach them to care and show the love!

Apologize for typos -- using one hand after surgery and tried to correct them all.

Excuse me but why are you asking "if you should get another one" when you have three right under your nose! Could it be the one your little momma kept putting to the other side of the cage reminded her of you...when you kept putting her to the other side of your life? Just asking......

I hope you find great home for them and yes...get her spayed, poor thing.

Good job TexasKat................:thumbup:

Can you please explain yourself and what you really want here? Are these threads for real or are you just playing around with us?

At the very minimum, you could have been honest in this thread. Instead of asking if you should get a new puppy and "start over" why didn't you just say your 6 year old girl (BTW, most reputable breeders don't breed past age 5) had a litter and you are considering keeping one? Makes you come across as less than truthful.

Another question, is this the first litter for your girl? Is your Jack the father? They are 6, so I am assuming she has come into heat at least 10 times. How did you avoid so many litters? Or, perhaps more to the point, how many litters has she already had?

Just so many questions!

Prior to reading the linked thread, I had one way of answering, now I wonder just how ingenuous you are being?

But for future readers of this thread. Spoiling a dog, in the manner you described is not spoiling at all. Instead it shows the owners took the time to involve themselves in the dogs life, to find fun and interactive ways to be with their pups.

All dogs have different personalities, some more aloof then others, some very gregarious. But all dogs, and particularly YOrkies will show affection towards their loved ones. When Razz was just a puppy he always wanted to be in my lap, that was great, loved it. Then when he got older not so much; why? My reason is we have two large dogs that are his pack mates, and they lay at my feet. So Razz has taken his place at my feet too, now that he is all grown up. Will he still lay in my lap? You bet, but mostly he steals the prime position by laying ontop of my feet with the two large dogs to either side.

Your dogs personality to a large extent will reflect the effort and time you have put into their care and well-being.
As another poster has said it doesn't have to be huge amounts of time, but focussed quality time with your dogs. Every time you touch your dog with love, a brief caress, a yummy tidbit of food, your dog inside will beam to that love. Will return it 100 fold.

When I go shopping (a brief trip), one dog and that changes daily, comes with me for a brief ride in the car, an individual Mommy time. Each dog is groomed individually, and I totally focus on that dog, with the other two laying pressed up against the grooming room door, but they know their turn will come very soon.

You are not ready for another dog in your life. Work with the two you have.

I think it can go both ways. My first Yorkie...super spoiled and let's just say I now know why they call them bitches!!! lol Very loving to me, but so protective of me she snarls at people (strangers or those she doesn't see too often).
The others are very sweet and though they are spoiled...it's been like having the first child who was overindulged and then the other children come along and though they are lavished upon, they know they have to taken second place to the first "bossy" child because that bossy first child never shuts up or quits hogging the attention to give the others a chance...so they're less spoiled as a result and have better personalities.
However, I know people with equally pampered Yorkies ("only child") and they are as sweet as can be.
I think it's mostly their genetics.

I should have read the OP more thoroughly...my response wasn't really the correct one. I agree with the others, do not get another dog while your children are so young. If you did get a pup and decided to "make up" for your unavailability to the others, those two will further retreat (IMO), so recommit to the ones you have and if you can't try to find them homes while they are still at the age they are.

Good catch TexasKat -- what in the world is going on here? I think we have all been wasting our time....... Well, maybe not. Someday another person might benefit from some of the words shared by so many here.

I would like to hear Erin explain herself though! Sort of feel like I wasted my 7000th post on a con. :(

When I found my little Princess she had been neglected, ignored, locked up much of the time or allowed to roam the streets. She wasn\'t wanted and she knew it. I begged the woman to let me have her and she agreed. From then on Princess and I bonded as I focused on her as much as I could. She had some issues at first with peeing in the house but that quickly changed the more attention she received. She turned out to be the best friend I\'ve ever had and was loved by so many. All she needed from any of us was love and she gave so much love and more back for years. If you aren\'t happy with your dogs it really might be best for both you and the dogs to find another home for them as they can sense your disappointment more than you realize.