"Yorkies are not like other dogs"

[yorkietalkjilly]

I think that's why we have different breeds - to enhance the traits and genetic predispositions likely to help create the dog we'd most like to have. Based on that, I would say the Yorkie is different than the Poodle, GSD, Cocker, Great Dane, Bassett Hound. The Yorkie has the combination of traits I most like in a dog so to me, Yorkies are not like other dogs.

[Yorkiedaze]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Yorkies are the ONLY breed that actually carries a SILK gene for their coats! THAT makes them "NOT LIKE ANY OTHER BREED"!!!!!!!!!! TA-DAAAAAAA !!! CHECK MATE!!!!
(Let me hit my library this evening and I will get some more for you!!)

I think my Azrael missed that "Silk gene" because she is like a big cotton ball.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Yorkies are the ONLY breed that actually carries a SILK gene for their coats! THAT makes them "NOT LIKE ANY OTHER BREED"!!!!!!!!!! TA-DAAAAAAA !!! CHECK MATE!!!!
(Let me hit my library this evening and I will get some more for you!!)

Lol, very cool. What about Silky's?

That's not really what I'm talking about though... I guess, I don't know what I'm trying to say.

Obviously some dogs are going to train easier, be less up keep, need less training, etc. If someone wanted a small, non shedding lap dog who did not require a ton of exercise, I wouldn't advise a German Shepherd Dog, for example. Different breeds may be more sensitive to certain things. If I wanted an easy to train dog always willing to listen to me, I wouldn't get a bulldog for example.

People are attracted to different breeds for different reasons. I really enjoy a high energy dog who is willing to go go go, I am also interested in dog sports (agility, frisbee, rally, etc) and my next dog breed will be chosen carefully with all of my "wants" in mind.

So that's not really what I'm talking about. Basically just that, like I said, fundamentally dogs are dogs.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Dogs are all canines but breeds do create enough differences in temperament and reactions to life situations to make a Shih Tzu a far different kind of animal to live with than that of an Alaskan Malamute or Kerry Blue.

[JasmineNoelle]

I have two fur kids, yorkie and toy poodle. They get along well. The yorkie is more playful, poodle laid back, however the poodle is the oldest and the alpa. They are both very loving and sociable, but our poodle will make new friends first. Poodle is more independent. Our yorkie loves to give kisses, our poodle not so much. Poodle likes to sleep at the foot of the bed and our yorkie is like glue to my hip. Both love to lay in mine or Daddy's lap, but our yorkie is the first to get on our lap and the last one at night to leave. We used the same training techniques with both, (commands, leash, house training, etc.) but the poodle was much, much easier train. They are soooooo different, I don't know if it is their breed or they just have different personalities like we do, but I think it is a mixture of both. Also, I believe our yorkie is much more stubborn than our poodle. She will give me a look sometimes when I want her to do something and I think if she could talk she would be saying "Are you stupid, no way!".

[Britster]

Originally Posted by JasmineNoelle

I have two fur kids, yorkie and toy poodle. They get along well. The yorkie is more playful, poodle laid back, however the poodle is the oldest and the alpa. They are both very loving and sociable, but our poodle will make new friends first. Poodle is more independent. Our yorkie loves to give kisses, our poodle not so much. Poodle likes to sleep at the foot of the bed and our yorkie is like glue to my hip. Both love to lay in mine or Daddy's lap, but our yorkie is the first to get on our lap and the last one at night to leave. We used the same training techniques with both, (commands, leash, house training, etc.) but the poodle was much, much easier train. They are soooooo different, I don't know if it is their breed or they just have different personalities like we do, but I think it is a mixture of both. Also, I believe our yorkie is much more stubborn than our poodle. She will give me a look sometimes when I want her to do something and I think if she could talk she would be saying "Are you stupid, no way!".

Poodles are VERY smart! I know they rank #2 on most doggy intelligent tests. They are the cutest things.

I think the example I put in my original post was a bad one... cuz that wasn't really the point I was trying to make, hehe. I wish I could go back and delete. Kinda just rambling, ha...

[MamaZiggy]

I have to say that I do NOT believe one breed is better than another. I have had 3 breeds in my life. All are special and different and smart and loving in their own ways. The one thing though that I have noted is that Yorkies are a lot like babies. They like being babied! My friend (who lost her yorkie at 6 months) treated her pup very differently than I treat Ziggy, she did not really baby him. he was more of a very loved pet. But she also says that now that she has a skin baby, she will not be having another yorkie as she cant handle having two babies!

I love all dogs, from Rotti's and Pits to Yorkies and Chi's

[Chas W]

Well, in my opinion, if the animal has four legs, two ears, two eyes, a snout of some kind, paws, fur/hair, barks (either Woof, or Ruff, or whatever else!), then I would venture to guess that it is a typical dog, and the only thing that separates one dog from the rest is how its human relates to it, and treats it! Of course, we ALL feel that our precious doggie is the most special of all, and that's OK, as long as we don't get unrealistic about it. After all, a dog is dog, NOT a human (except mine, of course!)

[Chas W]

If someone wanted a small, non shedding [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]lap [COLOR=green !important]dog[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] who did not require a ton of exercise, I wouldn't advise a [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]German [COLOR=green !important]Shepherd[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] Dog, for example.

Just out of curiosity: why do the German Shepherds always get the tag "Dog" after their name? Are there still HUMAN shepherds in Germany?

[nanahas3]

I understand what you mean. When we had poms people used to tell me they would never have one of those yappy dogs and that they were not good with kids. WRONG. Ours only barked as warnings and loved our children. When I got Laddy people said, you can't house break them, they cant jump or will break bones etc. WRONG. Laddy was house broke at 12 weeks. He jumps over a 3 ft tall xpen lol. Yes they are fragile and yes I tried my hardest to stop him from jumping but it is impossible. Kyra was harder to house break but she finally got it at around 5 months and she never jumps ever lol. I am thankful for that as she is only 2.6 lbs at 8 months. I think she has instint that tells her it would hurt her lol. I think dogs like people are all different but yes I agree they are dogs.

[Teresa Ford]

I have enjoyed this thread. Some of you have read my thread, talking about training and working with different breeds. Yes all dogs are dogs, just like all children are children. How we teach them should be designed to work with their physical abilities, breed traits, and mental ability. We don't have to really teach a Boarder Collie to round up , a Lab to retrieve, a Bully to play tug, a Poodle to dance on two legs, a Yorkie to bark when it hears something. We have to train them how to use these natural behaviors in a way that pleases us. Yes, a Yorkie can be taught to dance on two legs, bring the ball back, and even herd the kids from the back yard.
I don't think it is a cop out to say that Yorkies are much more difficult to potty train generally, than for example, a Lab. It can be done, but potty training may it require a much different method and level of diligence by the trainer, than another breed.
I think Yorkies are unique, after all they have been bred for a long time to have the things we love about them.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I haven't yet found a breed yet that is so enjoyable - but part of it is just purely visual and part is attitude. I love the overall look of the perky, happy Yorkie and I just love the "attitude" of the dog! Tibbe will definitely just tell you like it is if he doesn't agree with something you want him to do. He is soooooo cute doing his tricks and things sometimes. I will want him to roll over a fourth or fifth time in a row and he will growl all through the last rollover!!! He just grunts when his sturdy little body hits the ground and then grrrrrr's all through the rolling over!!! Then he jumps up and snorts about 40 times and gives me the eye! Scotty and Jilly were very similar in their 'tudes. No other breed seems to have the sassback of a Yorkie nor quite the stink eye if you are on their bad side for some reason. And all of that in a tiny, perfect, short, square little package is too much! I think they are the cutest thing on 4 feet!

[oliver44]

great question, & responses. my contribution is from experience & i'm sure specific to my dogs. i do have to say my ollie (yorkie) is different than any other dog i have ever owned & i currently have ollie & my mix mallory. raised both the same & ollie is more skiddish, needs to be around people appears to make him feel safe, he dosen't like to be outside as much. my yorkie just is more "baby" like. i love it, he acts like a dog sometimes but think he learns a lot from mallory, lol. all dogs are awesome!!!!!!

[ironmike86]

Ime dog breeds have different traits. Thats why they were bred. Yorkies are terriers they are independent thinkers. They are small so they take advantage of the cuteness.
My small Yorkies I had before I treat them like a small dog = not to ruff ect. But train them like a big dog. Not to overly bark, spoil them to much ect... I train them they don't train me. I do spoil my dogs but make them work for there treats and make train them pee out side. But someones always home to let them out. When they are older they can hold it for a few hours. works for me.

[Lovetodream88]

I used to think a dog was a dog before Callie but having grown up with different types of dogs I do feel comfortable saying yorkies or Callie herself is a completely different dog and with other stories of yorkies I have heard they seem much different. They seem to to be very intelligent but have human like quality's and I just don't know that I can explain that. I think there are instances were a yorkie can not do some of the things a great dane can do but I don't think a small dog cant do agility if there joints and health are good and other dog things. I probably baby Callie more then some but I still try to let her be a dog and if she didn't have LP she would have been doing agility and stuff because she absolutely loves to run and is so fast. I honestly don't get the potty training thing because I think yorkies are so smart that they can be 100% trained to go potty outside or on a pad.