but that not may be the case, you might have seen the best of the best and me the worst of the worst, you might do well with one.

I would venture to say that put up any dog breed and someone will tell you something good about them and then the next person will say they had the opposite experience with the same breed. Just like with my bichon, I worked with him for over 6 months, hired professional help, sent him to puppy boot camp, however he would go outside to potty and then come back inside and go poop on the bed, the couch etc. Yet Patty had great luck with housebreaking her's. My four yorkies were raised the same, but all so different, one was a couch potato, one loved laps, one would never make eye contact and hated to be held. Two barked their heads off, two were fairly quite. Two friends come over with yorkies about the same age as Lola, one tears around the house playing and barking with Lola, the other one just looks for a bed to crawl into or hops up on a chair to get away from the mayhem. One tears through the snow, the other one stands there shivering trying to get picked up. Sorry I know this does not help the OP but I guess I just want her to understand that there is no 100% guarantee the pup will have all the traits that the books say they tend to have

Where did you get your yorkies? You have my dream dog!

My Brother has a Min Pin and she is great. She only freaks out if you sneeze, but she gets over it.

Peanut is my snuggle bug- He is my shadow and little love bug. He has like 6 beds in the house and he doesn’t use them, he is either laying on me while I’m on the couch or he is laying with me on our bed. He is hardly ever in his beds unless we are gone. He has some potty flaws, but other than that he is by far the best dog ever! He only barks if someone knocks or rings the door bell ( or if he is playing with you) he listens, he comforts me when I need it, he is really attached to me, he is wonderful in public, doesn't bark or snap at people- he loves meeting new people.. I can’t say anything bad about him other than he has potty issues..

He does have some scardy cat issues… if the battery is dying on the fire alarm and that loud beep goes off- he will run and hide in the closet and start shaking. If Dh gets excited at claps his hands he will run and hide, he is scared of water bottles cracking on their own however if I give him one to play with and he makes it crack he is ok with it.. he use to be scared of extension cords, but I worked with him on that and he can now cross over them!

I think no Dog is perfect, it depends on their personality and how they are raised.

Hamster might not be a good choice either, they are messy (just kidding of course). If you love the Yorkie look that is great, just be aware of what you might be getting into. They are cute, but some are very high energy, some are stubborn, some are lap dogs - kind of like humans no two are the same. I think we all will agree we love the Yorkie breed.

Research the breed, keep asking us questions and remember you when you go to buy you are "buying the breeder and not the Yorkie" spend just as much time researching where you get your baby.

I can tell you from experience the first year of owning a Yorkie was the hardest. If you asked me that first year if I wanted another I would have given you a huge NO!!! Getting her changed my life, for the better but there was no sleeping in, her needs usually come first. Late evenings out stopped, I wanted to be home with my dog. But now four years into it nothing and no one can make me happier than my Sophie Kate.

Really? I have never even heard of this? My Yorkie-Poo was unaltered male and, of course, I have both a male and female Yorkie at present...neither of which have this issue. Nor has any of my previous male dogs of any breed/mix. Clearly I am out of touch...:yelrotflm

So true!! Peanut is my first dog- We had dog’s growing up, but big dogs. Also I was super young, under 10. Then after dogs, we had cats. From 10- till 24 when I moved out I dealt with cats. My Grandparents bought a Silky Terrier.. I think I was like 12/13. She was the best dog, my Gpa had her in show coat and he would brush her every day- she would just stand there and let him.. he bought Mitzy for my Gma, but she was attached to him. She hung outside with him in the garage, sat with him on his chair- she was his dog. I loved her- It was seeing her that made me want one. My Mom said she didn’t want a dog in the house, I could get one when I moved out LOL-

I then found out there was a smaller version of the Silky- a Yorkie! I started working at the Vet, tons of Yorkies would come in.. I was so attached. I knew I wanted one, and I had to have one.

I honestly didn’t do much reading on the breed. I was working at the Vet so I had some medical exp, but no knowledge on the breed- When I brought Peanut home, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Having a dog was so different. I had to watch him 24/7 he cried at night if he wasn’t with me, he was peeing in the house.. I was working 13 hour days plus trying to deal with a puppy- it was hard, I almost cracked- well I did crack. I took him back to the breeder and told her I couldn’t keep him. Luckily she told me not to worry it will get better- give him a 2nd chance. I did and I’m so thankful for it.. Yes it will be stressful, the first year is the hardest- no sleep, no night outs, they will take over your life.

However having him has been the best thing that has happened to me, other than meeting my DH! The first year is hard, but it is so worth it. I would do it all over again. I do love the breed, yes some are crazy, some bark a lot, some have an incredible amount of energy, some have issues, but they will love you unconditionally. All they want is to be with you and to love you. You can train them to do anything- they are the smartest little buggers out there- with time and love I think you can mold your Yorkie how you want him to be.

Peanut is my little buddy- I don’t have much friends. When I go shopping I take him- he has a stroller and I just stroll him everywhere. I honestly think I would be lost without him in my life.

I would recommend a Yorkie to someone that has the energy and time to give. They can be costly, grooming, Vet bills stuff like that, but for me I don’t think I will get another breed…

Truer words were never spoken, and those with multiple Yorkies will tell you how vastly their personalities vary. I have three, and I "think" I've raised them all equally. But, they are as different as one would expect those of a Human Family to be.

A Yorkies independence, intelligence and demeanor are a integral part of their attraction to us, and that is what is SO special about Yorkies ;)

I will not speak ill of the Havanese, but, you'll never regret sharing your life with a Yorkie.

So so true!! I haven't ever loved an animal as much as I love Peanut. It is so true Yorkies are just so special. I’m pretty sure every single person on YT will tell you that. There is just something about them.

I have two female Yorkies (not from the same breeder), approaching the 6 month mark and they are both awesome. They are trained to use the Pee Pads, and learned very quickly, but the thing I love about them the most is that they are BOTH true lap dogs. They sleep with me and the hubs every night and are the best ever bed buddies, and during the day they play together, nap together and eat together, total bff's until we walk in the picture and then it's all about us. They will BOTH sit on my lap while I work at the computer, all curled up snug as can be. They are also very affectionate and show their appreciation with sweet little kisses, and they love our kids and grandkids.

One suddenly became a barker when she wanted our attention, BUT all I had to do was teach, "no bark", for about a week and that behavior ended as suddenly as it appeared.

But then there is the newest member of our clan, 14 week old little Doc. He's less than 2 pounds of pure energy, and loves to give his sisters grief, BUT he sleeps all night, takes naps during the day and is doing excellent on the Pee Pads. He's not too much of a cuddler like the girls, he's a speed cuddle, but everytime he sees me it's like the first time of the day and he showers me with affection and kisses. So, even with all his energy, I just love him to pieces and wouldn't trade him for anything!;)

Good luck in your search!

I love both the Yorkie and the Havanese...but...have you thought of the Shih Tzu? The quietest dog we have is when we get to puppy sit for our friend's Shih Tzu. Brody and Mia are not yappers...like I have seen in some dogs, but compared to Sunny, they are big time yappers. LMAO Also, Shih Tzu are more mellow and laid back and good with kids. They are a fairly ancient breed that was almost intentionally extincted, and have been brought back to the world by very dedicated people. They are sturdy little dogs, yet small. Oh, and there is no such thing as an "Imperial Shih Tzu" according to their breed club. (americanshihtzuclub.org/) The "Imperial" word is to the Shih Tzu like the "Teacup" word is to the Yorkie. LMAO Shih Tzu tend to be not very heat tolerant...Havanese are, from what a local breeder has said, which makes them a great choice for Florida...and in full coat, Shih Tzu are at least twice the work of a Yorkie. You can trust me on that one! LOL I am not trying to sell you off your choices or Yorkie vs. Havanese, just offering an additional suggestion for a very sweet little, mellow (from all I have ever been around), loving, lap and companion dog. If you think you might be interested, you might ask some questions at shihtzuchattertwo.sunlitesplace.com/.


I am so curious what you decide...:D

Right now I have 3 foster yorkies. Zach is a total lap dog paper potty pad and outdoor trained. Rarely barks. Sophie never barks, is mostly house and potty pad trained. She's a.total love bug. Penny barks like crazy when outside but never when inside. Unfortunatly she was partially debarked so it doesn't matter that much. Her goal in life is to find the most comfortable lap,or bed if no lap available. I also just got 2 havanese/havanese mix dogs yesterday. Very sweet. They don't bark much and ate very loving. However they are VERY energenic. Also quite a bit larger than the yorkies and don't really fit the puppy pads, although they do try. Our rescue also has 2 shizh tzu' s. both are very mellow, sweet with very little barking. Both are relatively small so puppy pads work well for them. If I wanted a quiet mellow dog that is what I would get. Also people have mentioned poms. I had one for 15 years, loved him dearly and would never get another. Too much barking and too much hair.

I have a male and a female...both re-homes that I got at 14 months old and 17 months old. They are exactly 6 days apart in age, so not from the same breeder either. I got Mia as a companion for Brody after we puppy sat for Sunny, our friend's Shih Tzu and Brody realized for the first time what it was like to have a 'friend like him' while we were at work. They are super together, but completely attached to us. Both potty outside, but will use puddle pads indoors, too...Florida gets some pretty bad weather sometimes where they just cannot go out. They were both 3 years old in March. Brody does a little 'lean forward and push hips down a smidge' to pee...not a true squat, so he is find on puddle pads...no issues there. Mia squats but lifts her right leg up a little...so is also fine on puddle pads. Our Yorkie kids are very much like 'human children' and we just love them so much.

The Yorkie attitude and energy greatly appeal to me. But, my DH was not a small dog person...it never occurred to him that he'd ever want a Yorkie. But, now that we have Brody and Mia, he says they are 'the perfect dog'...a Rottweiler you actually want to sit in your lap. :p:D

:thumbup::thumbup:

That's what I have, sorta, I have 3 Yorkies and a Coton De Tulear which they say is much the same as a Havanese. My Coton weighs 12 pounds and is happy to snuggle in your lap or run through the fields. She is a good dog and has never had any health issues. On the other hand my Yorkies are not as hardy as she is. I love them all. They each have their own quirks and they all will snuggle or play it's up to what YOU want to do. The Coton is 6.

Well if you ask this question on a yorkie forum you are going to get 90% in favor of yorkies. We have a number of dogs in our home from basset hounds down to our newest member who is a chichuahua/jack russel mix. We have a yorkie and shorkie a shihtzu. They all have bad habits and good things about them. My yorkie is a snuggle bug but he does yap at times and he's also a digger. I don't know too much about Havanese except that they're really cute.

Yorkie or Havanese???
 

I have both. My Havanese is the lap dog and is the quietest of the two. She is very sweet and wants to be with me 24-7 (Needy). She is about 6 yrs. old and weights about 20 lbs. My Yorkie pup (4 1/2 mos.) is loud and demanding and only wants to be with me as a last resort. Cute as a button but..she is a Yorkie.

My Havanese and Yorkie get along great but my pup is still too little to let them play unsupervised.

Both breeds require alot of attention. My advise..Make sure you have time to spend with your new dog regardless of the breed you select. Do a little more research a choose what best fits you and your lifestyle and then enjoy!

IMHO It's more than just being special...

I've owned breeds out the gazoo over the years, PB's to Heinz 57's, big, small, and I haven't run across another Breed that's even close to a Yorkie, when it comes to personality.

Words that I can directly apply to those I've raised are...
Clairvoyant, Intuitive and Unique. It's well beyond just being smart. You can teach just about any Dog to do a trick. But, when they independently start thinking things through for themselves...

I feel SO exasperated realizing that Mother Nature has presented me with these exceptional beings, and I can't figure out a way to communicate with them, other than altering the tone of my voice.

I'm really glad they're so forgiving.

:thumbup:

Very well said.. It really is true when you say “ thinking things through for themselves” because they really do. Peanut sometimes thinks like a human. He has this one bone that is his baby, he will run and go bury it somewhere and that little stinker will remember where he put it 2 days ago! He wanted in one of the bedrooms, I keep the door closed- well I hear him pacing back and forth and doing his little barks, then I went to see what he was getting into and he starts scratching the door- I said there’s nothing in there for you and he kept going at it, so I finally gave in and said fine and opened the door, he went right over to his bed and pulled out his bone!!

Yorkies can be yappy and needy. I love them but they are not for everyone

Wow - I am late to the party here.

My first response when reading the OPs first post was, "If you want a lap dog, you don't want a Yorkie."

However, as I read all the replies and thought about it for 4 pages ( :D ), it is so true - you just don't know. You can find a breeder that can attest to the temperment of the parents and angle for a low key Yorkie. From what I've researched and learned on here, some are cuddlers and most are NOT yappers unless the right situation presents itself. I've never had ANY breed that didn't have a barking trigger, btw ;)

They are terriers. That's just what they are so as a rule (and exceptions to rules exist in all of nature), they are independent (not lap dogs) and stubborn (man, is mine the hardest ever to potty train lol)...but they are smart and just have some quality that all of us are trying to put into words but is impossible.

I had a Pom. She had barking triggers but she was definitely a lap dog. I don't know anything about a havanese. I think from my researching for dogs over the years, you will be lucky to find everything you want on a checklist in one dog breed. Good lap dogs are pekignese and a king charles cavalier (although, definitely not a "purse" dog lol).

I originally wanted a Yorkie because I loved their beautiful show coats in the dog shows and I thought I could handle the size easier than my 70 lb boy (he's a handful lol). What I wasn't prepared for was that..."Quality". It's something that just grabs you by the heart when you aren't even looking. I've had so many dogs and one that I always refer to as "my heart dog." But until my Yorkie, even though I loved them all as if they were my kids (since I don't have kids), my world never revolved around my dog. It totally took me by surprise...and it's amazing!!!! ;) :)

You'll be happy with your decision no matter what you choose because you are researching. Great job! Happy hunting!

I'm sure there are many great Shih zuhs but the one we had growing up was very mean and temperamental :-( she was very calm but def not a lap dog or a people dog at all. She bit us and other people all the time :-( maybe we just had a stubborn dog. I do think if my mom took the time to socialize her and train her she would of been a totally different dog. I personally think Yorkies are way cuter though :-)

My mother's shih tzu rarely barks and sleeps most of the time and she is sooooo sweet.. If you do get a shih tzu make sure its healthy shih tzu are known for body odor and its hard to get rid of, hers is caused by yeast infection from what I read.. Im not saying all shih tzu's have body odor/problems. They are really sweet dogs rarely barks.

H HA, I really got a good laugh from that, given that it sorta works that way here, but...

My Female Becca is the most frugal of my guys, stashing any number of types of treats here and there, and, remembers where She put them as yours do.

However, She's not the only one who's interested in such resources, and My Males Sneakers and Ichabod are constantly re-locating those items, for their needs at a later date. NOW, here's the kicker...

When Becca realizes that one of Her stashes has been moved, She will go to each of the Males, smell of their Mouths, and identify which one is the Thief ! Then She's mad at whoever for the rest of the day. I've seen Sneakers actually run from Her, to keep Her from ID'ing Him as the culprit. :D

Seeing that happen is cute and laughable, but I am continuingly amazed at how their relationship emulates a Husband and Wife. Becca may be Second in Command, but DO NOT pi$$ her off. :eek:

Laughing at both Peanut's adventure, and Becca's, Sneakers', Ichabod's. They are just so smart, cute and funny!

My Mia is the treat saver, hider, bury-er, and coverer-upper, but she also likes to 'torture' Brody with his toys, treats, and favorite spaces from time to time. She will sometimes grab a toy and start 'errrrrr-ing' like a 'mad girl' and shaking it in his face, and that makes him nuts, then she will 'defense' it from him for a while, then just let it go, sit back and watch him 'squirrel' it away to protect it himself and, I swear, you can see her pointing and laughing and at her 'practical joke' and poor Brody's anguish and the fact that she can 'get' him with the same 'joke' over and over and over...:p:D.

She will also jump up and run to the edge of the bed or love seat when he has jumped down, and do the 'vicious errrr' thing over the edge...tail (stub) wagging like crazy. She knows what she is doing...she does it on purpose, and she does it JUST for the FUN of it! :D

Crazy kids...! :)

I have seen one Shih Tzu that was not properly socialized and is very stand-off-ish...not mean, just not friendly like all the other Shih Tzu I have seen. That is not to say there aren't some mean ones...just not in my experience. :p

They have finally realized their mistake and and are working toward better socialization for their girl. I am thinking they realized this when a second, well socialized pup was acquired by a grown daughter. She is very calm, though...you almost wonder if she feels well.

I agree that Yorkies are way cuter...:p:D I LOVE their standard coloring combo and changes (and Mia's golden hair is stunning, too), and that SILKY HAIR, and I absolutely LOVE their mischievousness and energy! It is like having a toddler (or two...LOL) in the 'terrible two's' sometimes, and JUST AS MUCH FUN! :p:D

OMG!! That is so hilarious, sweet and so to the T YORKIE! As I was reading your story I pictured Becca in there hiding her treats, then Sneakers and Ichabod running afte and grabbing it!! So adorable. It is really amazing watching them in their daily activities. They are so cute and SO smart!

What do the boys do when she goes up to them and sniffs their mouths? Do they have that look of panic in their eyes? Or do they try to pull it off?.. then what does she she *if* she smells the treat on their mouth?? Hahaha come on fill me in here!!

You can really turn this into a dramatic/suspense soap opera featured on YT, called the “Days of Yorkies” or “ Young and the Restless Yorkie” “Bold and the Beautiful Yorkie” “All my Yorkie Children” …. Etc etc HAHA

LOL!! Mia and Brody sound too cute! It is so funny seeing the Yorkie Girls be in charge and dominate the boys!! When I use to dog sit for my friends yorkie girl she would do the same kind of stuff with Peanut- she would take his favorite bone and play with it would bother him, but he was way to submissive to do anything about it! I would tell him “This is your house, you’re not going to do anything about it!!?? Haha he would just look at me like “ Sure not Momma she’s a meanie.. can you help me??!!”

They are so crazy, but give us so much entertainment!

:thumbup: Yes! Yorkies are gorgeous, the hair, the cute little faces.. everything about them I love.

LOL I was just telling DH Peanut is like a human 2 year old, that is why I call him my little boy...

They do seem that way, don't they? They seem to have a 'range' of human age...2...4.....6...maybe 8-10...but mine, at now 3 years old...have not seemed much older to me than that...although they do sometimes give off an 'impression' of 'knowledge and wisdom beyond their years'...lol

When my back was hurting, and I was laying in bed all day, Mia was right there with me. I recall my kids doing the same kind of thing at about 4, too...just sitting on the bed, playing next to me...waiting for me to get well. Brody hung with daddy but would come check on me at intervals...but...someone's got to keep an eye on DH, and he self-appointed himself! :p:D

The coloring just naturally appeals to me, too. Besides black and tuxedo colored cats, and Himalayan cats, my favorite coloring is dilute calico...cream, blue, and white! :p:D