Yorkies and Old English Sheepdogs
 

Hi everyone. My name is Gail, and my family and I are looking into getting an adorable Yorkie puppy. :) I was a pet groomer for 5 years, and I've been in love with Yorkies ever since the first one walked into the shop. I have a 3 year old son, a 4.5 year old son, and an Old English Sheepdog (he just turned 1 year last month) right now. I'm mostly just curious if anyone has had the combination of an OES and a Yorkie and how it went? Jasper, our OES, is okay around smaller dogs - he's playful, doesn't try to bite anyone/anything. I think our biggest hurdle would be that he definitely has the herding instince. He tries to herd everything from us, the kids, to other animals. He really is a great companion though and does wonderful around my inlaws' mini. schnauzer and jack russell terrier.

The house still seems empty though, and I'm not quite ready for another child for a few more years, so I thought maybe we're missing another dog-baby. :) Also, how are they with children? The ones I've seen have really good dispositions. My children have been around animals their entire lives - ranging from cats, dogs, ferrets, to larger animals such as horses and cows. They are really, really gentle with animals. We live in a rural area if you can't tell by now. ;) Our home is in a smaller town (inside city limits), but we do have 1 acre fenced in. We also already have a small doggie door. The puppy would definitely be an indoor dog though. I don't like keeping our pets outside by themselves for very long - actually, I usually watch our sheepie out the window when he thinks he is outside by himself, lol

I'm a stay at home mom, and especially since my oldest starts kindergarten this fall, I have all the time in the world for training - both housebreaking and basic obedience. I've went as far as contacting the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America for a breeder referral in our area, but I haven't called the breeder to see what, if anything, she has available just yet. I'm wanting to make sure we're 100% certain before I do. :)

I'd appreciate any advice you could give me about them. Thanks in advance. :)

Oops, meant to include a couple of pics of Jasper. The first couple are when he was a puppy but the last one was taken pretty recently. :)

He is so cute and I love the pics.Cathy and Yoshi

Thanks. :) Hopefully I'll have a Yorkie pup pic to share soon..hehe

I have a 9 year old golden labrador and a 16mth old yorkie and they get on great, the size difference isn't a problem at all

Gail, Welcome to Yorkie Talk. I would think that getting a Yorkie would be ok, but, its safer if you got a larger Yorkie. I have a 1 year old- 4 1/2 lb and a 15 week old that weighs only 1 lb. When my nieces come over I have to definitely watch them very carefully. These babies wiggle right out of your hands.

Your OES is beautiful! I say go for the Yorkie!!!

I think the combination would be great. But definitely do not get one of the tiny tiny little Yorkies - the standard size is 5 to 7 pounds and 7 pounds or a little bigger would be much better....and still very small.

My little Yorkie is still a pup (4-5 lbs) and totally wears my 21-pound Bichon out constantly. He is fearless and loves to play. He also loves to play with bigger dogs (lab/retriever mix) that visit. All the bigger dogs he has been around have been very good with him.

English Sheepdogs are usually gentle - and almost all dogs are instinctively gentle with a puppy.

Good luck - Your sheepdog is absolutely beautiful. I'm jealous!!

Carol Jean

oh goodness, in the first two pictures Jasper looks like a stuffed animal!! What a CUTIE PIE! I'm so jelous! I have not had an OES (though I hope to one day) but from what I know they are usually very gentle. Although, because they are rather large I would get a yorkie on the "larger" side. (5+ lbs) because they are still small dogs. Just wanted to wish you luck, and I hope you check back often!

Jasper is so so adorable...

I would also suggest a yorkie on the larger side...

My sister has a pitbull mix (He is 75lbs)...Sammi and he get along wonderfully...They play together everyday :)

Here are some pics :)

Lots of Luck in your yorkie search...They are an amazing breed :)

XoXoXo
Fran and Sammi

I just love the pics of your OES! Wow, what a majestic dog! And what a gromming he must take!!! A yorkie will be soooo easy after brushing him! I think they would get along great, my Bamse Bjorn would play with Sammy an OES male at the dog park almost every night... They had a blast! And Bamse was tiny! It depends on the personality of the dogs... if you get a young pup.. I would think they would be an amazing pair! But an older pup... might come in with something to prove!

The couple that bought Koby from my mother has an OES and they also bought our little Rascal (we told them that once they get a yorkie....that they will get the fever and not stop with one!!!!) They told us that they have no problem with the yorkie and the OES that they play real well together. We have labs and yorkies and they do well together. I'd just watch them at first together but I think you'll be ok to put the two together.

I have a breeder friend who has OES and Yorkies. She has a pair of OES and several Yorkies. Her male OES attacked one of her female Yorkies twice (same Yorkie). Both times required extended hospital stay for the yorkie with serious crushing type injuries. I cannot say what exactly happened as the breeder was not forth comming with the exact details. I'm sure these situations are totally dependent on the personnalities of the dogs involved. I just know it was shocking and sad to be told of the second attack. It's for sure there are several things in your situation that cause me concern including the larger dog and the young-nest of your children. I'm not trying to be critical just honest. Like others have said I would look for a larger Yorkie one of at least 8 to 10 pounds. It seems to me at least the larger the Yorkie the better equiped they are to deal with the stress of living with small children.

I have to agree with this assessment, however, I would probably take it even further and completely discourage getting a yorkie with this combination of a big dog and very small children in the household with future babies to be born yet. There have recently been two members here who have lost yorkies that were crushed by very small children. In one instance, a toddler fell on a yorkie. In another instance, a seven-year-old reaching across a baby gate which caused the gate to collapse onto the yorkie, killing it.

Thanks. He is a handfull to groom. I spend about one hour (or more) a night brushing him. He lays on the bed and gets brushed until he falls to sleep - ahh, the life of a dog. :)