weight obsession - YorkieTalk.com Forums

alisonJ · 01-02-2006, 07:06 AM

Hi everyone,

I was in the Atlanta airport a couple of days ago on a stopover from Arizona to Maine. My Edie was with me (what a great little traveler she is). Anyway, there was a woman at the same gate with a TINY Yorkie--10 weeks old, and I would say less than a pound. Naturally, people were stopping to talk with her about the puppy (named Harley) who was quite cute.

Something bothered me though---all she talked about was the dogs weight and how she expected her to double in size by adulthood. There was no talk of the dog's personality, likes, dislikes, temperament, etc. ONLY WEIGHT. It bothered me because there is so much more to a Yorkie than size (or lack thereof). She was treating the dog like a fashion accessory, not like a living creature.

Heaven help us if our value was based only on our weight. There is so much more to all of us. If we are going to describe our Yorkies using a number, let's use another one--how about the number of squeaky toys destroyed in the last 6 months. "Hello, this is my Yorkie Edith. She has eviscerated 7 sock monkeys since July!" Now that's a number that tells me something about the dog.

I don't know if any of you have been disturbed by this weight obsession with Yorkies. You certainly don't hear German Shepherd owners talking so much about it. As long as a Yorkie is a healthy weight, who cares? Besides, I have too much to worry about with my own weight, but that's a whole 'nother story.

red98vett · 01-02-2006, 07:10 AM

LOL !! What a great post - pretty funny and I agree - Some yorkie people really do put too much value on weight - Me...I just love mine just the way they are and while the subject comes up - I usually divert it to how truly FUN they are...to me - A yorkies personality is way more important than how small or big they are.

livingdustmops · 01-02-2006, 07:12 AM

Excellent Post Alison

and a good reminder for any of us to promote their great personalities.

I loved the part about how many toys they have destroyed in the last few months

and we all know they are true terriers and they love the kill!

chachi · 01-02-2006, 07:16 AM

I have found that the people I have came across with the small yorkies to be a little snobish also. They act like their dog is better than yours. I am sure this isnt always the case but it has been with the ones I have ran into.

Bentley&BitsysMom · 01-02-2006, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chachi

I have found that the people I have came across with the small yorkies to be a little snobish also. They act like their dog is better than yours. I am sure this isnt always the case but it has been with the ones I have ran into.

I agree and it seems like the smaller they are the more attention they get.

Fran42478 · 01-02-2006, 07:55 AM

What a funny post...

When I am out with Sammi I always get...THATS A YORKIE...ISNT SHE A LITTLE LARGE TO BE A YORKIE (Sam is 13lbs)...And I tell them...What can I say, she is an Italian Yorkie, she likes her pasta and meatballs on Sundays

XoXoXo
Fran and Sammi

LoveBug · 01-02-2006, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fran42478

What a funny post...

When I am out with Sammi I always get...THATS A YORKIE...ISNT SHE A LITTLE LARGE TO BE A YORKIE (Sam is 13lbs)...And I tell them...What can I say, she is an Italian Yorkie, she likes her pasta and meatballs on Sundays

XoXoXo
Fran and Sammi

Just looking around and I read this.....This is great. Where did you come up with Italian Yorkie....priceless.
I can't name my 2 like that cause they eat all foods not just Italian. LOL

y0rkieL0ver · 01-02-2006, 08:34 AM

SOOOO TRUE. Whenever i have Sirius, the first question everyone asks is "is he going to stay that small?" my answer is "i hope not" - he weighs about 2 pounds right at 15 weeks and i cant wait for him to put on a little more wieght. they ask "is he a teacup?" to which my answer is "no hes a yorkie."

and just try and tell someone theres no such thing as a teacup dog- its so annoying. i think society as a whole places so much emphasis on wieght. i wouldnt care if Sirius grew up to be 20 lbs [as long as he was healthy of course] even if his breeder told me he was supposed to .0324lbs. i love him no matter how much he weighs- just as i would any person in my family. if someone didnt like me because i gained 3 lbs, id think they were pretty shallow. i think the more people are educated about super small dogs, the sooner they will realize theyre not all theyre cracked up to be. dont get me wrong, i love the teenies-they are adorable- but the health problems that accompany them i can live without.

browniesmom622 · 01-02-2006, 08:36 AM

i know what you mean my chihuahua is 10 pounds thats not big at all hes really tiny all mussel and all i get is WOW hes huge its really annoying i even get i thought chi's only get to 3-4 pounds NO there all not the same size and color

Sophie'smom · 01-02-2006, 08:45 AM

I have had people find out I had a Yorkie and they just had to see her and when they saw that she wasn't tiny they where uninterested. It used to hurt my feelings the way people would react to her size but now I could care less. She is perfect just the way she is. My dad described Sophie best by saying she is nothing but a big bundle of HAIR and LOVE. I thought that was so sweet.

whispersmom2 · 01-02-2006, 08:51 AM

I cannot remember how many calls I got during Dec from men looking for a Yorkie for their S.O. Invariably, they would say "Hi. I'm looking for a Yorkie puppy for my wife girlfriend. Do you have any that will be less than 3 1/2 pounds when they are grown?" I would say"Oh, you are looking for an adult then cause no breeder can guarantee you an adult that weight when they are selling a puppy!"

SoCalyorkiLvr · 01-02-2006, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fran42478

What a funny post...

When I am out with Sammi I always get...THATS A YORKIE...ISNT SHE A LITTLE LARGE TO BE A YORKIE (Sam is 13lbs)...And I tell them...What can I say, she is an Italian Yorkie, she likes her pasta and meatballs on Sundays

XoXoXo
Fran and Sammi

Fran...that is hilarious!! Great comeback!!Hah!

I have always had a problem with this.....so much so that I am always asking why the standard uses weight instead of height and length as the determinent for size since that is what most other breeds do like poodles for example....

I remember when I got my Chai, she is a gold and white yorkie, and I got so irritated.....I belonged to another forum at the time, not YT, and all anyone could ask about was whether she was AKC, is she really a yorkie, what did her parents look like, was I sure the breeder was being honest, etc.

I finally said "Does anyone want to know about her personality?" And I went on to talk about her temperament and how she was getting along with my other dogs, etc. They all shut up after that...lol.....go figure.....the negative is more interesting than the positive I guess...i don't know?

The question I get asked most when I am out with mine is "Are you a breeder?" because I usually have more than one with me and I talk about the others too when someone strikes up a conversation with me.

chechinmipo · 01-02-2006, 11:37 AM

I think because of the whole teacup terminology thats what the average perdon considers great. I must say I have met many yorkie owners who stress and only talk about size and weight. I don't give a hay stack about that my girl could weigh like a mastiff and she would still be my girl. Our relationship is uncomparable.

red98vett · 01-02-2006, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chechinmipo

I think because of the whole teacup terminology thats what the average perdon considers great. I must say I have met many yorkie owners who stress and only talk about size and weight. I don't give a hay stack about that my girl could weigh like a mastiff and she would still be my girl. Our relationship is uncomparable.

I feel the SAME way

shelbysmom · 01-02-2006, 11:56 AM

I think it's simple. People are obsessed with small Yorkies b/c they are uhhh small. It's funny that real dogs come in small packages. Who cares? When I see a huge dog I comment on it's size, I don't ask about it's personality. People notice unique physical traits and comment on them. Why take it personally? If you have a 2lb. dog, people are going to wonder about it. If you have a 13lb. Yorkie, people are going to wonder about it. If you have a unique colored Yorkie, people will wonder about it.

01-02-2006, 07:06 AM	#1
alisonJ YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,840	weight obsession Hi everyone, I was in the Atlanta airport a couple of days ago on a stopover from Arizona to Maine. My Edie was with me (what a great little traveler she is). Anyway, there was a woman at the same gate with a TINY Yorkie--10 weeks old, and I would say less than a pound. Naturally, people were stopping to talk with her about the puppy (named Harley) who was quite cute. Something bothered me though---all she talked about was the dogs weight and how she expected her to double in size by adulthood. There was no talk of the dog's personality, likes, dislikes, temperament, etc. ONLY WEIGHT. It bothered me because there is so much more to a Yorkie than size (or lack thereof). She was treating the dog like a fashion accessory, not like a living creature. Heaven help us if our value was based only on our weight. There is so much more to all of us. If we are going to describe our Yorkies using a number, let's use another one--how about the number of squeaky toys destroyed in the last 6 months. "Hello, this is my Yorkie Edith. She has eviscerated 7 sock monkeys since July!" Now that's a number that tells me something about the dog. I don't know if any of you have been disturbed by this weight obsession with Yorkies. You certainly don't hear German Shepherd owners talking so much about it. As long as a Yorkie is a healthy weight, who cares? Besides, I have too much to worry about with my own weight, but that's a whole 'nother story.

01-02-2006, 07:10 AM	#2
red98vett Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 33,590 Blog Entries: 1	LOL !! What a great post - pretty funny and I agree - Some yorkie people really do put too much value on weight - Me...I just love mine just the way they are and while the subject comes up - I usually divert it to how truly FUN they are...to me - A yorkies personality is way more important than how small or big they are. __________________ Villette, Chanel & Cheri www.DesignsByVillette.net Custom Address Labels and Note Cards using YOUR Photos! Just Click HERE!

01-02-2006, 07:12 AM	#3
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	Excellent Post Alison and a good reminder for any of us to promote their great personalities. I loved the part about how many toys they have destroyed in the last few months and we all know they are true terriers and they love the kill! __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!

01-02-2006, 07:16 AM	#4
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	I have found that the people I have came across with the small yorkies to be a little snobish also. They act like their dog is better than yours. I am sure this isnt always the case but it has been with the ones I have ran into. __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

01-02-2006, 07:55 AM	#6
Fran42478 Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 1,731	What a funny post... When I am out with Sammi I always get...THATS A YORKIE...ISNT SHE A LITTLE LARGE TO BE A YORKIE (Sam is 13lbs)...And I tell them...What can I say, she is an Italian Yorkie, she likes her pasta and meatballs on Sundays XoXoXo Fran and Sammi __________________ Fran, Sophia Rose and Jake We Miss You Always Sammi 11/29/03 - 8/20/06

01-02-2006, 08:34 AM	#8
y0rkieL0ver Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Medford, Ma Posts: 865	SOOOO TRUE. Whenever i have Sirius, the first question everyone asks is "is he going to stay that small?" my answer is "i hope not" - he weighs about 2 pounds right at 15 weeks and i cant wait for him to put on a little more wieght. they ask "is he a teacup?" to which my answer is "no hes a yorkie." and just try and tell someone theres no such thing as a teacup dog- its so annoying. i think society as a whole places so much emphasis on wieght. i wouldnt care if Sirius grew up to be 20 lbs [as long as he was healthy of course] even if his breeder told me he was supposed to .0324lbs. i love him no matter how much he weighs- just as i would any person in my family. if someone didnt like me because i gained 3 lbs, id think they were pretty shallow. i think the more people are educated about super small dogs, the sooner they will realize theyre not all theyre cracked up to be. dont get me wrong, i love the teenies-they are adorable- but the health problems that accompany them i can live without. __________________ To eRr is HuMan, To FoRgiVe, CaNiNe Jackie & Sirius

01-02-2006, 08:36 AM	#9
browniesmom622 Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: ny Posts: 11,253 Blog Entries: 5	i know what you mean my chihuahua is 10 pounds thats not big at all hes really tiny all mussel and all i get is WOW hes huge its really annoying i even get i thought chi's only get to 3-4 pounds NO there all not the same size and color __________________ We Love our Yt Angel! My Website< > FB page

01-02-2006, 08:45 AM	#10
Sophie'smom Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,282	I have had people find out I had a Yorkie and they just had to see her and when they saw that she wasn't tiny they where uninterested. It used to hurt my feelings the way people would react to her size but now I could care less. She is perfect just the way she is. My dad described Sophie best by saying she is nothing but a big bundle of HAIR and LOVE. I thought that was so sweet.

01-02-2006, 08:51 AM	#11
whispersmom2 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MD Posts: 2,985	I cannot remember how many calls I got during Dec from men looking for a Yorkie for their S.O. Invariably, they would say "Hi. I'm looking for a Yorkie puppy for my wife girlfriend. Do you have any that will be less than 3 1/2 pounds when they are grown?" I would say"Oh, you are looking for an adult then cause no breeder can guarantee you an adult that weight when they are selling a puppy!"

01-02-2006, 11:37 AM	#13
chechinmipo No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: California Posts: 2,260	I think because of the whole teacup terminology thats what the average perdon considers great. I must say I have met many yorkie owners who stress and only talk about size and weight. I don't give a hay stack about that my girl could weigh like a mastiff and she would still be my girl. Our relationship is uncomparable.

01-02-2006, 11:56 AM	#15
shelbysmom YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,394	I think it's simple. People are obsessed with small Yorkies b/c they are uhhh small. It's funny that real dogs come in small packages. Who cares? When I see a huge dog I comment on it's size, I don't ask about it's personality. People notice unique physical traits and comment on them. Why take it personally? If you have a 2lb. dog, people are going to wonder about it. If you have a 13lb. Yorkie, people are going to wonder about it. If you have a unique colored Yorkie, people will wonder about it.