Advice on Yorkies

[Shetland]

I'm looking into getting a new dog, and have heard great things about Yorkies. I've also heard they are angry, yappy, and difficult to housebreak. As you can probably guess, I have a Sheltie currently. How do you think a Yorkie puppy would adapt to growing up with a well-trained Sheltie? Can Yorkies be trained to not bark? If you have owned a Sheltie in the past, or even currently, I would greatly appreciate comparisons between the two. In short, I am looking for general advice on Yorkies, specifically on loudness (which would unfortunately be a deal-breaker), how good they are with other dogs, and also descriptions of them in relation to Shelties (if possible).

[Maximo]

Welcome to Yorkie Talk. Yorkies can be feisty, tend to be energetic, and are notoriously difficult to potty train. As with all breeds, not all Yorkies are exactly the same. Everything comes down to the individual dog and the humans.

Many Yorkies get along great with siblings of all breeds.

My boys had no problem with potty training. That is probably their greatest strength. They are not yappy in general, but they do alarm bark at triggers like someone at the door. They definitely encourage each other in that regard.

I would say if you were successful in training your Sheltie not to be a barker, you stand a good chance of training a Yorkie.

Does your Sheltie have experience with smaller, energetic dogs? The puppy stage is the most challenging. My first Yorkie, Max, was born a well-behaved, principled guy. The second one's puppy antics, even at 8 months of age, were annoying. Max was able to escape to the couch when he grew tired of his pesky little brother. They are a great duo though and have grown up nicely together.

Good luck in making your decision!

[lovestiny]

Hi! I love yorkies...my girl n boy are such opposite personalities-HE is super easy going and loves everyone, SHE is soooo sweet with me n my family but shy n cautious around strangers....He can be barky if he is bird hunting outside, but not a yapper.

I agree with everything Kristin said!

[ritapatt]

My two yorkies are never angry or yappy, altho they do bark at the door, they were taught that by a nervous wheaten terrier. I let them howl at emergency vehicles because I think they are cute- my son cannot stand their symphony!
They are so smart and quick I think you can teach them what you want if you start early and don't give up- they can be stubborn! They are very active but I found the two shelties I watched for a friend very intense.I would be careful that the breeder had already started proper potty training, and you continued with the exact method so not to confuse things. I tell people that my dogs are interactive, but we like them that way- no couch potatoes for us!

[Samma23]

Addies only a pup but atm she isn't too yappy or angry. She barks if she sees people in the neighbours garden. She's a wonderful temperament. Not nervous.
Would love to see a pic of your Shetland. They are gorgeous x

[matese]

I have raised 4 yorkies puppies when they were 8 weeks old, NO, yorkies are not an angry breed, they are high energy pups, full of fun, mischief, charm and personality. My 4 puppies were 100% pad trained at 5 months old with no accidents, they were 100% house broken meaning they pottied outdoors at 7 months old with no accidents indoors. My yorkies were quick to learn commands, My yorkies were NOT yappy, yes, they barked when they heard something, alerted me. This is my personal experience in raising yorkies. It all depends on the pup you get, just like ppl, not all yorkies are alike.The terrier breed is harder to train because they have a short concentration span, so training should be no more then 5 to 7 minutes throughout the day. Can you train a yorkie to not bark, well, I cannot answer that, I DO NOT discourage my dogs from barking, I want to alerted, even if it's that pesky squirrel that torments my pup, or that bird that just flew onto the branch. Do yorkie's get along with other dogs, YES, IF socialized with other dogs from puppy-hood, will a yorkie get along with your Sheltie, yes, it should, but again, like ppl, all yorkie personalities are not the same.
Good luck in making your decision.

[Maximo]

As others indicated above, Yorkies are definitely not an angry breed. Not moody. Just the opposite. They tend to be happy, playful, and affectionate.

As I mentioned earlier, mine can be feisty, but they are so loving and affectionate. As Matese wrote, they can be mischievous too.

[Cats307]

I will agree with everyone...Max has been a joy(except for middle of the night trips outside) he is the most affectionist, sweet, energetic puppy I've ever had. At 13 weeks hasn't started barking but actually scared when his sisters (shiz tzu) bark. Potty training not any more difficult than any puppy...just need to keep working with them. It clicked for him on why he was going outside all the time by 10 weeks..started sitting at the door to go out by 12 weeks. Still occasional accident but usually my fault for not catching him at the door. He is so cute after his 5:00am potty break he loves to snuggle up in my arms falling asleep with his feet in the air! How could you not love a Yorkie!

[Wylie's Mom]

Hi and welcome to YT !

I've never heard of "angry" yorkies, nor have I experienced that at all. They're super happy, fun, lively, unique little characters though. I wouldn't call my 3 yorkies yappy, but they are great watchdogs and will bark at strange noises - as well they should, that's their job and that's using their voice as it should be used.

I do think they are notoriously tough to potty train though - yup! But some people do get lucky and their yorkies potty train just wonderfully.

Just remember that *all* young puppies, regardless of breed are mouthy, sassy, have little manners, and of course no training...

This thread might be helpful:http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...ent-guide.html