Yorkie only plays with Yorkie

[Lilybah]

Hi - My name is Linda and I've never posted on here before. I have a question about my little girl, Isabella. She is an anxious one and even hid from all the other small dogs in her first training class. She's very fearful even after going through positive reinforcement training with a specialist. My question however is if anyone else has a Yorkie that can recognize another Yorkie? She won't play with any other dogs unless she sees another Yorkie and then she goes crazy, running in circles, tail wagging, trying to play chase. No other dog will she do this with, only another Yorkie. How in the heck does she know it's really another Yorkie? Thanks for any responses.

[Lovetodream88]

Has she been around other breeds of small dogs or just Yorkies? It’s kinda funny and not sure if there is a real answer. I have a timid dog and trust me if you keep working with her and find what builds her confidence it will slowly start to help. Agility got my little timid guy to feel like he has a puffed chest lol.

[nanajoy]

Welcome to YT!

Isabella sounds like a little imp..."shy" and timid, but not around other yorkies. Every single dog that I have had the opportunity to share time with over many years had their own unique quirks and personalities. It is so much fun to be able to learn about them, and to have special, unique interactions with each one. I hope that Isabella grows more self confident around others soon. I am sure that your exposing her to new experiences, opportunities and personalities in a non-pressure setting will help.

[matese]

Welcome to YT, I don't believe your Isabella recognizes these other yorkies as a "yorkies" but just a dog she is not fearful of, she feels safe and confident around these other yorkies and reason she wants to play chase. In time maybe playing with and trusting these other dogs may build up her confidence to play with other small dogs that are not yorkies. It's just a coincidence these dogs are yorkies.

[lilgidget]

It's amazing how they can tell a friendly dog from an unfriendly dog and a friendly person from an unfriendly person. They choose who they feel safe with and who is on their "not this one" list.

[Lilybah]

Thanks Everyone. It's so nice getting a response on here! Yes, she's been around many small friendly dogs but she won't interact with them at all. Even her first training class sessions with many small dogs and puppies she hid most always.

When she was young a loose Rottweiler grabbed her, which would have traumatized anyone for life but she was shy and anxious before even. Yes, she's an imp! I had no idea that yorkies could have so many different personalities and quirks.
She's been around tons of dogs and even at dog beach where they all run loose. I still have no idea why she will only run up to another Yorkie to play and wonder if anyone else has had a little alien, lol.



By the way, you guys a terrific!! THanks

[chattiesmom]

A huge great big welcome to both you and Isabella. So glad you joined our growing family of yorkie lovers.

My ideas are often “outside the box” and may seem a bit odd, but here goes. The Rottweiler attack had to be very traumatic for both Isabella and for you and I am sure that it left some long term anxiety for both of you. Since dogs communicate primarily using their senses and are very sensitive tomates, how their human reacts, perhaps part of her fear comes from memories and/or concerns that you have about large dogs. If you feel that yorkies are “safe” playmates and large dogs aren't then it is logical that she would take cues from you.

[matese]

Originally Posted by chattiesmom

A huge great big welcome to both you and Isabella. So glad you joined our growing family of yorkie lovers.

My ideas are often “outside the box” and may seem a bit odd, but here goes. The Rottweiler attack had to be very traumatic for both Isabella and for you and I am sure that it left some long term anxiety for both of you. Since dogs communicate primarily using their senses and are very sensitive tomates, how their human reacts, perhaps part of her fear comes from memories and/or concerns that you have about large dogs. If you feel that yorkies are “safe” playmates and large dogs aren't then it is logical that she would take cues from you.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Lilybah

Thanks Everyone. It's so nice getting a response on here! Yes, she's been around many small friendly dogs but she won't interact with them at all. Even her first training class sessions with many small dogs and puppies she hid most always.

When she was young a loose Rottweiler grabbed her, which would have traumatized anyone for life but she was shy and anxious before even. Yes, she's an imp! I had no idea that yorkies could have so many different personalities and quirks.
She's been around tons of dogs and even at dog beach where they all run loose. I still have no idea why she will only run up to another Yorkie to play and wonder if anyone else has had a little alien, lol.



By the way, you guys a terrific!! THanks

I find it so funny she recognizes Yorkies. When I got my youngest Ollie he was extremely shy and timid, he was almost 6 months old. It took him weeks to fully open up and even now he is good at home but when we go out he completely shuts down and is a different dog. I have had some break through with training but not massive ones. My trainer said that when you are getting ready to come to a dog that you know is going to be friendly you can start out on your way over by saying in a high happy voice look it’s a friend, so it starts out as positive. I’m sure the Rottweiler experience was traumatic.

[nanajoy]

Originally Posted by chattiesmom

A huge great big welcome to both you and Isabella. So glad you joined our growing family of yorkie lovers.

My ideas are often “outside the box” and may seem a bit odd, but here goes. The Rottweiler attack had to be very traumatic for both Isabella and for you and I am sure that it left some long term anxiety for both of you. Since dogs communicate primarily using their senses and are very sensitive tomates, how their human reacts, perhaps part of her fear comes from memories and/or concerns that you have about large dogs. If you feel that yorkies are “safe” playmates and large dogs aren't then it is logical that she would take cues from you.

Not "outside the box" at all! My yorkies (and my children when they were little) always could read me like a barometer, lol. Any new experience, or person, results in an immediate turn of the head and eye contact. Tyrone is our larger boy at almost 9 pounds, but he will openly run to hide in back of my legs and lean against me until he hears us say "Friend". His breeder bragged about how smart all of her babies were when we got him; but I believe that she was harsh with him, and probably spoke to him in a loud voice, at an early age. He warms up to people now, but still checks with us first.

[Lisa and Pic]

Surely Yorkies do not recognize Yorkies, but who knows? My friend and I laugh and say they are prejudice because ours only want to play with other Yorkies. It is weird that way.