Yorkies and children
 

I just found this board and have a question about yorkies and children. We are hoping to add a yorkie to our family sometime in the next year. My question is how do you feel yorkies are with children and cats. Do breeders even sell to people with a 6 year old child? (we have 4 kids ages almost 6, 9, 13, 16 and no more babies coming! LOL and 2 cats and a small dog)

Our children are all very gentle with animals. (we foster pregnant cats/newborn kittens for our local humane society and take care of them until old enough to find new homes) So, they are very well versed in how to be very careful with animals.

Thanks for your time,
Traci

It depends on the child and the Yorkie. I have two kids and it was hard to find a breeder who would check my references. Once I did, they called the humane society and my vet and knew I would be fine. My kids are great with them :)

I would suggest looking for a breeder who does something like that - but most won't sell the tiny ones to people with kids no matter what.

I was just about to ask this question. because I'm pregnant and I'm wondering how the human baby & my yorkie baby are going to do together. My yorkie is 12 wks old right now. Any suggestions on how to deal with them together?

I agree that it would depend on the dog and the kids. We just got a 4 month old yorkie Sunday and I have a 4 yr. old daughter and a 6 year old son. They are very gentle with him and I don't let them pick him up. But I have some friends with kids their age and I wouldn't let them near Brutus!

I talked to one breeder who never sold yorkies to families with kids under 10. I'm glad I found a breeder with more of an open mind and we all went to her house and interacted with all her yorkies.

Good luck!

I have a nephew that is 2, and he and Duke love each other. My nephew is not allowed to pick Duke up, but I do allow him to pet Duke. I also have a 7 year old Pomeranian, but Spencer takes one look at my nephew and runs for the hills!

It all depends on the yorkie and of course the child.I have 2 kids,my son is 8 and has adhd and my daughter is 5.My son is quite rough because of his condition so we keep him away from Lady who is way to tiny to let him play with her (she is 2lb´s) but he plays nicely with Jess who is 7lbs.My daughter is great with Lady and Jess,she loves them to bits and is no problem at all.
I also have a cat and he loves my babies:) Infact,they lay together every now and again and of course they play etc.If your kids are gentle and undertsand that they must be careful,then everything will be fine:)
Also,you have to watch out with kids because they tend to feed pups things they shouldent eat;) My daughter used to slip Jess sweets and other junk food and Jess would get sick..so watch out for that;)

I agree with everyone's comments - depends on your kids and the Yorkie. We got our first Yorkie when our kids were 4, 7 & 9. Our children were not "hyper - out-of-control children" -- they LISTENED & OBEYED the rules. They did great with Mocha & Mocha did great with our kids as well as our siamese cat. If anything, they babied her to death!! They dressed her up, pushed her in doll strollers & even took her on bike rides! :rolleyes: She lived for 15 1/2 years with never an accident! (Mocha was about 4 pounds.)

My breeder sold Sebastian to us and we have 4 kids ages 10, 8, 6, & 2. We took our two year old with us to her house and spent 3 hours there. She loves my little one!! She e-mails asking about him and Sebastian every week and has also offered to babysit if we ever need it. She is wonderful!! :D

My 3 year old and She-ra have been raised together. Britney doen't ever bother her, course she can't catch her either... it's always, jump on the couch, swip a quick lick and off she goes...

thanks for your responses.......
 

Well you guys are certainly reassuring with your posts. Thank you. Our children (3 girls and 1 boy he's the 9 year old) Are kind, gentle children who are wonderful with our current fur babies. I feel certain they would be gentle and kind with a new furry yorkie.

Now to find a breeder in the DC area..............

Thanks so much!!

Traci

It depends on how the child and cat do act!

I think it's a lot in the socialization of the puppy, with children.

I have honestly met some dogs with a really low BS tolerance level when it comes to kids....

...BUT our yorkie, Sully (8mo.) LOVES kids! He's played with my 5 year old and 2 year old twin cousins since he was a tiny pup and he adores them. His little stubby tail goes nuts when he sees them!

They dress him up in doll clothes and push him around in a baby carriage, and carry him around hte house and he just lets them. He loves all the attention. And when we get home from visiting with my cousins....he sleeps for the rest of the day, haha!

Traci, it sounds like your kids would be fine with a yorkie! You have already trained them about how fragile small animals re and they have experience with small animals. The fact that the youngest is 9. I am sure if you get a sturdy yorkie who is on the bigger side of the standard you will have found the perfect match for your family.

I agree with the posts here it really depends on the kids and Yorkie. Some kids do great with little dogs and some don't . Small kids are naturally curious around puppies and want to hug them and sometimes squeeze them lol.I have two girls 8 and 13 and a stepson 17. I had tons of lectures before we got the first pup. They knew I meant business. If I caught them playing rough they would be grounded for 2 weeks! It never got to that. They are very gentle with the dogs. Most of the time they are not even interested in the dogs! lol Your kids will probably do great with another pet if you already have a dog and a cat...

Genie

Yorkies and any dogs (pets) for that matter can mix and share a home happily with children with the proper management.

Of course if you tell the breeder you are interested in that you have children she most likely will sway you away from a "tiny" Yorkie and feel a Yorkie of larger size might work best in your home.

Even the most perfect children can do great harm on the itty bitty Yorkies, as some humans who are not familar with them.

Good luck, welcome to Yorkie Talk, and keep us posted on the outcome. :D

I found it hard to find a breeder that would sell me a Yorkie because I have children :( . I have two kids Hailey who is 1 and Brandon who is 5. I also agree with the pp (past posts) that it depends on your children. My kids are very good, gentle and kind with her and she is wonderful with the kids. On the other hand when my son has certain friends over who are also 5 Amber has to be put in her cage. I do not trust them with her. They are rough and tough :mad: . Also my sister in law has three children one of her kids is a terror (he is 4) I would not reccommed a Yorkie to her. My one year old and Amber who is 9 months old are best friends. THey deffinetly get into the same trouble as each other ;) . They are like monkey c and monkey do. Where one is the other one would soon be following. A Yorkie has been a great choice of breed for my family. I would not change her for the world :) .

I have 2 kids, 9 & 4. They were 7 & 2 when I got my first yorkie. They were wonderful with him. They knew to be gentle. I also had a cat (still have her) and Chester grew up with her and is fine. Cats don't bother him. You must train your children from the git-go that yorkies aren't toys and can get hurt very easily. Also, even now, I keep my eye on my youngest when he and Chester are playing.

myFirstYorkie, Your post touches on issues that give me great concern. I interview every household member including dogs before making any decision about the sale of a puppy to a family. I am not trying to start an argument and I know many on here will not agree wit me. But, we each have our convictions and opinions and mine is that the very personality in a child that makes him/her a good pet owner in the parents mind is also the same traits that make them bad doggy police when their friends are in. It is not fair to expect kids to not have friends in and it is not fair to expect them to police the dog when they are there.
Unless a parent or adult is in the room every minute where either the kids or the dog are, it can and has led to disaster. AYorkie on the top of the standard weight as a family pet might be okay, but not a small to tiny one.
When I turn someone down as a potential buyer, I offer to help them find a breeder who might have a different philosophy..There are still accidents- I sold a cute boy to a family-husband and wife. They had grandchildren; the youngest was 13, and lived with her parents down the street. Because the puppy was older I let him go to the home even though they both worked. They had arranged to have their 40 year old son come over several times during the day and let Rocky out of crate to play. Emergencies arose and son and oldest gr-dgtr could not come so the 13 year old came over to play. She turned on TV and kicked back in a recliner. When her program was over she sat up to put Rocky back in his crate. She could not find him and after a very few minutes she saw his convulsing little body caught over his larynx under the footrest of the chair. He DIED! Unfortunately, the family never healed!!! Thigs happen even when you take the utmost caution so imagine what can and does happen when proper precautions are not enforced.
As I said, everyone has an opinion and is entitled to it/them. But, I don't want a repetition of that horrible accident. JMHO

I respect everyones' opinion re: yorkies and kids. I personally am with my dogs 24/7. When other peoples' children come over I put Sandy in my room. No child (my own included) is allowed to hold my babies or be in a room with them unless I am there too. That's just what works for me. I don't like to think about what could happen by accident so I avoid them at all costs.

Aimee, that sounds like a workable solution especially if there is only 1 child and the parents.

I also try not to place puppies with elderly people. I can hear the gasps already but let me 'splain. I am almost 68 and hubby is 70. I would not sell me one. WHY? Well, balance is not as good and a Yorkie or any animal running around under foot can cause a very severe fall. Also, vision might be impaired with tunnel vision and cataracts. But, the biggie is when the dog is 15 I will be 82. Both the dog and I will need to be taken to the doctors for conditions related to our ages and taken care of at the same time. Who is gonna haul us around? Lordy, I don't want to sound harsh, but I do have to face reality and there is much to consider when I place a puppy.

I can totally understand and respect your reasoning there. MANY times the rescues I hear about have been given up by the elderly. It's sad, but you have to think about what is best for the dogs too.

I have 2 kids, 12 yr old son and 4 yr old daugther. So far everyting is being ok. Im always home cause im "disable" so Im always in the look out. My daugther does carries Gucci but Im there with her. When other kids come to visit I keep Gucci in my room. I can say that in the 7 months Gucci is being with us she hasnt have nay accident. Knock on wood. I guess It depends on the child. I was lucky that someone get me the chance to own a Yorkie. I love my baby so much.

Aimee, you are such a caring and understanding and I just want to tell you-. If there were a whole room of Yorkies and owners, no matter what the dogs' pedigrees or how much money or power the humans had, you would take up for the underdog-that is how you show your love for the breed. You have the dog's welfare at heart. I appreciate that and want to thank you..

Thank you so much - that means more to me than you can know -- seriously, I have tears in my eyes. I do love animals, specifically Yorkies more than I could ever explain. I know you do too. I always watch out for your posts and appreciate all the information you are able to help us out with - thank YOU!

I have a 3 year old and a 11 month old and 2 yorkies. No hair pulling and watch out for the yorkie. It's a hassle but sssssssssooooooooooooooo worth it. Lexi is 4 pounds and Bentley is only 11 weeks. It is possible but you have to watch ALL of them like a hawk.

well i have 2 kids and one of them is only nearly 4,
am i the only one who has to protect my child from my yorkie lol, my yorkie is a little devil lol
he takes toys of my son, and runs all over the house with them making my son run all over trying to get things back, the dog bites at him (playing though) and can be quite rough, but they adore each other....
Ted wakes my son up at 6 in the morning to start play, they are together all day till my son goes to bed, Ted goes up with him, and as soon as Colby is asleep Ted comes back down, they adore each other, so Ted is a BIG hit within our family. :)

whispersmom2- I do respect your opinions. Everybody is entitled to their own. And I am so sorry to hear about the puppy. That is so very sad :( .
You are very correct when you said it is not fair for the kids not to have friends over. My son is never denied having his friends over. I do diagree with me being a doggy police. Amber loves her cage! I could put her in my bedroom where no kids are allowed. But she perfers her cage. I have her door open at all times and she goes in and out of there on her own when she wants to. Amber would not handle it very well if I did something different with her when my sons friends are over. And it is not like she is in there for a long period of time. She is only in there when the kids come inside for a potty break a drink etc. Then when they go back outside I will open the door and give her the choice to come out if she wants to. Sometimes she does and sometimes she chooses to stay in there. I have always said if any type of accident were to happen with Amber it will happen by my husband. I do not worry as much as I do with my own children as I do when my husband is home. He is more pron to step on her, sit on her or lay on her (and he weighs alot more than the children do to ;) ) . And again I do respect your way of thinking. And I am sure others will disagree with me as well. But this is the way I feel. A yorkie is not for every household with children. But other houshold a Yorkie is a great choice. Mabie I feel this way is because my mom had 5 little ones (all really close in ages). We were grown up with Malteses. All of us had the most respect for those little guys. And out of 5 kids there were never any accidents with our dogs.

I just got in a bit of a heated discussion regarding this topic on a maltese board. They thought kids and small dogs should never mix. But I really agree that small dogs and kids can get along in a household just fine as long as the parent is a good parent. In fact my yorkie is my son's best friend. They play so much together. My kids were born into a home with maltese. They learned from day one how to treat a small animal. They are wonderful with any animal at the ages of 6 and 3. My children do not pick up the animals and they sit on the floor to play. They do not jump around or off the furniture when the little dogs are running around the house. But I also keep the dogs in the kitchen if I can't watch everyone. Not only for the reason that the kids might forget one of the rules but also because our yorkie puppy can play bite pretty ferociously sometimes and my 3 year old doesn't appreciate it or know what to do when she does it. I would recommend a larger sized yorkie. My maltese is 7 lbs. and I don't feel like I have to worry about them with her quite so much at all. Tinkerbell is 3 lbs and hasn't learned how to stay out from under our feet. All of us has stepped on her a little at one time or another. We are hoping she gets to be 5-6 lbs. I do know that as good as my maltese is with my children and other children, I remove her from the room when my nephews are over. They did not grow up with dogs and they absolutely love her but they can be very overbearing and it scares her. I am so glad she is so well socialized that I do not have to worry about her ever biting but I feel bad for her when they do that and I don't let them treat her that way. You have to teach children how to play with animals and teach animals how to play with children. Good luck!

opposite question
 

Not to de-rail from the heated discussion about whether or not a person with children should get a yorkie...but I have the same question only backwards.

I have a 5 month old yorkie you is the center of my fiancee and I's universe. She is spoiled, pampered, and thinks that she runs the houshold.

My question is...in a few years when we start to think about having kids...will this be a problem. Anybody out there had the dog first and then the kids? I am picturing all kinds of awful behavior because she won't be the #1 anymore.

Yes I did. It was not fun at first. I got a maltese all my own at 14 years old. I thought she was my baby-her name was BABY. LOL! Anyway she was very spoiled and I held her all the time. Anyway she handled me getting married, it took her a while to adjust to my husband. The trauma came with the first child. She actually did things like, I was rocking my brand new baby, she jumped up in my lamp and I thought sure she can lay on the other side of my lap. Well while I was adjusting the baby on one side of my lap to make room for the dog, the dog pooped on me! She did many things like that at first. She never bit or anything. As the baby started to crawl and such, Baby didn't much like her and she would find a place to get away from him. But things were much better with the second child. It was just some acting out with the first child taking my attention away from her. My maltese Baby passed away 2 years. It was tough to say the least. It will be ok for you but just know she may act out at first.