Do you allow people to pick up your Yorkie?

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

First of all, a caveat: I understand the temptation. Yorkies are so cute and so small that EVERYONE wants to pick them up and cuddle them.

But this has increasingly become my pet peeve. My dogs don't WANT to be picked up. They don't especially like ME picking them up just for the sake of being picked up. They understand when I have to pick them up to put them in the car, or up on the bed, but for the most part they'd rather get places by themselves. When I want Eddie to get moving on a walk, I tell him "I'm gonna pick you up." That sends him high-tailing it.

My peeve started with the neighbor kids. EVERY time they come over, they want to pick them up. I say no. My wife sides with the kids. She doesn't see the harm. The harm, as I see it, is it's an unnecessary risk to take. Yorkies can break legs from falls. Why risk it just so someone can have cuddle time with my dogs? Especially when my dogs don't like it!

People don't ask to pick up my Lab? Why is it any less stressful for my Yorkies to be picked up??

Am I being overprotective?

Ask Steve what happened the last time someone picked up his yorkie....Basil is now in a cast after surgery because a family member was not schooled in how to hold a yorkie...yep! from exactly as you described.

Someone Yorkies are viewed as stuffed animals....

[My lil friend]

I never allowed strangers to hold my people puppies and dont allow strangers to hold my furbabies. I do allow people to pet them,but only if I feel comfortable. I have no problems politely saying "Im sorry,but I dont allow people that arent family to hold them". If they get offended I did the best I could to be polite and they will need to get over it. It is my job to protect my children fur or not.

[LDandPasquale]

Originally Posted by gidget529

I love your plan - do you mind if I use the "pee on them" line too? Brilliant.

It works...so feel free to use it!! Whatever we can do to keep our babies safe!!

[ArmaniMan]

I let few people hold them. Armani actually does pee on people, lol so I have to be careful of that. My parents babysit a lot for them, so obviously they hold them but I was raised with toy dogs in the house, so my parents know what they are doing and have been peed on and will not react like I am afraid others would.

[alaskayorkie]

Wow, I'm surprised there's so much agreement! I always feel like a jerk telling them no, especially when my wife is on their side. I like the wiggleworm excuse, though, and Steve's experience is certainly worth sharing as a lesson. That's pretty honest without being rude. The pee idea cracks me up. I may resort to that. I'd rather not give Yorkies a bum rap, but I'll do whatever it takes.

[111lily222]

Only family and a few friends that I trust. Never strangers. Louie is such a wiggle worm, I would be afraid. He is a two handed boy!

[Sammy Mommy]

I only allow family members and of course vets office personnel and my groomer to pick up Sammy. Sammy would not allow any one to pick him up either. He is very protective of me and would probably snap at someone who tried to pick him up.

[Patti]

I only pick mine up to groom, bathe etc. I'd rather not risk them jumping even though I know to hold on tight. My daughter(25 years old) use to walk around carrying Cali who is my jumper and I was always telling her not to. I always warn the vets too that they are jumpers just so they are extra careful. I would never let a stranger pick them up.

[jltwigg10]

I do not let them pick them up usually but I will let them hold them if they seem responsible and listen to me on how to hold them.

Most people just want to pet them. That I am fine with.

[Mardelin]

My experiences are different since I show dogs...most are attracted to that expertly groomed yorkie and the can't resist coming up to pet/touch it.....yeah! some don't even ask.....and these little guys are so social....they love the attention and will jump off the table in a NY minute....I usuall ask them to please not touch as there hands have body oils that end up on the dog's coat, but always add; come back after the show and you'll sit right here on this chair and I'll let you hold the dog...Works every time....people aren't offended and they'll be back after the show....

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

My experiences are different since I show dogs...most are attracted to that expertly groomed yorkie and the can't resist coming up to pet/touch it.....yeah! some don't even ask.....and these little guys are so social....they love the attention and will jump off the table in a NY minute....I usuall ask them to please not touch as there hands have body oils that end up on the dog's coat, but always add; come back after the show and you'll sit right here on this chair and I'll let you hold the dog...Works every time....people aren't offended and they'll be back after the show....

Excellent point. I've been chewed out by friends for my ignorance in not knowing that you don't touch a show dog at the show. Nice of you to tell them to come back after the show, though.

[tjdmom]

I have had neighborhood kids pick up my dogs but I always say, no, no I don't mind if you hold her but you have to sit on the ground. And I don't mind. I think it's great and always encourage my dogs to be social and I think it's good for kids too to know the proper way to relate to dogs. I always supervise and I try to use it as a teaching experience. If my dogs looks like they want to get away, I tell them that she/he doesn't want to be held anymore but they could pet them if they want. I don't think I've ever had an adult pick up my dogs. I would want to tell them the same thing and they probably wouldn't like that very much!

[TwoforFun]

I let pretty much anybody pick up my dogs. All three of mine are flirts and love attention. When it's younger kids I normally pick mine up and place them in their arms. I do hold them until there ready to be place down. I did wait until they received all there shots.

They make people happy and people make them happy so I'm happy.

[Britster]

I'm actually glad that Jackson is 16lbs and not a 'little' boy by any means for this reason. As cute as *I* think he is ... he's not as tempting for little kids, or anyone really, to just pick up randomly.

He doesn't like to be held, either. Not for long periods of time anyways. Sometimes I'll pick him up to give him some lovin', but it never lasts very long. My 7yr old brother has picked him up a few times but very rarely and he knows how to handle him.

[Ellie May]

Rarely.

Family and friends are allowed - sometimes with comments about being creaful. Anybody at her vet office is allowed and I don't say anything about it.

Strangers aren't allowed. They are barely allowed to pet her. Theft is too much of an issue if she in in their arms. She is wiggly. She can snap (I can tell when she is going to while holding her by how much she is tensing). She scratches (on accident) and that would be a nice lawsuit... Not happening...