Is a Yorkie the Right Dog Breed for You and Your Family?
For over ten years, the Yorkshire Terrier, Yorkie for short, has risen to the top of the American Kennel Club’s top ten registry list. Yorkies are also the second most popular dog breed in the United States because they are playful, compact, and have great personalities. These little dogs have a much bigger personality and are known to win the heart of just about anyone. However, Yorkies are not perfect for every home. It is the responsibility of the breeder to ensure that his Yorkies end up in loving homes and are not abandoned. Before choosing a Yorkie as a family pet, get to know him first!
Yorkies are known for their long, silky coats that are often matted. His hair never stops growing. If you keep a Yorkie’s long coat, you will need to brush it daily. You can also choose to keep it short as it doesn’t require a lot of attention, but matting can still happen if you don’t pay regular attention to the coat. If you like to groom and brush dogs, a Yorkie is perfect.
Yorkies, being a breed of terrier, are a very active dog. What they lack in size, they make up for in energy. Don’t expect a calm dog with a Yorkie, as this is not the case. Yorkies require daily exercise and plenty of play time. And even though they’re little, they like to play “big dog” activities like flyball and Frisbee.
Again, while Yorkies may be small in physical size, they often have the attitude of a big dog. They are very alert animals that will warn their owners of strangers or dangers in the vicinity. Many homeowners find this to be a nice perk. However, for people who live in an apartment, piercing barking can cause problems with other tenants. This alertness and desire to protect can also cause problems with other dogs. It can be especially troublesome if this small dog with a big attitude runs into a big dog. Therefore, do not take a Yorkie off the leash when he walks. As soon as they are free, they will quickly run towards anything that interests them, which can cause them damage.
The great debate among Yorkie breeders is whether this breed of dog is good for young children. While some say yes, other breeders do not sell Yorkie puppies to families with children under the age of 12. If you get a Yorkie and have young children, it’s important (actually, with any dog it’s important) to monitor the child’s interactions with the dog.
Due to its small size and adorable attributes, many people cuddle their Yorkie rather than train it. This is problematic as Yorkies are a difficult breed to housebreak. Crating is often the preferred measure for Yorkies. Allowing the Yorkie to develop terrible habits as a puppy means that it will be much harder to train him as an adult. If done consistently, Yorkies are easy to train.
