Posts tagged "yorkies"

Run! Hide! Lock your doors and your windows, because there's a vicious, bloodthirsty Yorkshire terrier puppy on the loose! Don't be fooled by his cuddly appearance; he'll turn his love nibbles on you no matter who you are. Men, woman, children, even infants: it makes no difference to this beast. He will attack you just the same. BEWARE OF DOG!

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has more than 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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Dear Mary,
Recently we adopted a 5-year-old male Yorkie from a local animal rescue foundation. He was a stud dog at a puppy mill and was not socialized at all. We adopted him to be my daughter's dog (she is 9), with the understanding that she will be in charge of the majority of his care (school and bedtimes permitting).

When we got Yoshie, he was very shy. Thanks to wacky schedules, initially I ended up spending more time with him than my daughter, and as a result, he is infatuated with me. However, he has no interest in anyone else in the house, including my daughter. When she tries to hold him, he scrambles to get away and has even growled at her. She's trying so hard to be patient, but this is breaking her heart. We would love suggestions for getting Yoshie more acclimated and bonded to my daughter. Right now she's in charge of feeding him both of his meals, she takes him out for almost all walks, she rewards him with tiny treats when he lets her pet him or approaches her, and she sits next to me when he is on my lap and pets him quietly and calmly. Do you have any other advice for us?

Thank you so much for reaching out to us on behalf of Yoshie. It's clear that you care about him and your daughter very much, but you do have a lot of work on your hands. A 5-year-old unsocialized former stud dog is a handful for experienced adult dog owners, not to mention a child. I don't advise families with children to take on a dog with serious behavioral issues, as the challenges and risks can be great, but I understand that you have a big heart and want to give Yoshi a loving home.

What's cuter in the snow: a big dog or little dog? Here at Paw Nation, we think they are all adorable, but watching a Yorkie such as Kevin, flopping around in the pillowy, sparkling piles of a winter wonderland really is an unstoppable force in a long parade of cuteness.

Name: Oscar Meyer Wren

Age: 4

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier

Favorite Toy: His green ball.

Favorite Treat: Flossies, and anything made of paper (although his owner thinks what he really likes is the chase involved with getting the paper back from him).

Likes: Cuddling, playing tug-of-war, and bedtime!

Dislikes: Car rides, and when his owners take out their suitcases.

Weird Quirks: Although Oscar is a terror inside his apartment, he is very shy when he meets new dogs or people.

Fun Fact: Oscar sits as close as possible with his cute puppy eyes on you... when you have food.

Congratulations to our submitter, Jessica Wren. If you'd like to submit your pet to Cute Pet of the Day, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

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Name: Sophie

Location: North Haven, Conn.

Age: 7

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier

Favorite Toy: Her duck.

Favorite Treat: Chicken.

Likes: Attention, barking, chasing chipmunks and rabbits around the yard.

Dislikes: The vacuum, trucks, bikes, anything with heels.

Weird Quirks: Sophie hibernates behind the pillows of the couch until noon.

Fun Fact: Sophie jumps around the car continually no matter how long the ride lasts.

If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

More Cute Pets

Though the Yorkshire Terrier has only once -- in 1978 -- won "Best in Show" at the venerable Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the Yorkie remains one of the most popular dog breeds in the country. For 30 years, our expert Sharon Jones has been involved in breeding and showing Yorkshire Terriers and she tells Paw Nation, "It's an endearing and very spirited breed. They have a lot of spunk and are a big dog in a small package."

Think you know all about Yorkies? Take the quiz and find out!

How Well Do You Know Yorkies?

The American Kennel Club (AKC) classifies the Yorkshire Terrier into which group?

• Toy
• Terrier
• Non-sporting
• Hound

What was the Yorkshire Terrier originally bred to do?

• Look pretty
• Keep the laps of royalty warm
• Alert farmers to intruders
• Catch rats

In order to meet the AKC's breed standard, the Yorkshire Terrier must weigh no more than how many pounds?

• 10
• 8
• 7
• 5

What was the breed called before it was re-named the Yorkshire Terrier?

• Silky Chinese terrier
• Dublin terrier
• Broken-haired Scotch terrier
• Wire-coated Irish terrier

The Yorkshire terrier is named after the city located in which geographic region?

• England
• Scotland
• Ireland
• Wales

What is the earliest recorded date of a Yorkshire terrier being born in the United States?

• 1901
• 1859
• 1872
• 1776

Name: Cider

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Age: 6

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier

Favorite Toy: Stuffed hedgehog.

Favorite Treat: Anything her owner brings home from the restaurant.

Likes: Playing fetch, and barking at any noises from outside.

Dislikes: Windy days, and when other dogs chase her.

Congratulations to our submitter, majortaylor68. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

More Cute Pets

Name: Yorkshire Terrier

Personality: Yorkies, as Yorkshire Terriers are commonly known, are generally loyal and affectionate towards their owners, and often hostile towards other dogs. They're intelligent, active, brave, and most often described as being "bold." Yorkies carry themselves with a regal carriage and a sometimes haughty air. Although comparable in size to lapdogs, Yorkies do not share the same low-key temperament.

Grooming: The coat of a Yorkshire Terrier can be striking when well-maintained. Yorkies are known to have either long, straight, shiny "silk" coats, or shorter "soft" coats. With both types, because it is a single coat (without an undercoat) it is not known to shed. In fact, the hairs of a Yorkie are similar to human hairs! They should therefore be treated similarly: daily combing or brushing, with regular baths. Soft coats may need more care, including professional trims.

Common Health Issues: A number of inherited genetic disorders can plague the Yorkshire Terrier. Distichiae is a condition that causes eyelashes to grow from abnormal spots along the eyelid, which can lead to corneal abrasions and ulcers. Legg-Calve-Perthes syndrome causes degeneration in the femur and can present as early as five months of age. It often requires surgery to correct. Portosystemic shunt, a congenital defect involving blood supply to the liver, can also be resolved through surgery. As with toy dogs, a Yorkie may experience a collapsing of the trachea, especially as it gets older. For this reason, it is advised that Yorkies be leashed with harnesses rather than neck collars. Like many breeds, a trick knee (also known as luxating patella) may become a problem later in life.