I have a Yorkie bitch. Tree's site is excellent. I would stress that it is inadvisable to get a pup or take from a strain that is bred to be small. The original Yorkie was big enough to kill rats.It's what it was bred to do. Now, you may not need one for that
(and you'd have a problem finding one quite that size now) but the point is that some breeders have bred for small size at the expense of everything else, including the soundness of the dog and the problems associated with a small bitch giving birth. Teacups are for use for tea not as pets !
Mine is a real character.She sees herself as an alpha bitch. So she goes out and 'marks her territory', in the manner of a male dog, squatting at irregular but frequent intervals wherever she senses another dog or bitch has been. At home she will soon tell you if she wants something. You'll get an approach, a stare and a short yap. She shuts up if ignored or told 'ssh!' but may well attempt to pointedly sulk.She's a real actress. If you respond she'll lead you to the point of complaint. I once dutifully followed her to her water bowl. There was water in it. Seeing no fault I walked away but got 'Yap!'. She stared at the bowl. True enough, a piece of meat had fallen into it. When I changed the water she gave me a look, as though to say 'Idiot! At last you understood !' and drank the water
Never forget that a Yorkshire terrier is a
terrier. Think Airedale or Jack Russell or Fox terrier. This small one is just the same temperament underneath as these. It was not bred as a lapdog or 'lady's companion'. It's not e.g a King Charles' spaniel. It was bred as a terrier.It is not particularly fond of being cuddled or petted.It is likely to be of independent mind.
A consequence of the breed history is that the little one may prove rashly bold. Mine rushed out one night and bit the tail of a passing German Shepherd bitch patrolling with one of the estate wardens
Happily for her the bitch was a) muzzled and b) too surprised by this attack to do anything. The Yorkie would have done more but the tip of the tail was all she could reach
.
She also goes completely berserk at the sound of a passing tractor. (Being as this is a farm, passing tractors are quite common so she gets quite a bit of excitement !) The reason turned out to be that she'd once looked out and seen a farm dog on the tractor's trailer. So, to be on the safe side, she now barks furiously and rushes to the nearest door or window sill (she can bounce onto a chair and then the sill to look out) to drive off any dog that
might be riding by.
So, be prepared!
