Dog experts...let's talk yorkie mixes!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I have a sweet female 4 year old, 7# purebred papillion. I am going to meet a rescue 4 month old yorkie mix.. She looks very Yorkie and her cross isn't known. I have lots of rescue experience but no experience with yorkies. Can someone tell me what they tend to be like?

My pap is energetic,sweet and friendly but is bonded to me like glue. She is a cuddler and all around good girl. She hikes up tall mountains and runs circles around bigger dogs, paps are quite athletic and often used in agility. My girl has 2 jobs - looking cute and delivering snuggles and kisses.

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[rking 484]

i supposedly had a full blood toy poodle, zoe, that i bought. she looked more like a yorkie than a poodle. i am convinced she was a yorkie mix. she was a great dog. had to put her down a few months ago at the age of 15. she still played like a puppy. very happy, sweet, and loving. loved to be in our lap. of course she thought she ruled the roost. when we would visit my mom, zoe took control over the lab she has. she was the dominant one. very good natured dog zoe was.

[CHM 1,009]

I wouldn't call myself a dog expert, but oh goodie, I get to talk about my pupples!

I have 2 yorkie mixes: Cole, a 7 y.o. yorkie/shih tzu, and Alice, a 2.5 y.o yorkie/maltese. Both are very sweet and snuggly and go out of their way to do cute things that they know will make us laugh or love them up. Cole is a very calm, 'dignified' type of dog. He is not very playful - he just wants to be around his people, or sitting perched somewhere that he can keep an eye on what is going on around him. Alice is just fun - she is always up for playing with us or her brothers. If no one has time for her at the moment she's just as happy to entertain herself - she'll roll her own ball around to chase or toss her toys up in the air then either catch or pounce on them. Neither likes kids - they hide as soon as they hear little feet or voices. Both are wary of strangers and unfamiliar dogs, but are always excited to see those they've met before and decided are 'safe'. Neither really barks much unless there's actually something to bark at.

[lifeofblair 308]

We have a dog that was supposed to be a yorkie, but she's def mixed with something. She's a little butt head. Ours runs the house and probably would prefer to be an only dog but she gets along okay with our older dogs not so much our new puppy. But, I've met other yorkie that are fantastic.

I wouldn't give ours up for anything though.

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

I have a purebred yorkie and a yorkie mix with silkie, and she is a bitch in every sense of the word. She would prefer to be an only dog, and attacks my purebred. I also have an old italian mastiff in the house, and she picks on him too. One day she will get herself hurt or dead when the mastiff doesn't want to take it anymore. He already snaps back.....pretty close to her little head. She is only 8 pounds soakin wet. She is 12, and so are all the others (yorkie and mastiff, too). Good luck. I think I will stick to only 1 dog once these babies pass on to the rainbow bridge. (which I hope is a long long time away from now!)

[Valentina 2,642]

It's a shame you don't know what the yorkie is mixed with. That would be of great help.

Remember, Yorkies were raised to be ratters. They are feisty and "determined". Once they have their mind on a "target" it can be very difficult to get them "off scent".

They are not always "group friendly". They generally want to be sole ruler of the roost. If your other dog will "stand down" and let the new yorkie have time to blend in, then you will have two great companions.

Paps are lovers and cuddlers. Their idea of hunting is playing with a toy or just being silly. They make wonderful pets and are quite sturdy. They are more "group friendly"

It will be up to the Pap to decide the harmony of your combined home.

It is doable with a great deal of love and patience.

Good luck. It sounds like a fun time to me!

[VDLT 244]

I have a tiny pure yorkie. She is 9 years old and weighs 2.8 lbs. She is insane. I love her to pieces but she can be trying. Very high strong and a bit hysterical. If anyone so much as walks by our house she starts barking. She is very attached to me and my husband says she cries and paces when I go out at night. I love her silly arse but she can be a handful. We have a chihuahua and she pushes him around sometimes.

[sbg224 318]

I have no experience with yorkies but I love, love animals, especially dogs. We should start a dog lover sleeve group. We have 2 pitbull rescues that I rescued myself from a bum in Compton, CA, they are very sweet and do not act like the terrible reputations they have. We also have a rat terrier, sweet too, on medication right now for an infection on her both legs. Both pitbulls needed there knees repaired, lots of money, so we now have insurance on both pitbulls. We also have a maltese, she is a handful, about 8 years old. Hope everyone enjoys their animals for many years to come, and may they stay happy and healthy.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

My first papillion was a terror. She was a breeding bitch at a puppy mill - I rescued her at age 5, she was in terrible health, wasn't leash or house trained... didn't know how to walk up stairs etc. When I had her spayed, we had to have all but 9 teeth removed due to deep rotting and infection. She weighed about 10#. She bonded with me like glue, but was always afraid of my sons (generally afraid of men). She was so smart though and constantly tricked the big dumb lab out of his bone. She sadly died after only 2 years due to organ failure/related to the horrible neglect she experienced those first 5 years. I hate puppy mill people - they are evil. At least this one gave away the "old" used up bitches rather than killing them like many of those losers do. Losing that dog was nearly as hard on me as losing some people in my life. I think part of it was because I was her only friend (she never did accept anyone else) and I felt like she had gotten a crappy deal in life and I so much wanted her to have a long full life with me. I have never felt so much... responsibility... toward an animal and even though I did everything possible to save her, I felt bad because I really couldnt save her.

My current pap was sort of a rescue - I got her at 7 months and she really hadn't been handled much (no house training, not leash trained and was not a lapseeker) but she hadn't been treated horribly like the first one. She is a doll and a lover... but I worked VERY hard to socialize her. She went through a period of time when she was fearful and aggressive about strange people and dogs and so I just kept up the socialization. She is very bonded to me and can be reserved with strangers until they tell her how cute she is... then the tail starts a wagging and she wants to be picked up. Extra bonus - she is expert at licking the unsuspecting victim right up the nostril... no extra charge. she weighs 7#. It was very important to me that she can be "happy" even if not glued to me, but I like her affection (I never get to use the bathroom alone - haha). I love that she is often found snuggled in bed with one of my sons or if we have friends over, she will lab surf and hand out kisses like the princess that she is. I am pleased that she is pretty mentally healthy - downside is she really doesn't "play" like with a ball or tug o war. I tried to teach her, but it's like i missed that development window. Other than that, she is a pretty normal, physically healthy, mentally well adjusted dog.

What was so cute is when I took her to obedience class she was initially afraid of the bigger dogs - especially the wild young ones. By a few weeks into class, we were almost always late due to traffic, she would insist on greeting everyone... it was almost like "the princess has arrived, with tail wagging, class may now commence" type attitude. She charms people with not just being cute, but being so sweet and flirty. She is also an awesome hiker etc. Her coat is pretty light for a pap so she doesn't overheat in the summer.

The dog that i had for 14 years was the dumb dumb lab mutt 100# pussy cat. He was a spaz, but a sweet spaz... and the girlie papillions totally bossed him around. With the first one, she was kinda mean to him (her tricks were so devious) but my current pap was always very sweet to him. They ate from the same bowl and she loved sleeping curled up against his belly - but no question who was the boss - all 7# of her. He died last year and we still miss the big sweetie. However,I don't want a big dog anymore.

So, I have gone back and forth on getting another but lil Suzy is lonely. She has always had at least one other dog (her first home had like 15 dogs which is why she wasn't handled or socialized properly and they gave her to me). I also like having more than one dog.

This cutie pie yorkie mix came up on a local rescue and I had to jump on it because small dogs are hard to find. I simply refuse to "buy" a puppy because of my experience rescuing that first pap from a puppy mill breeder. She is cute as a freaking bug, but i don't know about personality yet. I meet her on Saturday, she has been in a foster home so I will hear more from foster mom. I will of course take her through obedience class etc. and I think I can influence her as 4 months is younger than I got any of my other "rescues". i did know that yorkies are "stubborn" and can be hard to house train,but depending on her cross might be reasonable. I intend to spend alot of time with her before committing, but it is a 4 hour drive and she will be snapped up if I don't take her so I have to decide in one visit. I will bring my dog along if they let me.

BTW, i have rescued a pony from an auction - wasn't even halter trained and I trained him to drive. I am hardly an animal trainer/dog whisperer but this isn't my "first rodeo either". Cesar Milan may not be perfect, but he is right about the basics, exercise, structure/order and then affection. When you give them proper exercise and structure/discipline that goes a long ways toward improving behavior. All kisses and treats all the time makes for spoiled brats.... same is true of horses etc. It's just hard when the lil dogs look at you with those big eyes!

I will go meet her with trepidation and keep fingers crossed!

Glad to hear from fellow doggie lovers!

[Valentina 2,642]

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed for you and your new little one.

I've taught canine obedience longer that ol' Cesar has been on this earth. Most of what he says makes sense. I have NEVER used treats while training, nor did I ever allow anyone to use treats--or those annoying clickers. A dog should work with you because he wants to ==because of the bond the two of you have built and he/she knows that he/she will get all kinds of "lov'n" when the exercise is performed correctly. With an older dog, it just takes more patience and a great deal of common sense.

When you get home with your new fur baby and have any questions, just ask me. I like to think that you could not come up with a problem that over the years my dogs have not presented to me, but if yours does, I have a network of wonderful, knowledgeable "dog folks" who are available to "round table".

Good luck, and above all---make it fun!!! Patience/common sense---Patience/common sense and a GREAT DEAL OF DOG/WOMAN RESPECT.

If you want it to work bad enough and are willing to put in the work--just like WLS--your new "bonded" family will live in harmony and peace---and make you smile each and every day.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

@@Valentina - good to know - thank you!

I have to tell you a funny obedience training story. I did a class with my little Suzy when she was about 8 months old (I got her at bout 6-7 months) and my purpose was socialization. She is a sweetie, sticks with me like glue so we don't have any behavior problems...however... what she learned in that obedience class was just this.... if handler has a treat, she can do ANYTHING. No treat, not so much. Her wiggly butt sees no reason to stay seated if there isn't a high value treat involved. I don't compete in obedience or anything, and she does what I ask her to do (as a practical matter) - she comes when called, waits rather than leaping in and out of the car etc.... but stuff like "sit" "down" she is not so great at... unless there is a delish treat awaiting.

Compare that to my big dumb lab who once he understood the request, would do ANYTHING just to please you. He liked his treats too, but his motivation was to obedience.

Her motivation is to cuteness, she does not have that inherent desire to please like he did.

I am guessing a yorkie type is even less "compliant" ans papillions are known as one of the most trainable small dogs...haha

[rking 484]

@@CowgirlJane it is wonderful to see people here that love animals as much as i do. my husband and i are ready to move back out to the country again and we discuss being fosters for animals.

i have grieved, very deeply, too, at the loss of a few of my animals. one of the worst times was 2014, the day after christmas. we had talked about getting a cat becasue we had seen a mouse. my son brought home a stray, and unbeknownst to us, was pregnant. she had 7 kittens, yes, 7. she couldnt just have 2. since the day they were born, i held, cuddled and fell in love with them. big mistake. when it came time to give them away, i cried and cried like a little baby. after doing this for the third one, my husband and i just decided we would be weird and keep the other 4. i just couldnt stand to give them away. i loved them so much. the big orange male cat was very special. he did funny things, like hear the freezer open, run up to it for us to throw him a piece of ice. or hear the kitchen sink Water running, jumping up there, sticking his paw in the Water and licking his paw. that dreaded day i spoke of, my son came and woke us at 1:00 that morning and made us get up. i knew something was wrong. our nemo had been run over by a car. my son had seen him, came home, got a towel and wrapped him up, them came back home to wake us. i have never had a pet run over before. i dont remember ever hurting so bad, not even for a family member.

i also have had to put two 18 year old dogs down, and my zoe, who was 15. we still have the other cats, now 2.5 years old and they are rotten. i really dread the day when something happens to them. ugh.

Edited March 16, 2016 by rking

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

The white one is my papilion, the wookie is Bella. She is super friendly and cute!

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[CHM 1,009]

They're both just adorable. That little Bella has the sweetest face. Its funny that you call her a wookie - hubby and I refer to our yorkie/shih tzu as "Baby Chewy" when his fur grows out and he's overdue for a grooming.

[Valentina 2,642]

The white one is my papilion, the wookie is Bella. She is super friendly and cute!

Bella and suzy.jpg

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What a wonderful life you will have with your two best friends. When everyone else fails you, they will be there for you--forever--and a day. Unconditional love is what a dog will freely give you.

I am soooo envious, but at the same time so overjoyed for you.

Let the good times roll!!!!