So, as Julie Andrews said in "The Sound of Music" when teaching the Von Trapp children how to sing, "Let's start from the very beginning..."

The first question many people ask themselves once they have decided to bring a new dog home is: "What type of dog is right for me?" I believe this is a great question to ask as it is so important to do your research on the various characteristics and traits of the different dog breeds you are interested in to make sure you find the perfect fit for both your family and the dog.

Why I Decided to Bring Home a Baby Yorkie

Almost four years ago, I began this exact research. I had been mourning Sophie, my Maltese, who I lost to heart disease, for a significant period of time, and I felt that bringing home a new puppy to love would help me with my grief. I knew I could not bring another Maltese home at that time because I did not want to compare my new puppy with Sophie, so I went to Google to research other toy dog breeds that were known for being excellent companions, good travelers, and hypoallergenic (i.e., no shedding).

After intensely researching many dog breeds, I determined that a Yorkshire Terrier was the right fit for me.

Meet Baby Bailey!

Why I Believe Yorkies Make Such Great Pets

Yorkies are Devoted Companions

My husband often jokes with me that I "imprinted" on Bailey too hard when she was a puppy because Bailey is completely devoted to me. There is no question in our household that Bailey and I are "together". She is never more than a few feet from me (and often in my lap). She follows me around as I move around the house and backyard and snuggles me at night. She is always by my side.

Pure love between a dog mom and her yorkie

Yorkies are Small

Yorkies generally range from 3 -10 lbs, making them great travel companions. Bailey is on the larger side at just over 9 lbs, but is still very easy for me to carry in a dog carrier or dog sling. She and I go shopping, have lunch, take road trips, and travel on planes. She even once traveled with me in a horse carriage!

Yorkies are so easy to take to breakfast!

Yorkies are Hypoallergenic

I dislike shedding. I admit "shed" does happen at my house thanks to my sweet kitties, but if I can choose to reduce the amount of abandoned fur, I will. Yorkies are great because they do not shed. While this does mean yorkies come with a grooming cost, it is nice to be able to take your dog to places and not have to generally worry about people being allergic to your dog or leaving a mass of hair behind.

What Surprised me about Yorkies

Yorkies are Protectors

After Bailey grew out of her puppy phase, she added the role of "protector" to her companionship duties. You might not picture a yorkie when you think of home security, but trust me, they are fierce when it comes to protecting their house and loved ones.

For instance, last year we had a mouse get into our house. My cats, who are both rescues and once lived on the streets, were unfazed by this new guest. Bailey, on the other hand, went to work immediately. She ran the mouse down, cornered it, and....before I could get there...shall we say, "disposed" of it. I had never seen her hunt...I am not sure how long my mouth was open in shock.

The next time you see a picture of Bailey with a giant bow on her head, just remember, she once successfully hunted a mouse...or maybe two.

Yorkies are Agile

A small dog is great because they do not require near as much exercise as, for example, a Great Dane. However, you would be surprised how much yorkies love to walk, run, fetch, and even swim.

Bailey lives for fetch, and will play until she is barely breathing. She especially loves to fetch outside. When she gets too hot, she jumps in the pool to cool off, and then gets right back into the game. In the summer, she even fetches in the pool! I throw small dog tennis balls into the pool and she will jump off the side of the deck to retrieve them. My sweet little girly pup is really a "tom boy" at heart.

Who knew Yorkies could dive and swim?

Yorkies Love Other Dogs

Sometimes small dogs can be aggressive towards other dogs, especially big dogs. I often hear people speculate that this has to do with an inferiority complex. I cannot postulate on this, but I can comment that for the majority of other dog encounters, Bailey is curious more than anything. She has good social skills and will smell of other dogs and generally move into a playful posture. (I will add this disclaimer: there are some dogs she does not like and barks at them furiously. I tend to think she is a good judge of character, so we just stay away from those dogs.)

When we brought Bentley home over a year ago, Bailey warmed up to him immediately. Bailey was never aggressive towards Bentley and seemed genuinely happy to have a playmate. Outside of Bentley, her "best friend" is a 100-lb Golden Retriever! Now that is a fun play session to watch!

Yorkies are always curious about other dogs.

Conclusion: If You Are Getting a New Puppy, Consider Getting a Yorkshire Terrier

Well, there you have it, my six reasons (including some unexpected ones) for why yorkies make great pets. If you are considering bringing home a yorkie, feel free to reach out to me with any questions. I would love to chat with you!

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