PLEASE i need help...shih tzu or yorkie?

Question

i might get a dog right after christmas because i almost have about a month off. now...i have heard some bad things about yorkies like they get snappish and like to bark...and there is a 3 year old in our house. then...i have heard good things about shih tzus. it is a pro and con kind of situation. if u would get another dog...what would u get a shih tzu or a yorkie and why.

oh...if i do get a puppy...i remembered that the puppies were born around 1year-5year old children...so i am not worried about the three year old...just wanted to know what was better

Answer 1

get a shihtzu with a loving, sweet, shy and silent temperament with a laid back personality if u want a true lap dog, get a shih tzu... a yorkshire terrier is equally cute, although as a terrier they tend to be more playful, aggressive and have a tendency to bark.. he is a more robust agile dog, if u want a more playful lap dog.

Answer 2

Hi, I think that both these breeds of dogs have pro & cons ... it's a real shame that you can't get one of each!

However, I've read that Yorkies can be more delicately boned & fragile than Shih Tzus & this might be a consideration with the little three year old.

I've just found this site which has personal ratings by actual owners of the breeds - might be worthwhile having a look as it may help you to make up your mind.

http://www.hoflin.com/BR/Shih%20Tzu
http://www.hoflin.com/BR/Yorkshire%20Terriers

If you're still stuck ... why not just see what is available in your area just after Christmas ... it's possible that one of the breeders has raised her puppies in a house with small children & that one of these pups would be ideal for you.

If you fancy just browsing now - have a look at the ePupz site - you can browse by type of dog & by breeder, though you have to register (it's free) for contact details. They even have a facility where they will email when an ad, matching your criteria, is placed.
http://www.epupz.co.uk/

If you want tips on what you should be looking for in a breeder & how to chose a puppy, then the Kennel Club website is quite useful.
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/384

Which ever you chose, I'm sure that if you raise it right & maybe enrol in puppy training classes you'll have a wonderful companion.

Answer 3

I would not get any small dog with a 3 year old. Small children are not kind to animals as they don't realise that poking and pulling them hurts. I would certainly not get a shih tzu as they can be stroppy things . I know, I have one. I love her dearly but as a breed they are stubborn and don't tolerate fools gladly. What will happen if your baby grabs the yorkie by a leg and snaps the bone? It can and has happened before now. What will happen if he falls on the dog and hurts it, or pokes it and gets bitten? How will you cope when the puppy wants to play with the baby and plays like puppies do, with their needle sharp teeth? More toddlers have been scared of dogs because they got mouthed by puppies when they were small. I would wait until your child is 5 years old before getting a puppy. They are more able to understand then. The RSPCA will not rehome dogs to people with children under 5 for this very reason.

Answer 4

Yorkies are terriers - terriers are bred for hunting rodents - so yes they are snappish...the barking is behavioral and is often becuase owners with small dogs dont discourage it correctly..being intelligent they will be destructive if you dont do stuff with them...
Shih Tzus are probably better because they are lower intelligence they dont need as much mental stimulation as a terrier would...however they may be harder to house train

as your kid is young.. an adult dog would be the better choice.. puppies are VERY mouth agressive - teething.... this is a recipie for disaster.. PLUS house training a pup when you have a little kid is very hard.. plus a 3 yr old can really hurt a pup... or wont know when to leave it alone
so you might want to consider an adult dog or older puppy
NEVER NEVER get from a pet store - either get from a breeder or rescue from SPCA

if I were to get a dog.. it wouldnt be either.. it would me a mutt rescued from a SPCA or similiar.. but if my kid was 3 I would get a cat (adult NOT kitten) and wait 2-4 years before getting a dog.

Answer 5

Personally I think it is down to the owner to train and stop anti social behaviour. I know these dogs can be likely to snap in their nature, but I believe it is possible to train them not to just like any dog. I will say you have to be very careful with having such a young child at home, make sure they know not to treat the dog badly. Have you any experience with dogs? Will there be someone at home with it once you return to work? A month isn't really long enough for it to settle in especially if it is a pup, puppies need someone there all the time. I would do more research on both dogs so you know what to expect and don't rush in to it.

Answer 6

Shih Tzu definitely

Answer 7

I used to live with both (at the same time) and they were both pretty quiet. Maybe the Yorkie barked just a little more (it never snapped), but not as a habit. When I was a pet groomer I never had either bite at me. Of course dogs are as individual as humans. I think Yorkie's are cuter. I can't say whether you heard right or wrong.

Answer 8

i have never had a shih tzu but i have a toy yorkie (means he is smaller than normal) and yes he does bark, but he is the most loving and loyal animals! he adores all the ladies and will protect us from anything, even the mail, (that includes the kind that walk on 2 legs aswell!) he will sit on a lap or in your arm and sometimes on your shoulder if he wants to be particulary close or has missed you alot!! lovely little creature that you soon forgive for pretty much anything!! x

Answer 9

hi there i wouldn't have neither round kids they are too small and delicate if i were you i would get something like a staffordshire bull terrier me and my partner was a bit so so at first about getting a stafordshire bull terrier but i have a 2 year old and she is brilliant with my dog and vice versa i have never found a dog so loving as a staff when my daughter was born i had a jack Russel and my partner brought my daughter home and he tried to savage her and it isn't cause he wasn't round kids because i have a seven year old daughter as well small dogs are just not the right dogs for kids if you would like pictures of my dogs with my youngest then visit my website at www.brookystaffs.piczo.com gd luck and choose right you dint want to end up with a small dog that snaps like mad because they are the ones that do the worse damage also leave a message if you visit my site then i know you thought about what i said kindest regards Joe (seriously do not get a small dog round kids that age my jack russell i had nearly ripped my daughters head off) this is my personal opinion gd luck

Answer 10

They way a dog reacts and behaves around children relates to how the dog is taught. My wife and I have had Yorkies for over 30 years now and love them. The one in my picture, Dolly, is now over 17 years old. We had her before we had grandchildren. We taught our Yorkies to be gentle with children and loving. None of our ever were "snappish." We always gave them their own toys to play with. They love soft squeaking toys as Yorkies were originally bred to hunt rats. Do they like to bark, yes they do. But, they are excellent guard dogs and are fearless.
Many years ago, one of our neighbors had an Irish setter. It got loose and came into our yard. The dog was actually very friendly, but when he got close to our grandson, Dolly charged him like a bullet and chased him out of the yard. If you get one, I would get a female as they are better with children than the males.