I always thought that dogs are such lovable animals, especially breeds like Yorkshire Terriers, since they are so tiny and cute. However, after adopting my Yorkie, I was left wondering Are Yorkies Good With Babies.
Whenever my sister would come home with her twin baby girls, I used to be very excited about playing with them. But the moment I would go near them or start playing with them, my Yorkie would just go weird and begin growling and barking.
We never left them alone in the same room until one day I finally found the answer to my question: Are Yorkies Good With Babies?
Let’s take a look in detail at what I found and whether it is safe to have both babies and Yorkies in your family.
Are Yorkies Good With Babies?
Yorkies are not born with any inherent characteristic about whether they will be good with babies or not.
Initially, your Yorkie’s behavior around and about your children might make you think that he is not good with babies. But Yorkies can be great with kids. All you need to do is train and introduce them to each other properly.
Check out our guide for Yorkie training here.
Below I will tell you ways in which you can make sure that your Yorkie and your baby go together well!
7 Ways To Introduce Your Yorkie To Your Baby
1. Train Your Yorkie
The most important thing to take care of before letting your terrier go near your baby is to make sure that he is well-trained.
You should always let your Yorkie know that you are in charge of the situation and will not tolerate his bad behaviors like growling or nipping around the child.
However, don’t be harsh on your four-legged friend. Be nice to him and give him treats when he learns what you are trying to teach him.
It is always best to adopt a dog when it’s just a puppy because then what you teach them, shapes them and it has beneficial impacts on their behavioral patterns.
2. Introduce Scent
You can also introduce your baby to your doggo by first introducing its scent to him. Give your Yorkie one of your baby’s burp cloth or blanket and let him sniff it.
But always keep in mind that you must not let your terrier play with those clothes or drag them around. Make him aware that you are in charge of the item, and he can only have it for a limited time. This might build a sense of respect for the child in him.
3. Be Patient and Calm
When you bring your new baby home, be patient and calm around him, especially if your dog is watching.
If you are nervous or in panic, the terrier might see the baby as a threat to you, and we are well aware of the fact that the terrier breed can get very protective of their owners and family.
So, you must make sure that your furry friend knows that this new change in the house is perfectly okay and not a threat.
4. Give Proper Attention to Your Yorkie
When you come home with your baby, don’t directly introduce your Yorkie to it.
First, you should give your Yorkie friend adequate attention and love. He might have been missing you so you should spend a little time with him. After all, your Yorkie shouldn’t start suffering from Separation Anxiety.
He will be overjoyed to see you; hence you should take him for a walk or wait for it to calm down before burdening him with a new member.
Also, in the future as well, keep giving enough attention to your Yorkie. If you don’t spend enough time on it, he might feel unwanted and think that you don’t love him anymore because you have a new person to play with.
5. Practice on a Baby Toy
Another way of preparing your Yorkie to encounter the baby is to practice on a baby toy.
You can hold it while sitting so that the dog knows that in such cases, his seat is beside you. You should let him get used to seeing this doll around the house. Do everything possible with the baby toy that you will do with your baby so that your dog is already used to seeing all of this.
You can even apply powders or lotions on it so that your furry friend is familiarised with the scent of your baby.
Check out this incredibly realistic-looking baby doll that you can get to train your dog.
6. Crate Training
Your Yorkie will be very excited and curious when he first sees the new human, and on that excitement, he might jump on the baby or scratch it.
This problem can be prevented well if your puppy has been imparted with crate training. Thus you can make your terrier sit inside the crate and let him out only once he has calmed down.
Crate training can have many other benefits. You can read up more about it here.
7. Set Boundaries
It is essential to set boundaries in a house with a Yorkie and a new baby or even a toddler, for that matter.
You should establish boundaries from the beginning itself. Don’t let your dog go near your baby at first and then just block it out with a barrier. This could lead to various unwanted feelings in your pet friend.
Make sure your Yorkie knows that he will only be allowed near the kid with your permission and that he needs to leave immediately when you ask him to. Your puppy should obey your commands!
Should Yorkies Be Allowed Around Babies?
A new person will be an object of curiosity for your small dog, but you need to be very careful while introducing your baby to your Yorkie or letting them near each other in the coming months.
Yorkies can be allowed around babies, but only if they are well trained. Moreover, you should always be there when your baby and your pet are around each other, even if your Yorkie is well-trained.
You should only ease up a bit when your baby has grown up and knows how to behave with the Yorkie properly and when your Yorkie is well trained and used to having a child around the house.
Never take a risk in this matter because many things could go wrong. Below are two examples of such effects.
1. Yorkie Might Get Stressed
The constant presence of a new human can stress your Yorkie out. He won’t know what to think of it and how to behave with it. He will have many doubts and confusions about it.
So always keep the interaction between your baby and your terrier minimal in the initial days.
2. Yorkie Might Get Frustrated and Jealous Due to Lack of Attention
If your pet friend constantly keeps seeing you paying more attention and being more loving towards the baby and not him, he might get frustrated and jealous.
This can even lead to him harming the baby. Keep on reading to get to know about the signs that indicate your Yorkie might harm the baby.
10 Warning Signs Indicating That Your Yorkie Might Harm Your Baby
1. Growling
Growling in the presence of your baby can mean that the Yorkie has seen him as a threat and is going to make a move to harm your little baby.
If your Yorkie suddenly starts growling when you bring the baby near him, remove your baby and yourself from the situation immediately. Or you can put your Yorkie in his crate right that moment.
2. Nipping
Is your Yorkie nipping at your baby when he is near it? If your answer is yes, then you need to keep your baby away from your terrier because it is a warning of danger.
Never let you Yorkie come too close to your baby!
3. Run Away
If your Yorkie runs away when he sees your baby, it might mean that he sees it as a threat.
Make sure to protect your little bundle of joy because your Yorkie might just come back and harm it.
4. Cower
Cowering is another warning sign that means your Yorkie might harm your baby. It might be scared of it but never forget that Yorkies will definitely act like bigger dogs when they have their eyes on something.
Body languages say a lot about what your terrier is feeling or what he will do next. So make sure you always keep a check on his body language.
5. Jump as You Surprised Him
If your Yorkie jumps out of surprise when you bring your baby in front of him, take your baby away from there immediately.
After such a reaction from your pet friend, it would be reckless to keep them in the same room. Your Yorkie will get curious about it, and if he is not well-trained, he might harm it without actually intending to do so.
6. Avoid You
Is your puppy avoiding you all of a sudden? It might be a sign that he is going to harm your baby.
Keep a look at how he behaves around your baby or other members of the family. Put the doggo back in its crate if you notice anything weird.
7. Lick Your Baby’s Face
Did your Yorkie come too close to your baby? Did it lick your baby’s face?
Licking your baby’s face is yet another sign of danger. Excessive licking can be a sign of anxiousness.
I repeat once again, never let your Yorkie come too close to your baby!
8. Stiff Body
A stiff body might mean that your Yorkie is angry and is planning to do something dangerous. He is preparing himself to fight.
Keep your baby safely in some other room, and it will be even better if you put up a barrier on the gate that your terrier cannot cross.
9. Tensed Demeanour
Tensed demeanor indicates that your Yorkie is uncomfortable and wants to get himself out of the present situation.
If for some reason, he cannot get himself out of that situation, he might do something harmful to your baby or even you.
10. Tail Pointing Outwards
If your Yorkie’s tail is pointing outwards and is still or wagging stiffly, it means your dog has high energy, but it is also unhappy and uncomfortable.
These are the signs that you can look out for to make sure that you know it before that your Yorkie is planning to harm you so that you can take necessary precautions in time.
FAQs on Are Yorkies Good With Babies?
1. Is Yorkie a Good Family Dog?
Yorkies are very popular dogs known for their love, affection, and devotion. They can be said to be wonderful personal companions and good family pets.
However, they are a bit territorial and might get very protective of their owners.
2. Which Dogs Are Kid Friendly?
Dog breeds like Cavalier King Charles spaniels, beagles, French bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and miniature schnauzers are famous for being small doggos are highly kid-friendly.
Their common traits include mild temperament, good nature, low maintenance, smartness, and other kid-loving attributes.
3. Why Does My Yorkie Not Like Kids?
Yorkies tend to treat kids the same way they treat bigger dogs – as threats. This can be the case with your Yorkie because he might have been hurt by a kid before.
Yorkies are very small and fragile, so it’s very much possible that a kid who does not know how to handle a Yorkie properly might end up hurting him.
Also, Yorkies don’t make very good play companions. Over-zealous kids can be annoying for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope your questions about are Yorkies good with babies have been answered.
Never leave your baby and your dog alone in a room. You don’t want to regret it later!
Apart from that, make sure that you don’t let your Yorkie feel left out after you bring your baby home. Your Yorkie needs his share of love and attention too.
