Closest Thing We Have To A Child

As many of you may know, we have a one year old Yorkshire Terrier named Peyton. Grandma Lois House asked us to post some pictures of him, and we can't let her down. Peyton is our family's closest thing to a child for the next few years...he's our trial run. He is only about 5 pounds with a golden head and "blue" body hair. I swear it's really called blue hair even though it is black/gray.

We think he is really cute, but not as cute as a baby. He will do for the time being though. Zach has had several Yorkies growing up, but none as well behaved as Peyton. We really lucked out with him. He is the only Yorkie we have ever met that never barks. He whines when he needs to go out or wants attention, but never truly barks. In case you don't understand the magnitude of this, just visit a house that has a "normal" Yorkie.

Below is a picture of Peyton when he was just a little puppy. He was about 2.5 lbs in this picture. A Yorkie typically weighs around 2-7 lbs depending on the lineage. Peyton is fully grown at 5 lbs.

Around our house Zach takes care of Peyton. He walks him, feeds him, and cleans up after him (just like a dad). Zach does a majority of the work for him, but guess who Peyton likes to spend his time with...Yes, you guessed it, Emily. Most nights you can find Peyton curled up in a ball resting on Emily's legs wrapped in a blanket. For the most part he is a lazy dog, who isn't territorial, and very passive.

The American Kennel Club's description of Yorkshire Terriers is: brave, determined, investigative, and energetic. The Yorkshire Terrier breed is very hostile towards other dogs, growling and barking at them. They are surprisingly brave dogs for their size.

Our description of our Yorkshire Terrier is: passive, lazy, investigative, and loving. He has never found a dog he doesn't like or wants to play with; licking and sniffing them before ever growling. He knows his role in life and lays down when approached by a larger dog. I swear he is 100% Yorkie, but I think he was bred with a cat somewhere down the line. He is more kitten than puppy. We love our dog, especially because he is the best of his breed.

A couple interesting Yorkie facts:

1) Yorkies have hair very similar to that of humans, making them hypoallergenic. They need to be groomed similarly to a human with long hair.

2) Yorkies are an English breed of dog that was bred over many years to gain their particular attributes. They were desired by the lower classes for their small size and investigative behavior. They were commonly used to enter small spaces and flush rats out of holes and walls in the 1800's. In present day society they are sought after by the rich and famous for their cute looks and petite size.