How to Train a Yorkie Pup
Yorkshire terriers, affectionately known as "Yorkies", are intelligent, affectionate and eager to please. But they don't come trained--that's all up to you. It's important that you begin to implement rules and training as soon as you bring your puppy home. He may not understand everything at first, but after a while it will begin to make sense to him. Yorkies, like all dogs, are pack animals, and they are happiest when living in a structured, predictable environment.
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Instructions
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Potty Training
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Keep a close eye on your Yorkie. Toy breeds like Yorkshire terriers are notoriously difficult to potty train, so you will have to be patient and extremely consistent. Do not allow your pup to wander loose out of your sight where he can find secret places to relieve himself.
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Buy a crate. Crate training is the best and most effective method of potty training. Dogs are innately clean animals, and are loathe to soil their own beds. Purchase a crate that is just big enough for your Yorkie to stand up and turn around. When you can't be with your Yorkie, place her in her crate with water and a safe toy (Nylabones are best).
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Catch her in the act. When your Yorkie relieves himself in the house, tell her, "No!" Be firm but don't frighten him. Toy dogs like Yorkies are very sensitive and can be easily frightened. Remember, you look terribly big to your puppy.
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Pick up the mistake. Pick up the feces or soak up the urine on a paper towel, continuing to let your Yorkie know that she made a mistake. Take your puppy outside with the mistake.
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Place the feces or urine-soaked paper towel on the ground outside and show it to your Yorkie. Praise him as if he did it outside. Use key words that he can easily learn. Tell him, "Good potty! Good potty!" Praise him until you feel incredibly silly. He'll like it and he'll get the message.
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Go back into the house. Tell your Yorkie, "Inside!" so that she will learn the difference between "inside" and where she goes to "potty".
Obedience Training
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Establish yourself as alpha dog. Yorkies puppies are tiny and adorable, so it can be tempting to let them get away with too much. However, when you are left with an adult dog who won't listen and constantly misbehaves, you'll regret it. Yorkie's are strong-minded little creatures with a wide stubborn streak, so it is vitally important that you let her know from the outset that you are in charge.
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Teach him the basic commands. Your Yorkie pup should be taught "sit," "stay," "down" and "come." He should also be taught to walk properly on a leash. It's best if you teach hand signals along with the words.
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Utilize NILIF ("Nothing In Life Is Free"). Make your Yorkie work for everything she wants. This technique will not only teach her good puppy manners but will solidify your position as alpha dog. Require a "sit" before she is fed, before she goes out to potty (once she learns to ask), and before she is given a toy or a treat.
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Reward and praise. It's just as important to praise your Yorkie when he does something right as it is to correct his mistakes. Every time he does the right thing, praise him joyfully. You may choose to reward him with kisses or with food (most dogs are extremely food motivated), but remember: Yorkies are tiny and their weight must be kept under control for good health. Don't overfeed.
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Socialize your Yorkie puppy. It is important for your Yorkie to meet other people and dogs so that she won't be fearful and so that she will learn good manners around others. Before she has been fully vaccinated, visits should take place in your home to avoid exposing your pup to disease. However, once she is fully vaccinated, take her for car rides, to the dog park, to the local pet mart or sign her up to spend some time in a puppy class or daycare.
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Make decisions and stick to them. When you bring your Yorkie home, you should already have decided: Is he allowed on the furniture? Will he sleep in my bed or in his own bed? How much barking am I comfortable with? The answers to these questions are optional and totally up to your discretion, but you should decide on the rules and stick to them.
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Tips & Warnings
Be consistent. Dogs learn through repetition, and inconsistency confuses them. If you follow the rules one day and allow mistakes the next, when your Yorkie goes potty in the house or becomes snappy over his food, you will have only yourself to blame.
Never hit your Yorkie. Regardless of the possibility of it spilling over to abuse, it never works. Yorkies are intelligent and eager to please, so patience and gentle discipline is your best and only option. If your Yorkie has a serious behavioral problem like food or toy aggression, don't try to handle it yourself. Problems like this are extremely fixable, but only if you know how. Ask your veterinarian to recommend an animal behaviorist to help you and your puppy.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Patricia Oliveira (stock.xchng.org), stock.xchng.org
