Are Yorkies Easy to Train? | 8 Yorkshire Terrier Dog Training Tips

Yorkies are tiny but mighty toy-size terriers that will quickly win over your heart. Their long, soft hair, small paws, and doe eyes make it impossible not to love them. But despite their cute and dainty exterior, Yorkie puppies are feisty, spunky, and sometimes even downright bossy. But can you train Yorkies to minimize their big attitudes? Are Yorkies easy to train?

The answer is Yes, A Yorkshire Terrier or Yorkie is easy to train. When it comes to dog breeding and training, most owners will need little to no patience to train these dogs. For dog training in specific, Yorkies are known to be fast learners. Also, they are known to adapt to new environments easily.

Yorkie Training Coming From An Expert Advice

Unfortunately, Yorkies are notoriously challenging to house train as they are quite stubborn and a bit temperamental. They are independent, competitive, and are the farthest thing from submissive, making training difficult. They can also be quite aggressive if they are provoked or feeling protective.

However, it is not impossible to train Yorkies. In fact, it is essential that every owner give training their best effort, and there are plenty of tools and strategies you can use to make the Yorkie training process smoother and more successful. With patience and commitment to training, you can train your pup efficiently and even faster than you may have expected.

Dog Training Tips For A Yorkshire Terrier

Once you’ve decided to adopt your Yorkie puppy, it is crucial to start thinking about training. Are you only house training your Yorkie, or are you hoping to teach them a few tricks? Yorkies walk best on leashes, so you should consider leash training as well.

Here are some tips to make the training process more manageable, no matter which types of training you pooch.

Tip 1: Start early.

The earlier you start training your Yorkie puppy, the better! Since Yorkies can be defiant and stubborn, it’s better to train your puppy early, so they are more likely to adapt to the new skills they are learning.

If you begin to train your puppy later in life after they’ve already developed certain habits, your Yorkie will offer up more resistance and disobedience. In most cases, you can begin to train your Yorkie puppy as soon as you get them.

Tip 2: Use positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement works as a reward tool for all dogs, but Yorkies benefit from this in particular. Yorkies, though independent and self-reliant, love their owners and crave attention. By feeding into this desire when they do something good, they will learn to crave this attention and validation and repeat the same good behavior.

In the early stages of training, positive reinforcement means treats as a reward, along with a pet and a verbal, “Good dog!” As your pup gets better at the trick or habit you’re trying to train, and you can start to wean your dog off of the treats and move solely to physical or verbal positive reinforcement. You can also use a clicker, so your Yorkie associates the clicker’s sound with the reward.

Tip 3: Correct bad behavior.

In addition to rewarding good behavior with treats or pets, you want to discipline bad behavior as well. Yorkies are mischievous and have a habit of getting into trouble, so it is critical to nip bad behavior in the bud.

You can do this in several ways. If your Yorkie is biting or nipping, the best solution is to leave the room and ignore them. Yorkies crave attention, so using this strategy several times should kick the bad habit since they just want your attention.

If the bad behavior is something they enjoy doing, such as chewing on shoes or furniture, ignoring them will not change the behavior because they will still be doing something they find fun. In this situation, the best way to discipline them for their bad behavior is to distract your pup, take away the item being chewed on and try not to draw too much attention to the situation.

Tip 4: Start with easy commands.

It is always a better idea to start simple and work your way up to more difficult commands, especially for temperamental dogs like Yorkies. This will allow you to gain some training experience before trying more complicated commands.

Start with commands like “come” or “sit” and practice these basic commands until your pup is an expert. You can use these commands to shape your pup’s expectations, too. For example, while dishing up their favorite blend of Yorkie dog food, you can give the command “come,” then require that they “sit” while waiting for the go-ahead to start eating.

This is also helpful when training as a puppy: often, your Yorkie will be potty training at the same time as learning commands. It will be easier for your pup to juggle a simple task that can be incorporated into potty training than trying to learn many new things at once.

Once they’ve mastered the basic commands, Yorkies are great at learning harder tricks such as dance, rollover, or spin. Yorkies love attention and love performing, so they’re keen to learn any trick that will get them some applause.

Other Useful House Training Tips For Yorkies

Yorkies are notoriously difficult to house train, mainly because they are sensitive to the weather and hate the cold and the rain. This makes house training harder because sometimes they will be unwilling to go outside. However, this also makes house training all the more critical. Here are some tips to make house training a bit easier on you and your Yorkie pup.

Tip 5: Have a designated potty spot.

Having a designated potty spot is crucial to Yorkie potty training for consistency purposes. This can be a puppy pad, litter box, or even outside. Take your Yorkie to the potty spot as often as possible during the first few weeks of house training so they can know where they are expected to go.

Once they go potty on the designated spot, reward them heavily using positive reinforcement: treats, pets, and verbal affirmations are all great rewards here. Continue to watch your Yorkie closely for any potential accidents and take them outside immediately if it looks like they’re about to have one.

If you catch your Yorkie mid-potty anywhere but on the designated potty spot, say, “NO!” and move them to the potty spot immediately so your pup can learn where they should have gone. A verbal command goes a long way when it comes to Yorkie potty training.

Pee pads would be a great way to start guiding your Yorkie on where to pee or poo.

Tip 6: Consider crate training.

Crate training is an excellent option to help with house-training because it will teach your Yorkie how to hold their bladder until they can make it to their designated potty spot. Dogs do not go potty in their “den” or what they consider their home, so by crate training your Yorkie, they will have an instinct not to defecate inside it.

Combine crate training efforts with house training efforts to effectively potty train your puppy. The key here is being consistent and persistent about your training and not giving up hope. Yorkies can take up to 18 months to fully house train, so it will require patience. The key is to be as stubborn as your puppy is!

Tip 7: Always carry a tiny toy.

Yorkies are toy dogs, and they love to play with a tiny toy. Placing their favorite toys in their crates and other spots of the house will help them become more comfortable with their environment.

Tip 8: Watch dog training videos.

Training your dog without proper knowledge can be complicated. With some expert advice, Yorkie training will become fun and easy. This will allow you to create a special bond with your Yorkshire Terrier.

After a period of time, you are going to be able to brag about how you can tell your Yorkie to sit and do other simple commands. The American Kennel Club provides a series of free dog training videos for everyone with family dogs. I used these training classes on my dogs, and frankly, I can say that they work all the time.

Important Tricks You Can Easily Use On Yorkies

You should know that Yorkies do not have full control of their bladder and bowel muscles. Therefore, at the early stage of their life, you should try not to carry them for lots of period of time. Also, try to take your Yorkie outside as much as you can.

Bring a clicker training device, and some dog treats every time you take your Yorkie outside. Using this combination will allow you to start teaching your dog to control their bladder and bowel muscles.

Conclusion

Learning to train a Yorkie can be a difficult feat, but it is never impossible. All it takes is time, energy, and patience. Use these tips to make any training process smoother, and you are sure to succeed.

If you work all the time and have little to no time to be teaching your dog these tricks, then you should look for a dog care facility that has a professional trainer.

However, puppy training isn’t the only thing you need to consider as a potential Yorkie owner. You’re going to want to make sure you have enough time to give your dog all the attention and exercise they need. As active and affectionate pups, some alone time spent playing is crucial for your Yorkie.

Owning a Yorkie is time and energy-consuming, but it’s definitely worth it to train Yorkies to be obedient pets! Make sure that you know what kind of commitment your Yorkie needs from you all throughout their training and into their lives, and you’re sure to make a furry best friend!

Last Updated on 10/01/2024 by Karen Snow