How To Train A Yorkie In 6 Steps
Although your new Yorkshire Terrier puppy may ask for attention immediately, proper training is essential for maintaining their emotional, mental, and physical health. Continue reading to learn how to train a Yorkie.
What Challenges Come Up When Training Yorkies?
Yorkies are one of the most popular dog breeds, but like many others, they can have training issues such as:
- Anxiety: Yorkshire Terrier puppies may falsely assume they are giant dogs due to their large personalities and small size. Sadly, Yorkies also have separation and social anxiety, making training challenging. Ask for professional help if your dog has trouble training because of anxiety.
2. Hyperactivity: Due to their high level of energy, puppies can be difficult to keep focused on training rather than playing. In addition to their training sessions, you should take your Yorkie on long walks and play with them a lot to keep them mentally and physically active.
3. Tiny bladders: Yorkies’ small bladders may necessitate bathroom breaks throughout training. Put pee pads all over the house to mop up any mess in case of indoor accidents.
4. Limited attention spans: Young puppies, even Yorkies, have short attention spans and can’t focus on one thing for very long. Your training sessions should last no longer than 15 minutes. Make sure there are no distractions in the training area, such as children or other animals.
Three Tips for Training Yorkies
Use the following guidelines to reinforce good behaviour while training your new puppy.
- Be cautious and persistent. Training an active Yorkie takes time and effort. Each stage will likely need to be completed several times because repetition is the key to successful dog training. Aim for brief (15-minute) training sessions and take lots of breaks to encourage memory retention.
2. You should puppy-proof your home. When training a dog, accidents frequently occur, but with a little caution, you may reduce their likelihood. Baby gates can keep breakables out of the way and block off areas from puppy investigation. Give your pup lots of bones and chewable toys.
3. Use encouragement to motivate others. Treats, pets, cuddles, and playtime are given to Yorkies as rewards for a job well done, encouraging them to keep up the excellent work. Another type of training to consider is clicker training. You press a small handheld device that makes a short clicker sound for rewarding good behaviour.
How to Train a Yorkie
It takes time and patience to train a Yorkie puppy. Take these steps, and consult a dog trainer if you still need help.
- Housetrain your puppy. Housetraining, or teaching your dog where to relieve themselves, is the first thing you should work on with them. When you see your puppy going to the bathroom outside, reinforce the behaviour by giving them praise and a treat. Spread puppy pads all over the house to wipe up any inside spills.
2. To encourage good behaviour, consider crate training. Consider putting your Yorkie puppy in a designated crate or kennel before leaving the house to reward good behaviour. Because crate training requires time, start by putting them in a playpen. Then, attract them in with tasty treats hidden inside a crate. Yorkies may be drawn to them naturally because a dog crate or kennel offers them a safe sanctuary to retire to. Because dogs won’t litter their dens, crate training should help with housetraining.
3. work leash training Introduce a leash and collar to your Yorkie while playing with them indoors to lessen pulling and tugging on daily walks. Practice walking on a loose leash with your dog by your left side. Selecting a harness or collar that is too heavy or bulky will harm your dog, so look for one made of lightweight materials and for a tiny breed. Learn more about teaching a dog to use a leash.
4. Teach them the fundamental rules. Teaching your Yorkie basic commands like “come,” “sit,” “heel,” or “lay down” is a vital part of dog training since it enables you to maintain control of your dog in public. Once your dog has mastered the last command, move on to the next one. Give them lots of treats as rewards as you travel.
5. reduce their propensity to barkLike many other tiny dogs, Yorkies regularly bark to convey excitement, anxiety, or a need. Barking is not a bad habit, but you may train your pup to curb it by playing music, not rewarding good behaviour, or distracting them with toys and treats. Learn how to teach your dog to bark less frequently.
6. Working as a dog trainer Although you can teach your basic dog commands at home, professional dog trainers can assist you further. A trainer will watch your Yorkie’s specific behaviour in addition to giving advice on how to move forward with obedience training, tackling anxiety and behavioural problems, and maintaining a healthy, happy puppy.