Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Basic Training Approaches
• Part 2 of 3: How to Train Your Yorkshire Terrier to Cleanliness Inside Your Home
• Part 3 of 3: How to Train Your Yorkshire Terrier in Basic Commands
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Outstanding character and external charm make the little Yorkshire terrier one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. Despite its size, geographically behaving and intelligent York is an excellent watchdog. However, due to its behavioral tendencies, the Yorkshire Terrier must be trained at least basic commands, otherwise it will not be the most pleasant pet. People who want to educate their Yorkie will find in him a diligent student who will very quickly grasp the basic commands.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Basic Training Approaches

1. 1 Learn more about this dog breed. Yorkshire Terriers are small in size but descend from working dogs. They can be stubborn and are often described as being of a large dog in a small body.The intellectual ability of Yorkshire Terriers varies greatly. Some of them learn very quickly, while others are rather slow.
   • You will soon realize how smart your Yorkie is by how quickly he learns basic commands.
   • If your Yorkie is a slow learner, don't be mad at him. These dogs lend themselves well to training, you just need to have patience and be ready to repeat the same exercises over and over again.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

   
   
   Veterinarian Dr. Elliot, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal care. Graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. Has been working in the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

   Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
   Vet

   Pippa Elliot, a licensed veterinarian, advises: “Yorkies are willing to train and generally enjoy the mental stimulation during class. However, they are small enough that it is always a good idea in their case. go down to floor levelthan towering over the dog. This way your pet will be able to see you better and interact with you. "

2. 2 Choose a lightweight harness for your dog. Since Yorkies are small, you should always use a light harness with the leash for your pet, and not try to attach the leash to the collar. You will also need a lightweight collar for your dog to attach the information tags, but you should be able to slip 1-2 fingers under the collar around your dog's neck so that it is not too tight.
3. 3 Explore the benefits of a positive reward system. Dogs respond well to training with positive rewards. The underlying principle is that good behavior (command execution) is immediately rewarded (usually with praise and treats), which forces the dog to make an associative connection between his own behavior and the reward. The dog, in turn, will want to repeat the desired behavior in order to continue to receive treats.
   • When using treats as a reward, be careful not to overfeed your dog. Cut back on your dog's regular rations slightly so that the extra calories from the treats don't lead to weight gain. You can also limit the number of treats (by continuing to praise the dog) as he learns a certain command. Limit yourself to giving out treats every fourth or fifth command, instead of giving out treats every time. This will not weaken training if you continue to praise your pet for obedience.
4. 4 Consider using clicker training. The use of a clicker can be helpful in rewarding the dog. The clicker is a small clicking device whose click marks the exact moment the dog is taking the correct action. Associating your dog with clicking and praising with a treat will allow you to accurately mark the correct actions with the click and then give treats. The click sound even makes it easier for the Yorkie to understand the specific correct action.
   • For more information on Clicker Training, read How to Train Your Dogs with a Clicker.
5. 5 Don't try to punish the Yorkie. While humans sometimes have an intuitive urge to punish a pet for bad behavior, negative attention is ineffective in intimidating dogs. Giving a dog attention, even in the form of swearing, looks like a reward in its eyes. If you simply ignore the bad behavior, it is likely that your dog will get bored and forget about it.
6. 6 Distract the Yorkie from pleasing bad behaviors. While most of the time negative behavior can be dealt with by ignoring it, it won't help if the dog finds positive reward for the worst behavior, such as chewing on your favorite pair of shoes. In this situation, you should try to distract the dog without drawing attention to the bad behavior.
   • For example, you might accidentally kick a dog's favorite toy and yell, drawing attention to it. When the dog gets up and goes to the toy, pick up both the dog and its toy and go to another room away from the unwanted object of the dog's attention.
   • If possible, you should also try to secure the area of ​​your home to which the Yorkie has access, which will require a little more effort than it might seem at first glance. For such a small dog who cannot climb very high, the Yorkshire Terrier, oddly enough, can get into trouble quite often. Keep wires, plants, clothing and food out of reach, and remember to install secure children's gates where needed.
7. 7 Consider cage training. Like all dogs, Yorkies have a positive attitude towards their den, therefore they perceive the cage as a safe haven. Proper crate training is especially helpful when training your dog to go to the bathroom outside, as the Yorkshire Terrier will instinctively try to keep his bladder in check so that his own den will not get dirty.
   • Never force a Yorkie into a cage or use it for punishment. Crate training is only useful if it becomes a safe and pleasant place for the dog.
   • For more information on crate training, read How to Crate or Kennel Train Your Dog or Puppy.
8. 8 Be consistent throughout the training period. Set clear boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behavior for your dog and be consistent in your requirements. If you forbid a Yorkie to do something, such as jumping on the couch, then this should be an unshakable rule. Periodically allowing your dog to climb onto the couch will only confuse him with mixed signals.
9. 9 Use negative prompts. You can help the Yorkie understand that he is about to make a mistake by using a specific phrase spoken in a disapproving tone of voice, such as "ay-ay-ay." Such a phrase is called negative clue and provides the dog with valuable information about the wrong choice. A negative prompt should never be punished. It does not serve as a warning, but is just a hint so that the dog can correct itself and make the right decision.
   • An example is the training of the “place” command. If your dog gets up from a sitting position, use a short, disapproving phrase, "ay-ay-ay," to tell him that it was wrong for him to get up.
10. 10 When teaching a Yorkie, keep your lessons short. Yorkshire terriers have very little ability to maintain concentration. Teach your dog only one command and only for a limited time. The duration of the lessons should be selected individually for each dog. It is generally believed that the shorter the lesson, the better. Try organizing several 4–5 minute lessons throughout the day.
    • Do not forget that any interaction with your dog provides you with the opportunity to train it as well. For example, before feeding, you can ask your dog to sit down and reward him by giving him food.
    • Some commands are interrelated, such as "sit" and "seat", so the dog must have a firm command of "sit" before you begin to teach him the command "seat".

Part 2 of 3: How to Train Your Yorkshire Terrier to Cleanliness Inside Your Home

1. 1 Show the yorkie the right place for the restroom. As with any training, it is important to follow the sequence when toilet training. Initially, select a specific place in which the pet will be allowed to go to the toilet, in order to then help the dog to make an associative connection between this place and going to the toilet.
2. 2 Take your Yorkie out regularly to the location of your choice. The first few times the dog goes to the toilet in the right place will depend on the right time for this. You can help your dog know that going to the bathroom is right by praising and treating him for good luck every time.
   • For a puppy, you will need to take him out every 20 minutes if he has not gone to the toilet for a long time, and you should also walk him in the morning, in the evening before bedtime and after each feeding.
   • An adult dog can be taken out hourly after sleep and feedings.
3. 3 Don't punish your dog for oversights. As with any training, punishment is an ineffective way of influencing the dog to be clean. They will only make her start to fear you and try to find more secluded places in your house for the toilet.
   • Punishment also includes poking the dog's nose into a puddle. This is ineffective. York won't understand why you do this.
4. 4 Thoroughly wash out the scene of domestic incidents. Your dog can smell any residual odors and return to the same spot to use the toilet again. Clean up any clutter behind your dog with enzymatic cleaners to get rid of odors that might attract your dog. This will help you make the cleanliness training process easier for both of you.
5. 5 Use a dog cage. If you are crate training, also use it for proper cleanliness training. The use of a cage can help in this matter, since Yorkies are not inclined to dirty their lair and will strive to be patient until the moment of walking.
6. 6 Watch your dog for signs. Once the Yorkie realizes that going to the toilet in the right place leads to receiving treats, he will want to obey your rules. However, it is not easy for a puppy to tell the owner that it is time for him to go to the toilet. You should help the dog by paying attention to the appearance of a characteristic gait, whining sounds, approaching a door, and so on.
   • If you are having difficulty with a particularly stubborn puppy, you can learn more about toilet training in the article How to Toilet Train Your Puppy.

Part 3 of 3: How to Train Your Yorkshire Terrier in Basic Commands

1. 1 Minimize distractions initially. Start in a distraction-free area, such as a room in your home or your own backyard. Once your dog understands and responds to commands, start varying the locations of the lessons. You don’t want york to mistakenly, for example, start thinking that the command “sit” should be performed exclusively under the apple tree, and not associate any other commands with a specific training location.
   • Slowly move to the practice of performing commands in busier places as your dog understands them better. The ultimate goal is to make sure the yorkie will respond to your commands, even in a crowd of people and dogs. Be patient, as the time required for this depends entirely on the personal qualities of the dog.
   • You will most likely want to keep your dog on a leash as you slowly move into areas with a lot of distractions, as the dog is at high risk of losing concentration at first.
2. 2 Teach the york command "to me". Until the pet understands the command "to me", you will have to help him by giving it when he is already moving in your direction.Use the clicker to mark the correct behavior (if you choose to use it in training), and then give the dog encouragement. After creating a strong associative connection between the command and the action of the dog, you can begin to apply the command "towards me" even when the dog is not moving in your direction.
   • You should not constantly repeat the command if the dog does not obey you, as this will weaken its effectiveness. Instead, keep waiting and repeating the command until the dog starts moving towards you. Try giving the command again a little later when the dog is standing still or moving away from you.
   • Sometimes the learning process can be frustrating for you. Remember to be patient and not punish your pet, always encourage the Yorkie when he finally comes up to you on command.
3. 3 Teach your Yorkie to sit. Place your dog in the corner of the room and show him a treat at the level of his nose. Let your dog sniff the treat, but don't let him eat it. Raise the treat in an arc upward toward the back of the dog's head so that the pet's nose continues to follow the treat, and the back of his body automatically descends. Once this happens, click the clicker (if using it) and generously praise your dog by giving him a treat. Repeat this exercise regularly and begin giving the vocal command to "sit" before lifting the treat over the dog's head.
   • Be prepared to repeat the entire process frequently before the command is reliably learned by your Yorkie.
   • Once your dog begins to respond to the command to “sit,” you can stop rewarding each time and make the reward more unpredictable, which will prevent overfeeding, but continue to stimulate him to work for treats. It is ideal to reward the dog for every fourth or fifth command.
4. 4 Teach the york the "give a paw" command. Sit down and leave the dog in this position. Gently take one of her front paws at elbow level and bring your hand down to the dog's wrist. Shake the paw and then praise and give your dog a treat. If you are using a clicker, remember to use it. As soon as the york begins to understand the meaning of the trick, enter the voice command "give your paw". Repeat these steps regularly until the dog understands the expected behavior with the given command.
5. 5 Teach the york the roll command. When your Yorkie is in a comfortable position for somersault, bring a treat to his shoulder. As soon as he turns his head towards the treat, start moving him back around his back to the other shoulder. The pet will naturally try to follow the treat with its head, which will lead to it doing somersaults. As with other commands, remember to click the clicker when using it, and then praise and give your dog a treat. As soon as the dog begins to understand the meaning of the trick, enter the voice command "somersault".
   • Initially, you can support the back of the dog's body with your free hand to prevent it from getting up while watching the treat, or you can pre-teach the pet the “lie down” command to lay it down before doing somersaults.
6. 6 Teach york other commands. You can continue to use the same training techniques as you learn other commands once you have mastered the important basics. Try to catch the good moments of the behavior you want and use the clicker at the moment of their commission (if you use it), and then reward the dog with praise and treats. After repeating the process many times, the dog will begin to understand the action you need, and you can enter a voice command for him.
   • Remember, the most important thing is to be patient. Yorkies learn eagerly and love to please their masters, but it takes time!
   • You can find more information on learning some basic commands in the article How to teach your dog basic commands.

Tips

• When you finish training your pet, make sure that all members of your family use the same commands. This will keep the dog from getting confused after learning the basic commands.
• In addition to voice commands, gesture commands as well as whistle signals can be included in the Yorkshire Terrier training.

Warnings

• Never, under any circumstances, hit a Yorkie or any other dog.

What do you need

• Treats for dogs
• Long leash
• Lightweight harness and collar
• Aviary for small dogs
• Clicker for training (optional)