Over the  past decade, science has given us a lot of new insights into our dog’s behavior. Because of this, an increasing number of pet owners are starting to realize that looking after a dog’s well-being goes beyond just meeting his physical needs.

We now know that dogs have particular emotional needs that must also be fulfilled. Otherwise, stress and anxiety can set in, which will eventually lead to a host of behavior problems that will put a strain on your relationship with your teacup Yorkie.

Very often, when you are unhappy with your teacup Yorkie’s behavior, your first impulse is to provide him with obedience training. While this may be the right way to go, it is only half of the solution. Training, as excellent trainers will tell you, is not a tool imposing will on your teacup Yorkie, but rather, a way of teaching him.

You teach your pet what your words mean so that you can communicate what teacup Yorkie behaviors are appropriate in the various human situations that they will encounter throughout their lives as companion animals. But what about teacup Yorkie wants to tell you?

Communication, after all, is a two-way street. As social beings, dogs also have the need to communicate back to their human companions. They need to tell us they’re afraid, unsure or uncomfortable in certain situations. If they are stressing over something, good owners will recognize it soon enough and provide them with relief from that stress.

Otherwise, the dogs themselves will have to find some way – any way they can – to get themselves out of that situation.

What most people don’t know is that dogs try to communicate back to us and that they’re doing it all the time – they communicate when they are conflicted and when they are elated. The problem is more more often than not, we are not watching.

Because teacup Yorkies do not have the facility of the spoken language, they communicate to us and to each other visually, through body language. So when we are trying to figure out what they are telling us, it would be best to start reading what our canine companions are signaling.

If we are to raise better dogs, and if we are to become effective teachers to our dogs – it is essential that we learn to understand their body language.

Yorkies are highly energetic, intelligent dogs. Left unchecked, these characteristics could lead the Yorkie charging down the wrong behavioral path. Properly channeled, these same traits can help produce a well-mannered, enthusiastic, reliable companion.

When he is quite young, a dog learns his first lessons on manners from his mother. The mother is the undisputed leader and maintains her position by swift discipline whenever a puppy gets out of line. Imagine a Yorkie mother that admonishes her young by using a progression of techniques, starting with low, guttural growls, then – if needed – a swat of the paw, and a quick shake of the offender’s neck. This is true of many dogs and about Yorkies’ primal instincts, when aroused.

Rarely is any further action required. The mother reacts fairly, unemotionally, and consistently, and the puppies respect her authority. She is the boss – the ‘alpha figure’. (Again, this fact isn’t solely  about Yorkies – this about all canines for you to have better understanding of who they really are as dogs – like any other breed.)

This pattern of discipline traces back to earliest times when dogs roamed in packs. From the pack, one leader emerged; all other pack members then assumed various ranks behind the leader. The leader’s authority would occasionally be challenged by the underlings, many of whom competed for independence and power.

Even today, every Yorkie (and other dogs) assumes it is ‘top dog’ until proven otherwise. A leader must clearly show any upstart by swift reprimand that its place is not at the head of the pack. Once all pack members submit to the leader’s authority, they follow and cooperate fully.

This heritage of pack behavior is still significant today and must be dealt with in your Yorkie’s training. You must take over the leadership position vacated by the puppy’s mother by becoming the new alpha figure.

Your Yorkie must also be taught to be respectful of all humans, not only the alpha. While this might sound harsh, it really isn’t. The owner must simply  learn to discipline the dog in a manner it understands and respects. Screaming, brutalizing, whining or pleading will not make your Yorkie feel compelled to respond – a worthy leader does not act that way.

A leader corrects every misdeed immediately, firmly, fairly, and consistently. Letting some misdeeds go uncorrected will undermine a leader’s authority.

There is a distinct disadvantage to having dogs on your sofa or bed: hairs that can irritate human skin impregnate the upholstery and sheets, and dirty paw marks soil the clean material.

Additionally, if your yorkie is allowed up on furniture at your home, he will take the same privilege when visiting in another person’s home.

Sharing your bed with a dog can be especially exasperating. Unfortunately, small dogs like Yorkshire terriers don’t believe that a pillow is only a human headrest – for them it makes a perfect bed.

Dogs that burrow know that the warmest spot is under the blanket, and work their way through until they get there. Other dogs try to scrape out and dig out a hollow in sheets to sleep in – a task in which they sometimes succeed.

Snugglers keep close enough to feel your presence, making it hard for you to roll over. Nightwalkers make brief trips to check out that the house is secure from intruders, and often take their shortcuts across you.

Some people don’t want a dog on the furniture at all; others let their pets up on everything. Most people are divided in their feelings, however.

They don’t mind their dogs going up on a certain chair or sofa, but have special items they don’t want their pets to soil.

Some people even have specific parts of a piece of furniture they don’t mind their pets on. For example, the foot of the bed is fine, but the pillow is not.

When correcting your yorkie, you must be absolutely consistent. If something is permitted one day, your yorkie naturally assumes it is all right to do it again. You can’t scold him one day for doing or not doing something, and the next ignore the very same action.

A yorkie that understands what is and is not allowed is happier and more secure.

It doesn’t take long for a bad habit to develop. Therefore, be firm over not allowing him to lie on chairs and beds. These traits might not seem offensive at the outset, but they will eventually.

Don’t let your yorkie do things that you don’t want to continue. If you are not firm and consistent, most dogs are smart enough to take advantage of you.

Start teaching your yorkie to stay away at certain spots in the furniture, and when he does a good job, praise him for doing so.

The housebreaking method can be a long and dreary one. Many Yorkie Terrier breeders and owners choose to crate train their puppies as this is the most effective way to housebreak a Yorkie.

Generally, puppies always take about a half year to get accustomed to the housebreaking rules and Yorkies, being willful, may take a little while. An excellent location to begin would be to set off a puppy area that is meant for the Yorkie puppy when you are not at home.

In how to housebreak a Yorkie, having a room or area in your home will save you from many other housebreaking problems. The way to housebreak a new Yorkie puppy is to avoid sudden accidents such as eliminating on the carpet, in your room, etc. Many breeders and owners state that constant supervision is the key and staying in tune with your puppy’s habits are also important.

This technique begins by keeping a schedule where your Yorkie puppy is permitted specific time to go out to relieve itself or simply head itself to the bathroom in the crate. You must pick one and go with it – this is where you encourage and positively support your Yorkie puppy to do something proper.

You will want to give and praise your Yorkie puppy when he proceeds to the bathroom in the exact place and simply say a firm “No!” when your pup instead goes to the other bathroom in your home. On the other hand, the crate is a big part of the housebreaking technique. The Yorkie puppy will not relieve itself in the crate if it is the main resting place.

This being said, you must know that your puppy will also have to go outside as soon as it wakes up, and also right after taking meals. Also, if you hear your Yorkie puppy crying in its crate, this will mean that the pup may need to eliminate outside the house. It s important to note that Yorkie pups must be trained to take a pee every now and then, because they cannot hold their bladder for that long yet.

Very often they will need to go outside during the night, so be prepared for this. Consistency is also important, as is repetition – so they will remember. You must not resort to using harsh methods to correct your Yorkie puppy if it did a mistake, as it will only develop fear and stress.

In learning how to housebreak a Yorkie puppy, the crate training is very much recommended by Yorkie breeders, as this training process is the safe one the puppy will proceed to, even when you are not there for the puppy.

Cars play a large part in the way we live today. If your yorkie is to accompany you whenever necessary, you must make sure that it looks upon a car journey as something to be enjoyed.

Start while your yorkie is young. Allowing him to become familiar with the car while it is stationary and putting the yorkie’s own blanket or favorite toy in the car can help overcome any nervousness.

Once he accepts being in the car, make a short journey every day so that he gets used to the motion.

It can also be helpful to take a passenger who, by talking to or holding the puppy, can help instill confidence. As with any kind of training – repetition is always the key and in no time at all you should be able to take the yorkie puppy with you wherever you travel.

There are several cautions to take note of when driving with your yorkie:

Never force the yorkie – he will learn in his own good time to accept the car.

The yorkie should always have a designated part of the car –never on the front seat. The rear compartment of a hatch-back or estate car is ideal, as the yorkie can be prevented from leaping to the front and possibly causing an accident.

The best methods of restraint are a dog cage, a dog guard, or a harness.

Take your yokie for a walk before starting a journey.

Do not allow your yorkie to sit with its head out of the window. This can be very dangerous and can lead to all sorts of problems, especially with his eyes.

Do not give food or water immediately before a journey to reduce the chances of travel sickness.

Take a bottle of water and your yorkie’s water bowl if you are going on a long journey.

Do not leave your yorkie in a parked care even when the sun is only moderate. Even with a window open, the temperature inside the car can quickly rise to an intolerable level and it is unlikely that the yorkie will survive.

On a long journey, do not forget that just as you need to stop now and again, so your yorkie will need to stretch its legs.

Finally – make sure that when you open the car door, you get out first, and not the dog. Always remember that a secure dog is a safe dog.

Punishment of a yorkie terrier that has misbehaved should never be physical.

You can achieve far more by approaching the yorkie on a psychological front than you ever will through violence.

A dog naturally tries to please his master, and your expression of displeasure will usually be more than enough to make it feel chastised. It is no good, however, chastising the yorkie after the event. It must be carried out at the time, for how else is the yorkie to understand what it has done wrong?

For example, suppose your yorkie does not return to your side immediately but only on the second or third time of calling. If you tell it off, the yorkie’s reasoning says, “Why should I go back there when I only get told off?”

Instead, it should be praised. The secret to an enjoyable and smooth-running relationship is to think “dog”.

On the other hand, observing your yorkie’s body language gives valuable clues to how it is feeling and what course of action it is likely to take next.

Aggression shows in a tall stance with the tail erect – The yorkie is trying to make himself look as big as possible. If the hackles, the bristling hairs along the neck and back rise, the lips curl and the yorkie start to snarl, it is going to attack.

Fear shows in a low, cringing posture, with the ears flat against the head and the tail tucked under the body.

Submission is indicated by rolling on the back to expose the vulnerable abdomen. Usually one hind leg is slightly raised. This posture is often seen in puppies, which use it to tell adult, canine strangers that they are only babies!

There is very little that will annoy your neighbors more than a yorkie’s incessant barking, particularly when there is no apparent reason for it. Persistent training will soon teach the yorkie to speak on command with a consequent improvement in neighbor relations.

‘Table manners’ are sadly lacking in many of today’s dogs. Te easy solution is not to start feeding table scraps in the first place. As soon as the yorkie begs at the table – chastise it sharply (with your voice, and take it back o its bed.

Finally, let us not forget that yorkie owners have bad habits, too. Allowing your yorkie to foul in a public place and then not poop-scooping must be one of the worst.

There are very, very few born trainers, and those few ill not need any training book in order to be an expert in yorkie training.

The natural yorkie trainer is gifted with the power at birth. He will be able to teach any animal without resorting to rules which must govern the actions of ordinary individuals, as he can go further.

He can break all rules; he can put the cart before the horse and the animal will draw it perfectly. He will teach an animal to perform any given exercise without seeming to take any trouble.

He will teach any dog to perform any given exercise without seeming to take any trouble; If you ask him how he managed it – he would not be able to tell you, because the power flows from him.

Strangely, it does not always follow that the gifted person is a great animal lover, and, conversely, an animal lover may not make a good trainer.

Quite apart from any special gift, there are many people who can never learn to train a dog. They try very hard, they are patient, not lose their temper, but even though they persevere, the yorkie is never trained.

In the end, they do more harm than good, and it would be better if they stop trying and either send the yorkie to be trained by someone else.

As a rule, it is the trainer who is to blame for failure, but of course, there are yorkies that cannot be trained. A reasonable and intelligent adult yorkie can be taught what is known as police training by which it means the exercises performed in obedience classes, which are seen at most dog shows.

There are also Working Trials at which various dog breeds of dogs can compete.

To teach your yorkie successfully, you must know at what you are aiming. It is hopeless to collect a number of exercises which you intend to teach your yorkie without realizing in what way they will be useful and why they exist.

All the exercises used in Trials’ schedules are not useful, and some are calculated to intimidate and depress a dog – and you will be wise to omit them.

Remember that dogs have their good and bad days, just like humans. If this happens – cut short the lesson as soon as your yorkie has obeyed your order.

Over the years, the benefits of owning a yorkie to the health and well being of an individual have been a subject of extensive study. It is a good way of reducing stress and depression. Here we will develop an understanding of what pet yorkies can do for your health and well being. (more…)

Hold a thick, straight stick or broom handle in your right hand. Put your yorkie on a leash and hold it with your left hand.

With your yorkie by your side, position the stick squarely in front of him, about a foot or so off the ground. Jam the other end against a tree or wall to be sure it remains perfectly steady and completely level. Give the command ‘jump’.

If he does, praise him profusely. Chances are he won’t, however. Jerk your dog over with your left hand, saying ‘jump’ as he is actually going over. Slacken the leash as soon as he lands, so he isn’t made uncomfortable.

Then when he obeys in one direction, turn around and do it in the opposite. This exercise will teach your yorkie that when you say ‘jump’, you mean exactly that – even if there us a way for him to go underneath.

Once your yorkie jumps readily, you will be able to try it without putting on a leash. But for now, just hold the stick level, while at the same time giving a jerk on the leash and saying ‘jump’. This should trick him into going over alone.

As your yorkie becomes accustomed to jumping, gradually raise the stick higher. When you are sure of your dog, remove the leash and work him without one. Soon you will be able to substitute other jumping objects and simply be able to thrust out an arm or leg, tell your yorkie to jump, and have him sail over it.

When finished with this training, he will also jump over bar hurdles, and not duck under them.

Many dogs may be reluctant when first working this command, so go slowly – he will soon learn it’s just another object to be jumped. If your yorkie thinks that the stick is a toy and tries to grab it with his mouth, don’t jerk it away, as this will only encourage him to play.

Keep him on a taut leash. Hold the stick and tap the side the side of his muzzle so he is forced to take his mouth away.

If your yorkie knows the command but is lazy and refuses to jump clearly, he needs correcting and reworking. To make him pick up his feet more quickly, tap him on the front legs with the stick.

It’s really spectacular when you point to a barrier, tell your yorkie to jump, and have him take off and soar over it. But before you can have your pet jumping, he has to be already trained in basic obedience.

Any form of jumping you want your yorkie to do requires a certain amount of control, especially since all jumping eventually needs distance control.

Even the command signal is the same for all. Combine the word ‘jump’ with the signal of pointing your hand toward the object or barrier to be hurdled. This holds true for jumping across a stream, over a fence, or through a car window.

The signal remains constant unless you want to add an across, up, or through the command. Teach the jump exercises in the given sequence: that way, they are most readily understandable and thus, the easiest to teach.

Jumping over a solid hurdle is the best type of jumping to start your yorkie off with; it is also the most common type of jumping and the one lost people want their pets to do. Once your yorkie learns the basis, they can be generalized to other jumps.

For your yorkie’s first jumping hurdle, place a six- to twelve-inch board between two rooms in your home. This will give your pet two definite goals: jumping over the hurdle and passing through the doorway.

If you have trained him to go and leave the room, it will be a familiar action. Work in a carpeted area.

Make sure the board is well-secured, and even pad the top of it. These few precautions will ensure that your yorkie will not hurt himself in his initial jumps, thereby refusing to jump in the future.

To start his training, put the leash on your yorkie. Stand in front of the hurdle, point your arm toward it, and say ‘jump’. Then walk briskly toward the board with your yorkie, and step over it. He will probably jump over it after you; when he does so, say ‘jump’.

But if he doesn’t, pull him over the board. Let go of the pressure as he is coming over. When the yorkie is actually on the way over, say ‘jump’ again to make sure he connects the action with the word and understands what it means.

When your yorkie is over the hurdle, praise him. Continue for a couple of minutes then give him a treat, lots of praise, and release him.

Paper training is not a temporary procedure to be used as a stopgap until your yorkie gets all his inoculations and can go outside.

It is for dogs that are always intended to relieve themselves on paper in the house. Before embarking on this method, be sure you are going to want your yorkie to consistently urinate and defecate on paper, in your home.

Since squatting is a normal urinating stance for yorkies of both gender that are castrated early in life, you can paper train them without worry as it is a method best suited to smaller dogs.

However, male yorkies can be a bit of a problem in paper training because of their pattern of leg lifting. Castration may inhibit this behavior, but only if performed before leg lifting begins, at about six months.

A timid yorkie, or one subordinate to a very dominant male, may develop leg lifting later, but it will always happen except in rare cases. Therefore, be sure your yorkie is a good candidate for the paper training method.

You should realize that even with your yorkie going on paper, you are going to have a mess in the house. Additionally, all dogs need to go outside for exercise. You cannot completely cut your yorkie off from the pleasures of the outdoors with its exposure to interesting sights, sounds, smells, experiences, and companions.

However, paper training for the right candidate does leave you free not to have to walk your yorkie, and allows your schedule to remain flexible.

If you are sure it is the procedure you want, select a well-ventilated corner that you want him to use. Your yorkie’s permanent toilet area should be well away from his confinement spot and where he is fed, since no animal likes to relieve himself close to where he eats and sleeps.

Place several layers of newspaper on the floor to cover only a very small area, or a box filled with appropriate absorbent material like kitty litter will do.

Forget the old-fashioned method of leaving paper down all over the bathroom with the dog locked in and given unlimited availability. A dog will never really never learn this way.

As your yorkie becomes accustomed to relieving himself on the paper, gradually reduce the area of paper covers until there is only the equivalent of a single sheet. Do be sure it is still at least several layers thick for absorbency.

Off-the-leash training – probably the ultimate dream of most dog owners – is basically a logical extension of all the other commands.

Your yorkie is eligible for this work only when he is perfect in basic obedience. Don’t be too anxious to get him working off the leash because if he’s not properly prepared, you’ll have nothing but problems.

Since your yorkie should behave off the leash as well as he would on one, be absolutely sure he is ready by giving a review of all the basic obedience work. Run him through coming when called, sit-stay, lie down-stay, and walking on a leash.

Be sure he thoroughly understand both voice and hand commands. If he is really good at the basics, you can go on to give him a taste of freedom.

When free, your yorkie should walk close by your side and not wander. Only when you give him permission should he go farther away from you and relax to do as he wants.

If, however, you send him out to perform certain obedience tasks, he should do so immediately and return when asked.

Before trusting your yorkie where there are no restrictions, practice first inside or in an enclosed area. When he sees grass and smells odors, he will be tempted not to do any work. Therefore, acclimatize him to obeying where you have complete control.

Proficiency at walking by your side on an extremely slack leash is the best way to be sure he is ready for this part of training. Simply drop the leash on the ground and let it drag along. This gives your yorkie the illusion of freedom, but still leaves you a means of control.

The moment he gets out of line, grab or step on the dragging leash so that he is snapped backward.

Be very definite. Correct him promptly and bring him back when he is even slightly out of place. To let your yorkie free without a leash outside, you have to establish definite control.

Be especially insistent at this point in the training to ensure that he will always be in the correct position by your side. Later, when he is reliable, you don’t have to be quite so emphatic.

To make sure he is perfect before removing the leash, go through the step-by-step sequence you used to teach him to walk on a leash by your side: first walk a few steps backward; stop and start suddenly.

Once your yorkie listens instantly on the leash, remove it and work without one. If he knows the command, follow procedures that allow him to demonstrate his knowledge.

Put your yorkie by your side and place him in a sit position. Give the voice and hand signals for him to lie down. If he doesn’t obey, try raising your foot up as if you are going to put pressure on an imaginary leash.

The yorkie may respond to that reminder. If he doesn’t, simply lean over and push him down. Repeat this several times until he understands that the command applies with or without a leash.

Be thoroughly insistent, because if your yorkie doesn’t obey when you’re right on top of him, he isn’t going to listen from a distance.

If you’re sure the dog understands the command and yet refuses to obey, push him down with more force or even slap him down if need be – don’t tolerate stubbornness.

Any attempt your yorkie makes to run off should be stopped immediately. Go get him, give him a slap, and bring him back to repeat the command. If he’s really incorrigible, out on his leash but don’t hold it.

Let it drag on the ground so that you can easily grab or step on it if he makes any moves in the wrong direction. The moment he starts off, throwing something right at or in front of him may also get him to reassume his position.

After your yorkie is obeying the command without a leash, you have to teach him to obey at a distance. Don’t try to do this by immediately crossing to the other side of the room and telling him to lie down. Chances are, he probably won’t listen.

Start off by giving the command when you’re only a few feet away, and gradually build up the distance. First put the leash back on your yorkie and make him sit by your side. Then hold the leash and walk a couple of feet away from him.

Drop it on the floor but make sure it’s within easy reach if he starts to run off. Command your yorkie to lie down. If he starts to run off, quickly pick up the leash or step on it lightly. This will keep him in place and may even be enough of an incentive to get him to obey.

And if he does obey, don’t forget to praise him.

If you already have your dos and don’ts list prepared, decide also where you want and don’t want him to be in your home. To start teaching your yorkie what you don’t want him to do, go through a watchful session with him.

Giving your yorkie rules during this session will make for a happier, more secure pet. Once he knows what is expected of him and what he can and cannot do, your yorkie will feel more at ease.

This initial training will serve to start him off as a good member of your house. This session shouldn’t take more than ten to fifteen minutes. You should have only two during the first day or so, being sure to keep them well separated from any positive lessons like the sit, stay, and so forth.

Take the leash off your yorkie and allow him to wander around but don’t take your eyes off him. If he does something wrong, make it clear that you don’t want him to continue.

A negative, unpleasant action is the only thing that will discourage your dog. Petting your yorkie and explaining why misbehavior is unwanted will have no effect.

If your yorkie looks ready to climb on the furniture, tell him to get down and give him a little tap. Stop any mad running around immediately. Since the yorkie will usually sniff and then lick before he starts to chew, try to catch him in the sniffling-and-licking stage.

Sit with a little magazine nearby and if he goes over to nuzzle the plants or furniture, throw the magazine at or near him and say nothing.

When correcting your yorkie for a misdeed, it is best to catch him in the act. Generally, a dog can only associate the activity of the moment with the correction. However, no matter whether your dog is caught in the act or not, you must correct your yorkie every time he makes a mistake – even if you discover it a few hours later.

If you do have to punish your dog after the fact, always be sure he understands WHY the punishment is being given.

Your yorkie must make the association between the unpleasant reprimand and his evil deed. If there is a separation of time between the misbehavior and the punishment, your yorkie may become confused.

Learning this command could save your yorkie’s life by allowing you to stop him before he starts out across the street in the face of an oncoming automobile.

Along with ‘come’, this command assures complete control over your yorkie. However, it may tend to slow down a dog in responding to the ‘come’ command. A properly trained yorkie probably won’t slow down too much, but some shyer dogs may not react well to this command.

Therefore, don’t make a practice of stopping your yorkie every time he is called, nor in the same place. If you do, your yorkie may anticipate the order and automatically slow up, waiting for you to tell him to stop.

In order for a dog to learn to stop moving when told, he must know the ‘stay’ command thoroughly. Once you have halted him, you may also want your yorkie to sit and lie down and stay, so he should have learned the sit and lie down commands.

Only when he does can you teach him ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’. Be sure to work inside or in an enclosed area at first so as to have control.

Place your yorkie in a sit-stay position and walk away a short distance. Call him to you. When he comes halfway, step forward quickly and push both hands toward him as if you were a policeman stopping oncoming traffic, and say ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’.

If he stops, quickly tell him to stay.

If your yorkie ignores the command continues to come forward, run toward him and physically stop him. If he shows no response, the next time you call your dog, tell him ‘stop’ or ‘whoa’ and then throw a chain or leash on the ground just in front of him.

Then repeat the command and signal. A loud stamp with the foot or throwing a heavy book or magazine with a thud in front of him might also help. Startling your yorkie this way should make him stop short.

Once your yorkie stops when asked, you have to teach him to respond to the next command you issue from a distance. Immediately after you stop him in his tracks, tell him to sit or lie down. When he obeys this, tell him to stay in that position.

Keep him there for a short while until you release him. Or call him to you as your next command.

It will be easier for the yorkie to learn to roll over if he already knows how to lie down on command.

You must be careful your yorkie doesn’t confuse this roll-over exercise with the lie down. Therefore it’s better not to actually tell him to lie down; rather, place him in the down position and start to work from there. This will eliminate any connection in the commands.

Sit on the floor or in a chair to get close to your yorkie, with his head next to you. Take a treat and reach over, bringing it just in front of his nose. Gently bring the treat over his head and around to the other side so that the yorkie must follow the treat.

Your voice command is “roll over”, and your hand signal is making a circle toward the right. Later, a slight circular motion of your hand or finger, or just the words “roll over” will be sufficient.

Hold the treat just out of reach of his nose and tempt him with it, and as his nose moves to follow the smell so must his body.

If it doesn’t, gently help him along. When the yorkie finishes a complete roll, give him the treat. Repeat it going the other way. Then go back and forth a couple of times until the yorkie starts to roll.

If, instead of rolling over, the yorkie jumps back up to get the treat, hold him down with your other hand to help him roll over. Just don’t let him get up and go the other way. You want him to roll; eventually he will.

When he does it, don’t ruin everything by going through the exercise too often or he may well become bored and refuse to do it.

When he is doing this continually while you are seated, it’s time to try to see if he’ll do it while you’re standing. You may have to first put the leash on your yorkie until you’re sure he won’t take off. If you hold the treat above his head – away from his nose, he may tend to get up.

A long dowel stick can be helpful to keep him down and nudge him over.

Give the treat only when the yorkie completes the command. This way he will understand he will get his treat only when it is done.

Unfortunately, dogs are not always the perfect creatures we masters might like them to be. A pet-dominated family can be miserable, and any dog can become a household terror.

No one wants a dog that chews up your antique armoire or your favorite shoes. And if you don’t want to train your dog, you can make enemies.

If your yorkie misbehaves, you may blame him, but everyone else will blame you.

When a yorkie is taken into your home, he must be taught to respect the rights and feelings of the humans he associates with. He has to learn he can’t rip up the house, bully everyone into a corner, or annoy your friends.

Not everyone is crazy about animals, and so he has to be trained not to dig up your neighbors’ lawns or chase their cars. Barking is not fair to neighbors, nor are piles of feces on the floor when visitors arrive, nor are attacks on postal employees or delivery persons.

Guests don’t want to be jumped on by a noisy dog; car chasing can be dangerous to everyone, and dogs jumping around in a car are equally dangerous. You have to keep your yorkie on your own property, and when he is left alone there, he should be reliable.

People complain that their dog barks endlessly, chews the rug, or snaps at their mothers-in-law. Before the dog will stop such upsetting, destructive behavior, he has to associate something unpleasant with that activity.

But when negative training is explained, “I couldn’t be cruel to an animal!” is often the response.

These same people, however, do not hesitate to request that you find a new home for their animal or a place where they can leave him – even if the final result is the yorkie being put to sleep.

It is really kinder to train your yorkie with a little bit of preventive medicine.

All dogs have the potential to develop bad habits, and unfortunately, some of the natural tendencies and basic instincts – which can be very undesirable under the restricted conditions of urban life – can also be difficult to inhibit.

Once you let a lot of problems build up, you will really have your work cut out for you. Therefore, starting off on the right foot is important to you, as well as to your yorkie.

Depending on how this trick is executed by both yorkie and owner, it can be an amusing performance – or simply look as though your yorkie is lying asleep on his side or back.

To be effective, your yorkie must assume the correct position promptly and express the appropriate body attitude. A good basis for this – perhaps even a prerequisite – is for your yorkie to know to lie down and stay (when told to do so) until given his special release word.

This trick is simply an extension of that command. Be careful your dog doesn’t confuse the signal with the circular one used for rolling over. In fact, your voice command of “bang” or “play dead” is a major source of the amusement in this trick!

To teach your yorkie to lie on his side and play dead, stand over him and make him lie down without commanding it. Issue the voice and hand commands by saying “play dead” and giving a semicircular motion with your hand.

Then physically turn your yorkie onto his side and hold his muzzle flat on the floor in a suitable “dead” fashion. When the dog relaxes and stays for a few moments without struggling, release him with his special release word, then praise and treat him.

Repeat this several times until your yorkie has some concept of what it means. Gradually increase the length of time you hold him in his “dead” position.

For playing dead lying back, start out as if going to make your yorkie roll over.  Use the commands for “play dead” and a procedure similar to the tempting one used to teach “roll over”. Here, however, stop the yorkie once he is halfway over and resting on his back.

Sit down on the floor or in a chair and make your yorkie assume a “lie down” position with his head near you. Hold your hand with his its tidbit of food just in front of his nose and give the signal for him to play dead.

Then move your hand in back of your yorkie’s head so that he follows the tidbit with his nose. His body should naturally follow as his head comes around, but if it doesn’t, help him.

When he is on his back, hold him in place for a few seconds by holding him physically, using the “stay” command. When he is doing it, give him a treat and then release him with his special word.

To eliminate confusion in paper training your yorkie at an early age, it is especially important for the location of the paper to remain constant.

Change the paper regularly. But when first training, leave a small amount of the soiled paper as a reminder to draw your pet to it.

Later, the paper and its replacement alone will act as a trigger without the aid of a urine smell. Don’t leave newspaper down anywhere except in your yorkie puppy’s permanent toilet area.

If you do, it might be a temptation for him to go elsewhere. In fact, you’ll have to keep the puppy’s toilet area clean if you want him to use it.

Though animals return to an area where there is a smell, your yorkie puppy will not wade onto filthy, soggy paper; nor will he go into a filthy box. Instead, he will probably go onto a substitute such as your carpeting, or at least opt for right next to the paper.

Then he will go farther and farther away until his toilet area extends throughout your entire home.

To teach your yorkie puppy to go on the paper, take him over to it frequently: right after eating, playing, training, or whenever you see him acting restless. These are the things when he is most likely to want to go, so be especially diligent about getting him to the paper then.

Put him on the paper several other set times each day to assure him that he has plenty of opportunities to relieve himself.

On these occasions you can use the match suppositories to get him to defecate, and this will make him connect the paper with the action of relieving himself.

One or two hours may be all that some very young pups can hold out. Therefore, when you see your yorkie pup getting restless while confined – or sniffling, circling, or squatting when free under your observation – pick him up quickly and set him on the paper.

When he does what you want, praise him and reward him with some freedom. Make a fuss over things done right to let the yorkie puppy know he is being good. Dogs want to please, so let them know they have at every opportunity.

As your yorkie puppy progresses in the training, give him more freedom and more of an opportunity to do the right thing.

With crate training accomplished, you can start housetraining your yorkie puppy in earnest. The basis of this is scheduling. (more…)

Paper training is another means of making sure your yorkie puppy relieves himself in the appropriate place. (more…)

The absolute fundamentals of leash training your yorkie to walk with you are to get him to move out when you do, stay by your side when you walk straight ahead, and come to a halt when you stop. (more…)

Once in the ‘lie down’ position, some dogs try to creep forward on all fours. If this happens, move toward your yorkie or walk toward him up the leash. (more…)

If you don’t want your yorkie to stay glued by your side, indicate that he is free to wander off a little. Give him his release word and signal. Say ‘OK’ and wave him off, giving him a nudge to let him know he’s free. (more…)

Even a dog that isn’t trained to retrieve can use these commands. It makes a great trick to have your yorkie carry a magazine, newspaper, or small brown shopping bag. (more…)

The ‘sit’ command is probably the easiest of all the commands to teach, since it’s natural, comfortable position for your yorkie to assume. (more…)

In training a yorkie to come when called, you could theoretically train him to come to you on any signal – a whistle is a perfect example.

To do this, however, he first has to be trained to respond to the word command ‘come’. After that, you can set up all sorts of secondary signals, simply by giving the sound or signal, following it immediately by saying ‘come’.

Then eventually eliminate the word ‘come’ and just give the secondary signal.

Thus, to teach your yorkie to respond to a whistle once the he knows the command ‘come’, give a blast on your whistle, call your yorkie, and make the signal. Soon he should respond when you give a blast on the whistle alone.

You can train him to respond to a particular whistle, or to the generalized sound of any whistle. You can even teach him to respond to a silent whistle, since a dog’s hearing is so excellent that he can hear higher and fainter sounds than we can.

If your yorkie is rewarded only when he responds to a certain whistle, he’ll soon discriminate and react only to the one that is exclusively his’. The problem with training to a specific whistle is that if you lose that one whistle, you might get stuck with a dog that won’t know how or when to return to you.

You will then have to start over and recondition him to a new sound. This idea of teaching your yorkie to respond to generalized stimuli can be extended to any sound or signal, but it is usually best to stick to the standard ones.

Choosing an exotic or ambiguous one can lead to confusion.

When their dogs come after being called, some people want them to sit, lie down, or stand in front of them or at their sides in a heel position. These refinements can easily be added – after your yorkie learns these other commands.

For now, when the yorkie comes to you, simply reach out to hold, place, and praise him exactly where and in what position you want him to stay. He’ll soon learn that’s where he is to be.

Test your yorkie’s proficiency in the command by gradually increasing the distance from which you can call him. Additionally, try him out when he’s involved in other activities and least expects it – but demand obedience.

Keep each stationary command separate so that your yorkie doesn’t mix them up, or when you say ‘sit’, he may lie down – and vice-versa. (more…)

Start the training in the house to make sure your yorkie has some idea of what it is all about before being transferred outside, where the sights and sounds are extremely distracting. (more…)

Learning good leash manners is a must. Even if you don’t plan on using one, you cannot teach your yorkie to walk without a leash unless you first teach him to walk correctly on one. (more…)

When given this command, your yorkie will remain standing rather than flopping into the more relaxed sitting or lying down positions.

Often, when walking your yorkie, you don’t want him to sit down every time you pause. Additionally, at times your dog will have to submit to being checked over by a stranger – such as a veterinarian or groomer – and not run off, wriggle around, or object nervously or viciously. (more…)

If your yorkie puppy halts at every spot to relieve himself, drifts ahead, lags behind, heels wide, lurches at passerby, bites at your arm, plays with the leash, attacks other dogs, pulls you through doors, or rushes ahead into elevators – he needs additional training work.

When your yorkie puppy wants to relieve himself, you should allow him to sniff around a little: that is normal pre-elimination behavior. Do not, however, allow him to sniff constantly and stop and urinate a few drops on everything. (more…)