Yorkshire Terrier Training

Indoor Training

A puppy will want to relieve himself about half dozen times a day and it is up to you to specify where and when he should do that. Housebreaking should begin the moment you bring your Yorkie puppy home.

Ideally, puppies should be taken outdoors after meals. The period after the meal is the most natural and appropriate time. When he eliminates, he should be praised and this will increase the likelyhood of the same thing happening after every meal. Use the same area each time you take your Yorkie outdoors.

Indoors, sheets of newspapers should be used to cover the specific area where your Yorkie should relieve himself. These should be placed some distance away from his sleeping and feeding area, as a puppy will not relieve himself where he eats. When the newspapers are changed, the bottom papers should be placed on top of the new ones in order to evoke the purpose of the papers by scent as well as by sight.

When you first bring your Yorkie puppy to your home, it is recommended to limit the puppy to one room - in this way you will be able to prevent him from leaving his "signature" on the furniture.

You must be patient and understanding while training your Yorkie puppy. Never rub his nose in his excreta, never punish him with a rolled-up newspaper. Never hit a puppy with your hand. He will become "hand-shy" and learn to fear you and newspapers. Most puppies are eager to please. Praise and reward will produce better results than any scolding or physical punishments. Remember that the reason a dog has housebreaking or behavioral problems is because his owner has allowed them to develop. It is very important that you be consistent in your demands - you cannot feed your Yorkshire Terrier puppy from the dining table one day and then punish him when he begs food from you.

Outdoor Training

Like housebreaking training, training should begin as soon as the puppy enters the house. The formal training sessions should be short but frequent, for example, 10-15 minutes three times a day. It's a good idea to have these sessions before the puppy's meal.

Your puppy should become used to a collar and leash as soon as possible. If he is very young, a thin, choke-chain collar could be used, but you will need a larger and heavier one when he is a little older. Let the puppy wear his collar until he is used to how it feels. He might resist your attempts to lead him or simply sit down and refuse to move. Fight him for a few moments, tugging on the leash, if necessary, then let him relax for the day. Learning to obey might take a few sessions.