It's Show Time! - Basic Training for Yorkshire Terriers

Training for your yorkie is easy when you know how

When you bring a Teacup Yorkshire Terrier home you probably have in your mind a well behaved adult that will be a joy to your home.

Few people picture a dog that stubbornly sits on the chair and growls or snaps when told to move.

However, this can be the result without a solid program to teach training and manners.

The teacup Yorkshire Terrier as a rule are active breed and while they aren't as big as their Great Dane cousins they still need to be taught proper behavior in a human's world.

While this means accepting some behaviors that are dog behaviors it also means teaching them to survive in ours.

In doing this you give your teacup Yorkshire Terrier the gift of long term behavior that is a joy to have in the home.

Well behaved dogs are much more apt to find loving homes should something happen to you.

While praise is needed so is correction properly applied - if they never learn it's wrong they are apt to repeat it.

A good balance of praise and discipline is needed as well as clearly communicating and remembering a puppy's attention span is very short.

A teacup Yorkshire terrier's size makes him even more dependent on being a part of your "pack".

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Your Yorkshire Terrier breeder can advise you of training classes if you feel that is necessary, but never underestimate training at home.

Each day is a chance to teach your Teacup Yorkshire Terrier something new.

Be consistent in your training and make sure they understand clearly what you want and what you do not want.

Dogs don't need explanations.

"NO!" and being clear you are not pleased gets through to them.

If your Teacup Yorkshire Terrier pushes past you to get outside put him on a leash and make him wait - allowing you to go out first.

In a dog's world this is a dominance gesture,the boss goes first.

If you allow him to be boss you're setting him up to fail.

He's too small to be boss and it creates a downward spiral in which the dog loses.

Always make sure you are consistent with your training.

Telling him "no!" when he begs while another family member is sliding food to him under the table is certain to confuse him.

Your Yorkshire Terrier breeder can give you insight as to your puppy's place in the family order.

You must earn his respect.

You provide food, water and shelter but your body language communicates much to him.

Even as puppies their body language and silent communication is clear if we watch.

The submissive pup also needs careful handling - he may be timid and lack confidence.

At the puppy stage this can quickly be molded as he learns his place in the "pack" of your home.

Being consistent in training is important to balance the discipline with praise especially in a puppy.

They are a mental sponge, absorbing the world around them.

Being your leader for your Teacup Yorkshire Terrier is an important responsibility.

Do not reward with food, but rather with a toy or other reward.

Remember to a puppy play is a big motivator.

When he's had a good day get down on the floor and play with him.

Teach him "come" and other simple commands as a part of play and it's a *fun* thing to learn with you.

Furthermore, rewarding with food can result in excess food intake, which can lead to obesity and shorten the life of your teacupYorkshire terrier.

Having a healthy puppy with good manners and training leads to having a happy, well-adjusted adult teacup Yorkshire Terrier that is a true part of the home.

Your teacup Yorkshire Terrier is still a dog underneath that cute exterior.

They displease their leader and they are submissive so they are not banished from the 'pack', but the concept of being "sorry" or regret isn't something that dogs dwell on.

Your teacup Yorkshire Terrier needs a leader and someone to teach them how to adapt to our world.

As humans we must try to understand their world and help them adapt to ours, while "speaking a different language".

When we clearly teach them to survive in our world we help them be a well adjusted, well trained adult dog that is a joy to be around.

I will be back with some more tips soon.

All the best.

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