Yorkshire terriers can be quite dour when you are trying to educate them.  My Yorkie does not listen and can become quite mutinous when I’m working with her.  I formerly owned a Yorkie and had the same issue.  This time around I have learned more about Yorkshire terriers and dogs generally and I would like to share what I’ve learned.  Here are 7 pointers on how to train your Yorkshire terrier. 

1. Work with your dog each day.  Yorkers have a short memory and attention span, similar to that of a tiny child.  If you skip a day of training she’ll forget what she has already learned. 

2. Use treats as a reward when your Yorkie does what you are trying to teach her to do.  That way she’ll know what is anticipated of her and be inspired to please you. 

3. Speak in a firm tone when reprimanding her.  She will know by the tone of your voice that she has done something that is not satisfactory. 

4. Allow for masses of playtime between training sessions.  Your Yorkie will learn quicker if she is allowed to stretch her legs and play in between sessions. 

5. Train your Yorkie when it is just the 2 of you.  Other folks or animals are way too much of a diversion.  Permit her to focus on you and your voice. 

6. Teach just one command at a time.  Wait till she has mastered a command utterly before beginning to teach her a new one. 

7. Use the same exact wording for each command you teach.  If you want your Yorkie to sit, then only use the word sit.  If you are saying sit down or anything more she will become confused and not know what to do.  Think back to when you were making an attempt to learn a new language.  One word can change the meaning of a sentence and you could have difficulty working out what’s the correct way to say something.  It’s the same for your Yorkie.  She is going to try to work out what you want, so keep it simple with one word or a short phrase. 

If you follow these seven tips your Yorkie will learn as many commands as you wish to teach her.  If you want to find out more about the right way to train your Yorkie or other tiny breed dogs it’s a good idea to ask others for help.

Go to my Advanced Dog Training blog get more articles on TRAINING YOUR LABRADOR RETRIEVER.