Are you considering adopting a Yorkie, or do you already have one? Training a Yorkie is going to be challenging, but it needn't be difficult. Yorkshire Terriers are an amazing breed of dogs who possess fantastic personalities and adorable looks.

While owning a Yorkie is easy, the more challenging part is to train it efficiently. Training a Yorkie is going to be just as difficult as training a child. This is because Yorkies are amazingly clever and, at the same time, frustratingly stubborn.

You won't be able to rush with it and you certainly can't lose your patience because if you do, it will take a lot more time to train your Yorkie. That said, they are also very willing to learn and can be really good students if treated properly.The key here is to have patience and to be consistent with it.

Training a Yorkie

Training a Yorkie will vary from one user to the other mainly because all Yorkies are different. They have their own characteristics and you as a trainer have to understand its specific personality traits and characteristics to be better able to train it.

First Be The Alpha

A good place to start training a Yorkie is by showing it that you are the authority. Some Yorkies have a dominating personality, so it's paramount that you convey the fact that you are the one in control to your dog. Exhibiting your dominance comes in handy when in the process of training the Yorkie.

You must set strict and clear boundaries about the things the dog is allowed to do and the things it can't do under any circumstance. Be consistent with your boundaries, otherwise your dog is bound to get confused. Also, always keep the training sessions brief as they have short attention spans.

Make your Yorkie respect you. When a dog respects you, it listens to you no matter what the situation.

Be Sure You Reward Good Behavior

Yorkies respond best to training when showered with positivity and rewards. So, don't hesitate to reward them every time they do something good. You can give it a treat or even positive words and gestures that will make it happy.

For instance, you can ask your puppy to sit in a place and then order it to "stay". If you walk away and the puppy continues to sit there, give it a reward for obeying your commands.

Socializing a Yorkie is a Must

While some Yorkies are very friendly and outgoing, others can be slightly more suspicious of their masters and everything in general. So, if you don't want your dog to become excessively suspicious and aggressive towards strangers, you should take it out more often. Let it socialize and familiarize itself to bizarre sights and sounds.

Train them Not to Bark

Some Yorkies bark excessively at the smallest of noises. To train them not to bark, you must stop them every time they bark without any valid reason. This will teach the dog as to when it's okay to bark and when it's not appropriate.

House Training Should Be a Priority

As a dog owner, the last thing you want to come home to is puddles and steamy piles. There are lots of ways you can potty train a Yorkie. If your puppy is the outgoing type, you can take it out for potty training. Keep in mind though, you must take it to the exact same spot every time until it realizes that this is the spot for to poop. You may also arrange a special dog litter box inside your house and train it to use it whenever nature calls.

Be Positive Patient and Consistent

The most important thing about training a Yorkie is to be positive, patient and consistent. They can be stubborn and it can be quite difficult to potty train them and stop them from barking. But following a strict house training schedule and being consistent with it can work wonders. Follow the steps I just mentioned and you'll have a well-mannered Yorkie in no time.