They are cute

Yeah, You’re right, they are cute but that’s only half the story. I’m going to preface the rest of this post with the full disclosure that I had a Yorkie for 18 years. It went to college with me, and one summer went to all my classes with me in my backpack. I loved that dog a lot but, I too was unprepared for the other side of the breed. You really do need to know what you are getting into when you bring a Yorkie home.

In dog training everything comes in cycles, and for some reason this month I’ve gotten a ton of calls from clients, and potential clients, that have a new Yorkie puppy, and the calls all go like this:

“when will it be potty trained? This is driving me nuts!”

“When will it quit biting and nipping at me? THIS is driving me nuts”

“When will it stop BARKING at me? THIS IS DRIVING ME NUTS”

It’s almost the same drill with every call.

Well, Yorkies have a few bad traits to go along with their cuteness.

First, the majority of them take FOREVER to potty train. I’ve got some clients that have been working on this for 2 years diligently and still are not there. You’re going to need to be very patient and understand housebreaking is not generally going to happen like other breeds of dogs. These guys take longer…..a lot longer to come around to the idea of going outside.

Second, they mouth and nip a lot. Part of this is their energy level. Pound for pound Yorkies are some of the most energetic pups out there. In a lot of cases they are sort of like an amphetamine enhanced hairy bouncy ball but with really sharp teeth. Starting to work early with them to show them biting isn’t a good idea is essential. And, while I would love to give you a quick one off on how to fix this, the truth is that every puppy is different and we’ll need to approach the nipping issue individually according to each dogs personality.

So, once again, Get used to it. They are going to nip at you and the best we can hope to do is curb it somewhat.

Third, they bark. A lot. Enough said.
If you can’t handle this then you probably shouldn’t be thinking about a Yorkie.

Now, that was a downer kind of a post, and I’m sorry about that, but WAY to many people go out and grab one of these dogs thinking they are the perfect size and they are SO CUTE. But be ready for the other side of the coin, they are a ton of work. It’s not a bad idea to get your dog trainer lined up before you bring the puppy home as well. They can help you get a good start on all the work you’ll have to do to make these little guys a good household citizen.

all my best,

Steve Haynes
Austin Dog Trainer
Fidelio Dog Works
www.fideliodogblog.com