Behaviour Problems in Yorkshire Terrier (Yorki)

by FOTD
PicturePic - Yorki Rescue

These really are the most gorgeous little dogs and incredibly popular for good reason. They are cheeky, funny, very loving, adore their people, and according to canine psychologist Stanley Coren, they have above average intelligence, and are ranked the 34th cleverest dog, out of 138 qualifying breeds, especially their ability to understand human emotions and communicate effectively.

The more common behaviour problems seen are: -

  • Excessive Barking, which can really be very shrill.
  • Well known to be difficult to toilet train.
  • Can be very stubborn and like to do things their way.
  • Can exhibit aggressive behaviour, both towards people and other dogs.
  • Over attached to their owners
  • Can develop separation anxiety

As with most dogs, inappropriate behaviour is mostly a result of the owner not having the correct tools and knowledge to help this brilliant little dog, be a well-behaviour and balanced member of the family. Things that tend to occur, is that the dog is treated like a child, often picked up and carried around, especially when bigger dogs are nearby. All this serves to accomplish is that as the owner nervously picks up the dog – the nervousness is transferred to the dog, and it may well think that other dogs are to be feared. Additionally, by placing the Yorki much higher than the other dog, it is more likely to exhibit barking and reactive behaviour to the dog on the floor. The more this happens, the more it is reinforcing the behaviour you don’t want.

In fact, the more the owner engages in babying behaviour towards the dog (especially one that is already nervous), all this leads to is to reinforce the nervous/fearful behaviour and end up with a dog that will be trembling, barking when they see a strange sight or even a strange noise. This is not the way to end up with a balanced, confident little dog.

Putting in a foundation for a well behaved Yorki.

Bring into play all the exercises you learn at puppy school, and right from the beginning, decide what you will, and will not allow, and stick to this. With all dogs, consistency is so important, and no more so than with a Yorki, due to how clever they are.

Some ideas below  to prevent unacceptable behaviours: -

Does a Yorki need more than just being allowed to run around the home?

Just because they are small, does not mean they do not need exercise and mental stimulation. In the perfect world, a Yorki can get the majority of its exercise indoors and does not need a garden.  The trouble is that a Yorki can become far too hyped-up if the only exercise they get is running around the home, the this tends to lead to other behaviour concerns developing.

  • Do try to get your Yorki out for a daily walk – this does not need to be a couple of kilometres at all – simply by going to different areas and letting the Yorki sniff and smell to its hearts content, will supply so much physical and mental stimulation.
  • The one thing we would not suggest with a Yorki, is to let it off lead in an un-enclosed area. You may well find that your little Yorki gets totally engrossed in chasing a bird or a butterfly and take off – they are terriers after all! They also do not believe they are small dogs, and if a strange dog approached, they may well challenge them with their excited barking in a shrill tone, and trouble could ensue.
  • Stimulate the dogs nose by putting out scent trails, both inside the home and outside – scenting really does calm dogs down and is also very entertaining.
  • If the Growth Plates are fully formed, then do consider making a small, very low agility course, either around the home or outside. These are smart dogs and love to show off, run and have fun. To build your bond, you can bring in some basic obedience exercises, combined with the agility.
  • Mental games are an absolute must for this intelligent little dog. Just like us humans, dogs need to be stimulated mentally as well as physically. As there are so many different options for mental stimulation, this link will give you some ideas.

Prevention of Aggressive Behaviour

With all dogs, but especially with small breeds such as the Yorki, one must engage in early and continued socialization. Unfortunately, many owners believe that due to the Yorki being so little, it does not need to attend puppy school.

There is a critical period (or window of opportunity) in a pups life, which is from 3 weeks to 16 -18 weeks (larger breeds), where a pup can happily and easily be introduced to different people, animals, locations etc – after that period, as in the wild, the ‘window’ closes, and it becomes harder for a pup to accept new things.  During this period, the pup should be exposed to as many different people (especially babies and children, but always under supervision and introduced in the correct, positive manner), different species and as many different dogs as possible – this will help to put a solid social foundation in place that you can build upon.

Puppy school is an absolute must - Yes, there is always the possibility of the pup being hurt by a bigger pup, however, if one chooses a puppy school with qualified instructors, where supervised free play with other small dogs is allowed, and also on-lead supervised socialization with the bigger breeds, you are doing your job to create a solid social foundation. Socialization should not end there; further socialization should be undertaken.

Prevention of over attachment and separation anxiety

  • Step one – A Yorki is a dog with 4 legs – stop picking it up and walking around with it, pandering and babying it.
  • Step two – Attention is given on your terms, not the dogs. If your Yorki demands attention, just ignore it completely until it gives up. By all means, a few seconds after it has given up and walked away, you can call it back and give all the attention you want too. You can gradually extend the period between ignoring and calling back. We are not telling our dogs we don’t love them – just that attention is given when you decide – look at how many times they may ignore you when you request something – we are just turning things around and acting in the manner a dog understands.
  • Step three – Alone Time Exercises. Get your Yorki used to spending time alone, by supplying a delicious chew toy and put in another area. Start off with only a few minutes, and then take the chew toy away – the association we are building for the dog, is that great things happen only when I am alone. If your Yorki cannot handle this small separation, you could already have separation in place. Here is a link to an article on Separation Anxiety you can read and see if your dog has signs of same, plus some additional modifications you can bring in. If you are worried, please do get the help of a professional – separation anxiety is a terrible condition for a dog to suffer from.
 
Prevention of Excessive Barking.

The one thing you never do is to shout or scream at the dog! All this achieves is to reinforce the behaviour you don’t want – think about it – dog thinks you are joining is and something must really be wrong, plus he is getting your attention!

Our dogs also act as our watch dogs, and by barking when somebody arrives at the home, is only doing its job. Ideally, the dog should be allowed to bark 2 to 3 times – you say, ‘thank you’, and request a silence. In principle sounds easy but can take some practice! We have supplied you with link to give you more information and help train or change this behaviour.
 
Preventing ‘accidents’

A puppy’s bladder has a capacity of approximately 75 minutes at eight weeks, ninety minutes at approximately 12 weeks and in the region of two hours at eighteen weeks. Therefore, if you take your puppy to eliminate every hour on the hour and also after playing, after eating and after sleeping you are well on the way to successful toilet training. Knowing that your puppy is likely to eliminate at these specific times allows you to get your puppy to his/her spot, and most importantly allows you to praise and treat every time it happens. Dogs are extremely bright animals and will happily perform behaviours especially when they know that they will be treated and praised afterwards. Another indicator that your puppy may need to eliminate is if he/she starts to smell the ground and walk in circles. This may sound like a lot of work, but they really do learn very quickly and the rewards to us, as handlers, are having a house that doesn’t smell like dog pee and a much better relationship with our dogs.

If you are still considering getting a Yorki, then do get from a KUSA registered breeder. We have put in an article below to give you more information on what to look for in a breeder

If you do have some behaviour problems with your Yorki, and are battling to resolve by yourself, please do get professional assistance. These really are wonderful little dogs, and sometimes a little extra help may be required.