| When you look down at your Yorkie puppy | | | | Terrier puppies are taught to walk politely on the |
| peacefully sleeping in its little bed, it's hard to think | | | | leash. They learn the basic commands of sit, stay, |
| that in just two to three months it may grow up. | | | | lie down, and come. In addition to these simple |
| And although its behaviors may be cute at the | | | | instructions, other useful techniques are learned |
| moment, stuff like jumping up and putting his | | | | by puppies such as how to relax, give and take |
| front paws you, this will be far less enjoyable | | | | their paw, and polite greeting. All of this is |
| when your dog is all grown up. Don't think that | | | | reinforced with positive acts (food, praise, etc) |
| just because a Yorkshire Terrier is so little in size, | | | | for desired behaviors. Yorkie Owners Are More |
| it can't be annoying if untrained! Far from it! Your | | | | Involved With Training Another interesting aspect |
| best bet is to start training your Yorkie puppy | | | | of raising Yorkie over the last couple of years is |
| from day one so that he can learn proper | | | | that more and more dog owners have taken it |
| manners as he grows into an adult. Puppies that | | | | upon themselves to train their puppies. Folks don't |
| are not trained in this manner end up learning all | | | | offload this task to a stranger but instead |
| of the wrong stuff and their owners wonder why | | | | participate in it themselves, which is a very good |
| they cannot seem to get their dogs to behave as | | | | trend. This is partly due to the fact that so many |
| they age. Many years ago, when dog training | | | | dog training publications and manuals have been |
| methods used more punishment, such as using | | | | written. Modern dog training programs are based |
| harsh methods to train puppies, dog trainers | | | | more and more on scientific principles and |
| typically required all puppy trainees to be a | | | | psychological studies of animal behavior and |
| minimum of six months old. The reason was | | | | temperament. For example, Yorkie owners have |
| partly due to the fact that such physical | | | | learned highly effective, positive reinforcement |
| correction protocols used could not be done with | | | | training programs such as clicker training and luring. |
| dogs that were too small or too young. What is | | | | We at are working on a home training course |
| ironic about dog training in the old days is that by | | | | based on these positive methods. Clicker training |
| the time most Yorkie puppies are six months old | | | | involves the use of a small mechanism that |
| they are big enough and mentally stubborn | | | | makes a clicking sound when pressed. When a |
| enough to ignore commands and are altogether | | | | Yorkshire Terrier hears the sound it will associate |
| tough to train. In a nutshell, that meant you'd be | | | | the click with whatever reward you give him. This |
| starting with a dog that already had its mind | | | | tells the animal that something good is coming and |
| made up! Evolution To Better Training Methods | | | | he should repeat whatever behavior or action you |
| Over the last 20 years or so, the dog training | | | | have been teaching him. You can make a click |
| profession has embraced more friendly and loving | | | | with your mouth, so no equipment is required. |
| training tactics for their puppy clients. Most | | | | Luring training is simply using food such as a dog |
| trainers now start training Yorkie puppies that are | | | | treat, or even a toy, to induce the dog to display |
| as young as 8 to 10 weeks old. They are typically | | | | a specific behavior in order to follow the lure in |
| enrolled in socialization classes and puppy | | | | hopes of getting the reward. I call it an "ethical |
| kindergarten, called "Puppy One" at our local dog | | | | bribe" and it is one of the single most effective |
| training facility. Positive training is now the | | | | motivations for training your Yorkie! |
| preferred method instead of the old-school | | | | Michelle Arthur is a Yorkie lover and trainer. |
| methods of negative reinforcement. Yorkshire | | | | |