Training a Teacup Yorkie can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your pet. These adorable little pups are known for their big personalities and eagerness to please. With a little patience and consistency, you can teach your Teacup Yorkie seven basic commands that will make your life together much easier.
The Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, is a popular breed of dog known for their small size and feisty attitude. Teacup Yorkies are even smaller, weighing in at just a few pounds. Despite their size, they are intelligent and trainable, making them great pets for apartment dwellers and families alike. Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or an experienced breeder, these step-by-step instructions will help you train your Teacup Yorkie to be a well-behaved and obedient companion.
Table of Contents
Why Training is Important
Training your Teacup Yorkie is crucial for many reasons. Not only does it help establish a good relationship between you and your pet, but it also helps your dog develop good habits and manners. Here are a few reasons why training is important:
- Behavior Correction: Training your Teacup Yorkie can help correct bad behavior. For example, if your dog tends to chew on furniture or bark excessively, training can help correct these behaviors and teach your dog what is acceptable.
- Safety: Training your Teacup Yorkie can also help keep them safe. Basic commands like “come” and “stay” can help prevent your dog from running into dangerous situations.
- Bonding: Training is a great way to bond with your dog. Spending time together while teaching your dog new commands can help strengthen your relationship and build trust between you and your pet.
- Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement is an important part of training. By rewarding your dog for good behavior, you can encourage them to repeat those behaviors in the future. This can help make training more effective and enjoyable for both you and your dog.
In summary, training your Teacup Yorkie is important for correcting bad behavior, keeping your dog safe, strengthening your bond, and using positive reinforcement to encourage good habits. By taking the time to train your pet, you can help ensure a happy and healthy relationship for years to come.
Preparing for Training
Before you begin training your Teacup Yorkie, there are a few things you need to do to prepare.
First, make sure your dog is healthy and up-to-date on all necessary vaccinations. It’s a good idea to take your Yorkie to the vet for a check-up before starting any training program.
Next, you’ll need to gather some supplies. A crate can be a useful tool for training, as it provides a safe and comfortable space for your dog to relax in. A harness can also be helpful, as it gives you more control over your dog’s movements during training.
Once you have your supplies, you’ll need to choose a training location. It’s best to start training in a quiet, distraction-free area of your home, such as a spare room or a fenced-in backyard.
Finally, it’s important to establish a routine for training. Set aside a specific time each day to work with your dog, and be consistent with your commands and rewards. With these preparations in place, you’ll be ready to start training your Teacup Yorkie.
Sources:
- AKC
Teaching Basic Commands
Teaching basic commands to your Teacup Yorkie is an essential part of its training. It is important to start with a few basic commands and then gradually move on to more complex ones. These commands will help you communicate with your pet and make your life easier.
Sit
The “sit” command is one of the most basic commands you can teach your Teacup Yorkie. To teach your puppy to sit, hold a treat above its head and say “sit.” When your puppy looks up, it should naturally sit down. Once it sits, give it the treat and praise it. Repeat this process several times a day until your puppy understands the command.
Stay
The “stay” command is another important command to teach your Teacup Yorkie. To teach your puppy to stay, start by telling it to sit. Then, hold your hand up and say “stay.” Step back a few steps and wait for a few seconds. If your puppy stays in place, return to it, give it a treat, and praise it. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the distance and duration of the stay.
Come
The “come” command is essential for your Teacup Yorkie’s safety. To teach your puppy to come, start by calling its name and saying “come.” When it comes to you, give it a treat and praise it. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the distance between you and your puppy.
Loose Leash Walking
Teaching your Teacup Yorkie to walk on a loose leash is important for both its safety and your comfort. To teach your puppy to walk on a loose leash, start by putting a leash on it. When your puppy pulls, stop walking and wait for it to come back to you. When it comes back, give it a treat and praise it. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the duration of the walk.
Drop It
The “drop it” command is essential for your Teacup Yorkie’s safety. To teach your puppy to drop an object, start by holding a toy in your hand. When your puppy tries to take the toy, say “drop it” and offer it a treat. When your puppy drops the toy, give it the treat and praise it. Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the difficulty of the object.
Remember to be consistent, use positive reinforcement, and keep training sessions short. Potty training, repetition, clicker training, distraction, consistency, attention span, command word, and how to train a Yorkie puppy are all important factors to keep in mind. With patience and dedication, your Teacup Yorkie will become a well-trained companion.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
When training your Teacup Yorkie, it’s important to avoid some common mistakes that can hinder their progress. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Inconsistency
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is being inconsistent with your training. If you’re not consistent with your commands and rewards, your dog will become confused and won’t know what to do. Make sure you’re using the same commands every time and rewarding your dog when they do something right.
2. Punishing Bad Behavior
Punishing your dog for bad behavior is not an effective way to train them. Instead, focus on rewarding good behavior. If your dog is doing something wrong, redirect their attention to something else and praise them when they do it right.
3. Not Enough Exercise
Teacup Yorkies are small dogs, but they still need exercise. If your dog isn’t getting enough exercise, they may become bored and destructive. Make sure your dog is getting enough physical activity to keep them happy and healthy.
4. Overfeeding
Overfeeding your Teacup Yorkie can lead to obesity, which can cause health problems. Follow the feeding guidelines provided by your vet and make sure you’re not giving your dog too many treats.
5. Skipping Potty Training
Potty training is an essential part of training your Teacup Yorkie. Skipping this step can lead to accidents in the house and other behavior problems. Make sure you’re consistent with taking your dog outside and rewarding them when they go potty outside.
6. Ignoring Socialization
Socialization is important for all dogs, including Teacup Yorkies. If your dog is not socialized properly, they may become fearful and aggressive towards people and other dogs. Make sure your dog is exposed to different people, animals, and environments from a young age.
7. Giving Up Too Soon
Training a Teacup Yorkie takes time and patience. Don’t give up if your dog doesn’t learn a command right away. Keep practicing and rewarding your dog for good behavior, and they will eventually get it.
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Advanced Training Techniques
To take your Teacup Yorkie’s training to the next level, you can use advanced training techniques. These techniques will help your dog to learn more complex commands and behaviors. Here are a few advanced training techniques that you can use:
Clicker Training
Clicker training is a positive reinforcement technique that uses a clicker to mark the desired behavior. When your dog performs the desired behavior, you click the clicker and give your dog a treat. This technique can be used to teach your dog more complex commands, such as jumping through hoops or weaving through poles.
Target Training
Target training is a technique that involves teaching your dog to touch a specific object, such as a target stick or a ball. Once your dog has learned to touch the object, you can use it to teach more complex behaviors, such as turning on a light switch or opening a door.
Shaping
Shaping is a technique that involves breaking down a complex behavior into smaller, more manageable steps. You reward your dog for completing each step until they have learned the entire behavior. This technique can be used to teach your dog complex behaviors, such as retrieving items or putting toys away.
Agility Training
Agility training involves teaching your dog to navigate an obstacle course. This can include jumping over hurdles, weaving through poles, and going through tunnels. Agility training can be a fun way to challenge your dog and keep them physically fit.
By using these advanced training techniques, you can take your Teacup Yorkie’s training to the next level. Remember to be patient and consistent in your training, and always use positive reinforcement techniques. With time and practice, your dog will learn to master even the most complex commands.
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Conclusion
Congratulations on successfully training your Teacup Yorkie! Remember, training is an ongoing process, and consistency is key. Continue to practice these commands regularly to reinforce good behavior and build a strong bond with your pet.
Always use positive reinforcement and avoid punishment-based training methods. Remember to keep training sessions short and fun, and be patient with your pup as they learn.
If you encounter any difficulties or have questions about training your Teacup Yorkie, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a professional dog trainer or veterinarian.
FAQ
Do Tea Cup Yorkies Concentrate During Training?
Teacup Yorkies are very affectionate and energetic dogs but sometimes they might lose their concentration because of their high energy.
Even though they have a great ability for focus, they are more adaptable to the training immediately after they have expended most of their energy. Therefore schedule training sessions after they have had a walk or a good play session.
Like other dog breeds, Teacup Yorkies learn best when they are in a calm but alert state. Teacup Yorkies are especially intelligent and will adapt to training well once you have their attention.
Teacup Yorkies can train for long periods without getting bored, but training sessions should not exceed 1 hour a day. After this training becomes less effective.
How Long Should The Training Periods Be?
In the beginning training periods should be short as possible because your Teacup Yorkie will still be getting used to training. 15 minutes maximum for the first few sessions is ideal, and you can gradually extend the periods over time.
In the beginning, your Teacup Yorkie might easily get bored or distracted, but don’t be discouraged. Instead of keeping the training too long, You can divide it into short-term phases.
Training should not be forceful but presented like games and fun challenges. In the beginning, the training time should not be for more than 10-15 minutes.
After 10 – 15 minutes your Teacup Yorkie may show unwillingness to participate in the training, especially while they are still learning what training is and what to expect.
Are Teacup Yorkies Eager to Train?
Teacup Yorkies are eager to train. But sometimes you may need to get their attention with certain things such as toys or treats.
They are very intelligent dogs that can be trained at any time.
So they don’t have too much energy to run around and misbehave, tired your Teacup out with a long walk. Teacup Yorkies are known for their high energy and are easily over-excited.
However, they can learn anything you want to teach them. But like all dogs, they need some motivation. Before you start training your Teacup Yorkie, first you should play with them and help them to engage with you.
Training Teacup Yorkies is not as difficult as you think but while you train your Teacup Yorkie, you should be very patient. You need to give time to your Teacup Yorkie to understand and implement the training you give.
How Do I Give My Teacup Yorkie Basic Obedience Training?
Basic obedience training includes commands such as sit, lay down, come, and wait. These commands are basic and can easily be learned by most dogs.
Teacup Yorkies are very eager to learn basic training as they like routine and want to make you happy. This training usually is done with the help of treats. Treats are a great motivator for most breeds.
- If you want your dog to sit, you should dangle a treat above their head, move the treat backward slightly and command them to sit.
- The Teacup will move backward instinctively and sit. Reward them with the treat and tell them they have done a job well done.
Repeat this a few times, they will understand begin to understand the concept of ‘sit’ and will be able to do it on command at a distance.
The same logic works for the other commands. You will need to physically how or encourage your Yorkies to do the command first so they understand the movements.
The key point here is positive reinforcement and treats, and gradually pulling away until they learn how to make the movement by themselves.
Over time, your Teacup Yorkie will learn when you want them to do something, and they will get a prize and each time you say something, they will try to implement it and get the treat.
After a few weeks, they will learn to do the command without treats, but treats should be awarded often to keep up motivation.
Are Teacup Yorkies Smart Dogs?
Teacup Yorkies are very smart dogs that are very open to training and learning. Generally speaking, all kinds of Yorkies are known for their high intelligence and insight.
They are very well-behaved and smart dogs. However, Teacup Yorkies have very high energy, which may get in their way to concentrate if they are holding onto too much energy.
But if you meet their daily needs and train them well, they will learn quickly.
How to Treat Teacup Yorkies During Training?
Dog training isn’t just about your dog’s physical response to your requests. Psychological intimacy and interaction lie primarily under training.
When it comes to training you should make sure that you know your Teacup Yorkie’s needs and understand their psychology. Is your dog ready to learn? is it excited? or does it have too much energy?
During training, you should always be constructive and supportive to your Teacup Yorkie. read their body language and if they look tired or fatigued, respect their limits and stop training for the day, but always end the training on a high.
When they respond correctly, you should always reward them. Thus the bond between you and your Teacup Yorkie will be stronger and the result of the training will be more effective.
Are Teacup Yorkies Easy to Potty Train?
Yes, Teacup Yorkies are pretty easy to potty train. You can teach your Teacup Yorkie to go to the toilet in the right place within a few weeks.
They will learn this easily. Some dog owners prefer to take their dogs outside rather than peeing inside the house and train them to toilet while on walks.
You can easily train your Teacup Yorkie to toilet outside. Dogs naturally prefer to go outside in nature. This only works if you are consistent with your dog walks in terms of time and length.
My name is Danny Jackson and I’m the CEO and Chief Editor behind Petloverguy.com. After spending a decade working with vets and private clients as an animal behavioral and nutritional specialist I co-founded Pet Lover Guy to help other pet parents learn how to interact with, and make the most of the time that they spend with their adopted and rescued best pet friends.
Working with Ella, our chihuahua rescue, we seek to help all dog and cat lovers have the happiest life possible.