Things You'll Need
- Dog treats
Instructions
Ask your Yorkshire terrier's previous owners or the shelter about past training if it is possible. Learn what commands the Yorkie was taught and what rules it was expected to follow. This information may not be available, but if it is, it will help you manage the dog's behavior until you can retrain it in a way that is more suitable for you and your home.
Decide on rules for your Yorkie to follow, and enforce them as soon as it comes to live with you. Don't allow it in the kitchen while you cook if you don't want it underfoot, or make it wait outside the baby's room instead of following you inside. Be patient. It will take some time for your Yorkie to understand these rules, especially if they weren't the rules of its old home.
Correct inappropriate behavior (such as breaking a rule or getting into mischief) by interrupting your Yorkshire terrier. Clap, whistle or say "no" in a loud voice. The interruption will startle your Yorkie and get its attention. When its attention turns to you, praise your Yorkie and give it a treat as a reward. Require your Yorkie to stop the mischief for longer periods of time before rewarding it.
Teach your Yorkie basic commands, if it has not learned them already, by using treats to lure it into position. Hold two or three training sessions every day to give your Yorkie plenty of time to practice. Work on just one or two commands per session, and don't train for longer than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Your Yorkie's focus will wander after that, and you won't accomplish anything.
Avoid scolding or punishing your Yorkie for making a mistake or breaking a rule. Punishment teaches your dog what it is not allowed to do without giving it an alternative course of action. Instead, reward behavior you do like. Be patient and remember that things were done differently in your Yorkie's old home. Habits can take weeks, or even months, to change.