Don't Know How to Get My Yorkie to Stop Barking

All dogs bark sometimes, but excitable companion dogs such as Yorkshire terriers bark more than other, calmer breeds. Worse, a yorkie's bark is quite high-pitched, adding to the owner's frustration when the little puffball won't stop barking at strangers at the door, traffic, or nothing at all. If you are desperate for some peace and quiet in the home you share with your Yorkshire terrier, there is much you can do to minimize your little pet's barking.

Things You'll Need

  • Leash
  • Harness
  • Ball
  • Treats
  • Radio
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take a walk. Increase your Yorkshire terrier's daily exercise by going on longer and more frequent walks with your dog. Try to interest your pet in a game of fetch. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog, and a yorkie won't bark if it is snoozing after a nice, brisk ramble or half an hour of ball-chasing.

    • 2

      Stimulate your yorkie's mind. On rainy days or between walks, teach your Yorkshire terrier basic tricks such as sit, stay, bow, and come. Treat your dog generously for a job well-done. Mental exercise is nearly as tiring for a dog as physical exercise and will equally reduce your pet's need to bark at everything.

    • 3

      Minimize stimulation. If your Yorkshire terrier barks incessantly at people walking by on the sidewalk, close the curtains. If your dog can't see them, your dog won't have any reason to bark. Yorkies, like all dogs, have superior hearing, so play a radio or looping CD softly to mask the noise of people and cars passing by.

    • 4

      Create consequences and rewards. Enforce a time-out regimen when your Yorkshire terrier barks incessantly at guests coming into your home. Leash your dog before answering the door for easy removal to a quiet room away from the company after the first three or four barks. Keep your dog in the quiet room until silence reigns for five seconds, release your dog, and reward it with treats and praise. Repeat as many times as needed during the visit until your yorkie figures out that barking equals banishment and silence equals reward. Continue to occasionally treat your quiet dog during the visit.

    • 5

      Take your time. Be patient and consistent, and don't expect instant miracles. Getting your yorkie to stop barking so much will take weeks or months, not days. Your dog didn't reach this high level of yapping frequency overnight, and the cure won't be quick or easy.