Tips for How to Introduce a Baby Female Yorkie to Another Female Yorkie

Weighing in at less than 7 pounds on average, female Yorkshire terriers are oblivious to their small size. Like the males of their breed, they are courageous, stubborn, outgoing and bold. Bred to hunt rats and other small rodents, Yorkshire terriers can also be aggressive toward small animal or other dogs. Twenty five percent of all dog owners own two or more dogs, according to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals statistics. Bringing a second dog into your home can give your dog a friend and a playmate. You will need to take steps to ensure that your older female yorkie and your new yorkie puppy will get along, however.

  1. Introduce on Neutral Territory

    • The ASPCA recommends leaving your older yorkie at home when you go to pick up the new puppy. This way you can avoid fights in the car. Aarrange for another family member or a friend to pick up your yorkie and meet you somewhere. Take both yorkies for a short walk and meet in the middle. This will give your older yorkie a chance to meet her new roommate, and get to know her a little, without feeling like the pup is suddenly invading her territory. Stay calm and happy, and let both your new puppy and your older dog know that this meeting is a positive experience. Provide treats for both yorkies to encourage them to continue being nice to one another.

    Don't Force Interaction

    • Your older yorkie might try to ignore the new puppy when you get home. This is OK. Don't try to force her to interact. All of your yorkies' interactions should be positive; if you try to force them to get to know each other, they may come to resent it. Your yorkie puppy is also trying to learn the rules of the house and of both human and doggy society. Let your older dog take a break from her when necessary. Make your puppy respect your older dog's space. If she is following her around relentlessly and your older dog is getting upset, separate them for a while.

    Encourage a Positive Environment

    • Always talk to your yorkies in a happy, excited voice if they interact nicely with each other. Praise them and give them treats to encourage them to continue the behavior. Don't punish or scold your yorkies if they do get into a fight. Simply separate them. Both of your yorkies need to follow the same rules, even though the puppy is still young; don't punish one and not the other. Remember that dogs have different ways of communicating than we do and punishing them for aggressive behavior will only cause resentment. Watch their body language to see if they are getting stiff or nervous. You can avoid a negative experience by separating them before they start to fight.

    Remove Temptation

    • Your yorkies might feel territorial, especially in your puppy's first few weeks at home. Try to avoid situations that you know may cause a fight, such as during meal times. Feed your yorkies in separate rooms until they are more comfortable with each other. Pick bones, toys and chews off of the floor. Don't allow either yorkie access to them unless you are available to supervise and ensure that possessive fights don't break out. If you have to leave the house, keep your yorkies separated. In your puppy's first few weeks at home, the dogs should never be alone together. Your goal is to avoid negative interactions and resentful feelings between them.