What Are the Personalities of Yorkies?

Yorkshire terriers, affectionately known as Yorkies, are one of the world's most loved household pet breeds. They are small dogs with long, silky fur, bright eyes and lots of personality. Like all small dogs, they need to be handled with care, but their strong spirit requires a firm hand in training to bring out the best in them. With the right mixture of love and discipline, you can have a delightful pet.

  1. Intelligence

    • Their above-average intelligence means Yorkies are quick to learn, but only if they are motivated. They are easily bored. If you don't teach them to obey your rules, they will quickly improvise their own, and their physical and mental quickness, not to mention petite size, means they can get into all kinds of mischief. They are also notoriously difficult to potty train -- a problem that can be solved with patience and consistent training methods.

    Curiosity

    • Yorkshire terriers are curious dogs. They are likely to run around investigating anything that takes their interest. Terriers were bred as ratters; they retain that instinct and often are aggressive in their pursuit of small animals. Because they are so small, their curiosity and determination can lead them into danger if you don't keep a careful eye on them and teach them to stop or come when you call.

    Sociability

    • Yorkies love to be carried, pet and snuggled. They are devoted to their owners and thrive on affection. It is never good to leave one alone for long because it will become lonely and unhappy without company. Yorkies have been known to experience extreme separation anxiety when away from their families. They are territorial and may not take to strange people or animals immediately, although they co-exist well with pets they are familiar with.

    Energy

    • Few dog breeds have more energy than Yorkies. They love to run and play, which makes them great fun but also means they may be underfoot a lot. The downside of such energy is that Yorkies can be excitable and may bark uncontrollably if they are not properly trained. They make excellent guard dogs because their bark is unusually loud for their size.

    Responsiveness to Treatment

    • The personality of your Yorkshire terrier will depend in large part on how you treat it. Yorkies that are overindulged, underloved or not well socialized can become snappy, yappy and anxious. On the other hand, Yorkies that are properly trained, exposed to lots of people and animals and encouraged to be active and independent within proper limits will be happy, outgoing and confident.