Habits of a Teacup Yorkie

Teacup Yorkshire Terriers, often abbreviated to teacup Yorkies, are a popular pet, and many people are surprised by what kind of personality they have. These dogs certainly make up for their small size terms of energy and enthusiasm. Before deciding on whether a teacup Yorkie is for you, make sure that you are aware of some of their more notable habits.

  1. Bouts of Energy

    • The teacup Yorkie has a great deal of energy, and it makes sense given the fact that the Yorkshire terrier is a working dog. Though most people think of teacup-sized dogs as pampered household pets, it is important to remember that their ancestors were once working farm dogs. Because of this, they might be prone to running around your home at high speeds if they do not get enough exercise.

    Separation Anxiety

    • Teacup yorkies are highly co-depedent dogs, and this can lead to them growing anxious and upset if they do not get the contact that they need. These animals were originally bred for a high degree of interaction and cooperation with owners and as such, when they are not give the kind of stimulation and interaction that is best for them, they can grow listless, anxious or even destructive.

    Barking

    • The teacup Yorkie has a high-pitched yap that it will use frequently unless it is trained away from it. In working environments, this served it well as it could alert its people to dangers that it might detect. However in an apartment environment, this behavior is inappropriate and needs to be curbed quickly.

    Dominance Displays

    • One of the things owners have noticed about their teacup Yorkies is that they do not seem to realize how small they are. They will often walk up to dogs many times their size with no fear whatsoever, and in many cases will even try to establish themselves at the dominant dog. This is behavior that can get a teacup Yorkie hurt or even killed depending on the situation, so owners should keep a close eye on their pet when it is interacting with other dogs.

    Reward-oriented

    • Teacup Yorkies are easy dogs to train and, although small, they still need to be given basic obedience training. Fortunately, the teacup Yorkie responds very well to praise and treats during training, and they are very interested in pleasing owners. Though the male teacup Yorkies are slightly more reward-based than the females, all teacup Yorkies are responsive to obedience training.