Many people love Yorkies, but opt for another breed, as they have a reputation for barking a lot, all day and at everyone. While it’s true that, when excited, a Yorkie tends to express his emotions through barking. That doesn’t mean this behavior has to be a constant or even become annoying.
Yorkshires have earned the reputation of being the mini-dogs, the big barkers, but this is not an absolute rule. As always, it all depends on how you train your young dog or, if he’s already come to live with you as an adult, on how you’ve accustomed him to behaving with you in his new environment.
If your Yorkie is a chronic barker, and does so every time someone comes near him or he hears a noise, read this article from PlanetAnimal in which you’ll discover the causes and possible solutions to this question: why does my Yorkie bark a lot?
You might also be interested in: My dog barks at night – Causes and solutions
Why does my Yorkie bark so much?
Yorkshires are very intelligent, cute and cuddly little dogs, but some spend their time barking for no reason. Some yorkshire guardians manage to provide them with an excellent education, thus disproving the myth that they are extreme barkers: in reality, there’s no reason why this should be the case.
All Yorkshires bark from time to time, and barking is their way of expressing themselves. Historically, this breed of dog has been bred and used to make noise, as a form of warning when they encounter an object or something that attracts their attention. Just as a person uses speech, yorkshires bark. The problem is that their barking is particularly high-pitched, loud and attention-grabbing.
These dogs are very sensitive and easily carried away by their emotions. When they’re happy, they want to bark. When, on the other hand, they’re upset, bored or want to attract your attention, they’ll bark too.
Why does my Yorkie bark a lot? – Why does my Yorkie bark so much?
Solutions to minimize your Yorkie’s barking
It’s not desirable to completely eliminate your Yorkie’s barking (form of expression), but it is possible to reduce it. The first thing to do is to be patient. After all, your Yorkie will try to bark every time he feels the need to say something. The key to balancing his mood and controlling his barking is to teach him not to get too agitated and overexcited. Don’t forget that some Yorkies can be prone to nervousness.
Then, as with any other dog, physical activity and spending time together are also beneficial. Take him for a walk, and make sure he uses up all his energy reserves. Yorkies are very active dogs who like to be constantly on the move: you don’t want their pent-up energy to translate into intense barking later on. Chances are your dog is barking to tell you he’s bored. If this is the case, you should consider using intelligence games for dogs.
Another basic but difficult element: try not to reinforce barking as if it were good behavior. In other words, if he barks all the time but you’ve already taken him out and there’s no apparent reason to justify the behavior, avoid paying too much attention to him and don’t feel bad for him. Also avoid giving him more food or rewards. Like a child, your dog can be manipulated through empathy and love. Give him what he wants when he’s calm, not when he’s barking.
If you yell at him or get angry when he barks in order to shut him up, you’ll get the opposite negative effect: more barking, confusion, fear, even anxiety. Speak to him gently, authoritatively but calmly.
Why does my Yorkshire bark a lot? – Solutions to minimize your Yorkie’s barking
Train your Yorkie regularly to learn when it’s time to bark and when it’s time to be quiet. Start with simple commands like sit, down or paw, and work up from there. When it’s time for his training session, try to ensure that your dog focuses all his attention on you: that he’s not distracted and excited by the sounds and events around him. This will ensure that, later, when you call him to order, he will be able to see it in the same way. Don’t shout “Stop barking!” at him from another room in your home.
