Training Yorkie to Bark - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Kjsims · 11-17-2005, 08:16 AM

We have two yorkies, dad & son. The dad, Rowdy is 2 yo, and his son, Chester is 1 yo. Rowdy is great, rarely has any accidents. Chester is another story. He had a urinary tract infection at 7 weeks, and I think this has him ingrained to think he has to pee every hour. He can hold it because he has a playpen that he stays in during the day & at night. He occasionaly has an accident in the playpen, but rarely. We started using belly bands and they are great for not having the carpet peed on. If you happen to be watching him, he'll stare at you when he wants to go out. If he wants to go out to play or for a walk, he will whine and prance and paw at my husband until he goes out. Unfortunately if we aren't paying attention, we don't know if he wants to potty. Rowdy will either bark or scratch at the door; you would think Chester would follow Rowdy's lead. We had him neutered, had the carpet professionally cleaned. We are going to have the carpet in the den area removed and tile installed next month. We do not know what else to do to get him to be more "vocal" when he has to potty. Sometimes he just pees and doesn't even stare at us. Is there any hope? Thanks.

Yorkie Mum · 11-18-2005, 10:52 AM

I do not think I would teach them to bark.
Try getting them to ring a bell or my girl rattles the blinds to get my attetion to go out side.

yorkieagility · 11-18-2005, 02:05 PM

This is funny!!! Sorry! I spend a whole lot of time training my dogs not to bark at the door so it is funny that you want your dog to bark at the door. My dogs naturely barks when the want to go outside. It took a lot of clicker training to get them to go to the door and sit quietly until I open it up.

Training to bark is kind of hard for dogs that don't want to bark. Of course you realize you might be opening a Pandora box. When he starts barking he may never stop. But to get him to bark, you mark the behavior. Everytime he sort of make a noise when he wants to go out, give him big praise and let him out. Sooner or later he will realize barking = outside. Be very patient because it might take awhile for he gets it.

good luck!

pwright · 11-18-2005, 05:58 PM

Hi,

ALong the lines of ringing a bell, we are trying to teach our Coco to ring a bell to go outside (she's 16 weeks). We put it up one night, and the next night she rang it to go out and poop! You can imagine our pleasure in that! However, she's only done it twice more since then, but at least we know that at some point she thinks "ring bell= go outside to do business". I think in a bit more time she'll get much more consistant. We always make her ring it when we go out together, and the three times she's done it we've given her lots of praise and some really good treats!

I'd say it's worth a try if you haven't already...

pwright · 11-18-2005, 05:59 PM

oh yeah, forgot to mention, she almost never barks, and we were in the same situation as you. We literally couldn't make her bark, so though it'd be better to go the bell route than teach her to bark a lot.

YorkieShadow · 11-18-2005, 07:10 PM

How do they ring a bell? Do you have it hanging on the door or some thing?
Mine bark when I tell them to speak. I love it. they know what Im talking about I started out saying speak then I added a hand signle of opening and closing my hand they know what that means too. They dont bark to go out they just look at me then look at the door over and over lol.

pwright · 11-18-2005, 08:14 PM

YorkieShadow,

The bells are mounted to a small hook just above the baseboard. They are jingle bell type things, not a regular bell shape. Every time we take her out, we take her little paw and make her ring the bell before we open the door. She's never wanted to just play with it, and the three times she's used it she really rang it pretty loud...

tashasgmommy · 11-19-2005, 06:57 PM

Lucky you! We cannot get Tasha to stop barking most of the time! She barks to go out, she barks at the tv, she barks to get attention, she barks to play, she barks at her brush or comb, she barks if one person gets too close to another, she barks as soon as she gets outside at the wind, or the dogs across the street(that aren't barking at her first, even when she can't see them, like at night, she knows they are there and just barks to get them barking) I don't know what to do with her! She is almost a year and a half!

mylittletigger · 11-19-2005, 08:51 PM

The only time Tigger barks is when mommy or daddy are busy and he wants to play, or when either of us is barking at him. Other then that, He has learned to sit by the door and whine if he must go "Potty, or Poopie."
Pretty good for a five month old. He won't leave the door until we let him out or he'll look out the kitchen window and either wimper or bark and lets us know that way. sometimes I think he just wants us to let him out for the heck of it. My little goof ball.

Sherry Lynn · 11-19-2005, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow

How do they ring a bell? Do you have it hanging on the door or some thing?
Mine bark when I tell them to speak. I love it. they know what Im talking about I started out saying speak then I added a hand signle of opening and closing my hand they know what that means too. They dont bark to go out they just look at me then look at the door over and over lol.

Debbie - Our first Sheltie wouldn't bark, so we taught him to bark at a hand signal. My husband will talk to him and use the hand signal so it seems like they're having a conversation. And since he looks like a little lassie, H says stuff like 'Where's Timmy?' "He fell in the well?' 'Which well did he fall in?'

It's hysterical and great for surprising people! Now our second Sheltie is the opposite and never shuts up!!

kjsims - is it possible for you to get a doggie door? We have one and it's GREAT! Sometimes they don't have to potty, but just like to sit outside.

tashasgmommy · 11-20-2005, 06:15 AM

How old is too old to train them to do tricks, etc? Our lil gpuppy is about a year and a half, knows SIT but won't stay! She also does SIT PRETTY, and has a really good balance. She does SAY CHEESE, and thats all! She barks way too much and we don't know how to get her to stop!

chachi · 11-20-2005, 07:19 AM

You can still teach her tircks. I used hand signals along with telling them what to do also use treats. At first ou may need to put them in the position you want them to be in. Chachi learned tricks pretty easily this way. If you do a search on tricks I bet you will find alot of threads on it.

FirstYorkie · 11-20-2005, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow

How do they ring a bell? Do you have it hanging on the door or some thing?

Yes. I have mine hanging from the back door knob. Joey knows to ring it when he wants to go out. Works beautifully!

11-17-2005, 08:16 AM	#1
Kjsims YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4	Training Yorkie to Bark We have two yorkies, dad & son. The dad, Rowdy is 2 yo, and his son, Chester is 1 yo. Rowdy is great, rarely has any accidents. Chester is another story. He had a urinary tract infection at 7 weeks, and I think this has him ingrained to think he has to pee every hour. He can hold it because he has a playpen that he stays in during the day & at night. He occasionaly has an accident in the playpen, but rarely. We started using belly bands and they are great for not having the carpet peed on. If you happen to be watching him, he'll stare at you when he wants to go out. If he wants to go out to play or for a walk, he will whine and prance and paw at my husband until he goes out. Unfortunately if we aren't paying attention, we don't know if he wants to potty. Rowdy will either bark or scratch at the door; you would think Chester would follow Rowdy's lead. We had him neutered, had the carpet professionally cleaned. We are going to have the carpet in the den area removed and tile installed next month. We do not know what else to do to get him to be more "vocal" when he has to potty. Sometimes he just pees and doesn't even stare at us. Is there any hope? Thanks.

11-20-2005, 07:19 AM	#12
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	You can still teach her tircks. I used hand signals along with telling them what to do also use treats. At first ou may need to put them in the position you want them to be in. Chachi learned tricks pretty easily this way. If you do a search on tricks I bet you will find alot of threads on it. __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

11-18-2005, 10:52 AM	#2
Yorkie Mum YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Somewhere land Posts: 364	I do not think I would teach them to bark. Try getting them to ring a bell or my girl rattles the blinds to get my attetion to go out side.

11-18-2005, 02:05 PM	#3
yorkieagility YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: House Of York Posts: 1,079	This is funny!!! Sorry! I spend a whole lot of time training my dogs not to bark at the door so it is funny that you want your dog to bark at the door. My dogs naturely barks when the want to go outside. It took a lot of clicker training to get them to go to the door and sit quietly until I open it up. Training to bark is kind of hard for dogs that don't want to bark. Of course you realize you might be opening a Pandora box. When he starts barking he may never stop. But to get him to bark, you mark the behavior. Everytime he sort of make a noise when he wants to go out, give him big praise and let him out. Sooner or later he will realize barking = outside. Be very patient because it might take awhile for he gets it. good luck!

11-18-2005, 05:58 PM	#4
pwright Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 21	Hi, ALong the lines of ringing a bell, we are trying to teach our Coco to ring a bell to go outside (she's 16 weeks). We put it up one night, and the next night she rang it to go out and poop! You can imagine our pleasure in that! However, she's only done it twice more since then, but at least we know that at some point she thinks "ring bell= go outside to do business". I think in a bit more time she'll get much more consistant. We always make her ring it when we go out together, and the three times she's done it we've given her lots of praise and some really good treats! I'd say it's worth a try if you haven't already...

11-18-2005, 05:59 PM	#5
pwright Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 21	oh yeah, forgot to mention, she almost never barks, and we were in the same situation as you. We literally couldn't make her bark, so though it'd be better to go the bell route than teach her to bark a lot.

11-18-2005, 07:10 PM	#6
YorkieShadow BANNED! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: USA Posts: 9,999	How do they ring a bell? Do you have it hanging on the door or some thing? Mine bark when I tell them to speak. I love it. they know what Im talking about I started out saying speak then I added a hand signle of opening and closing my hand they know what that means too. They dont bark to go out they just look at me then look at the door over and over lol.

11-18-2005, 08:14 PM	#7
pwright Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 21	YorkieShadow, The bells are mounted to a small hook just above the baseboard. They are jingle bell type things, not a regular bell shape. Every time we take her out, we take her little paw and make her ring the bell before we open the door. She's never wanted to just play with it, and the three times she's used it she really rang it pretty loud...

11-19-2005, 06:57 PM	#8
tashasgmommy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	Lucky you! We cannot get Tasha to stop barking most of the time! She barks to go out, she barks at the tv, she barks to get attention, she barks to play, she barks at her brush or comb, she barks if one person gets too close to another, she barks as soon as she gets outside at the wind, or the dogs across the street(that aren't barking at her first, even when she can't see them, like at night, she knows they are there and just barks to get them barking) I don't know what to do with her! She is almost a year and a half!

11-19-2005, 08:51 PM	#9
mylittletigger YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,216	The only time Tigger barks is when mommy or daddy are busy and he wants to play, or when either of us is barking at him. Other then that, He has learned to sit by the door and whine if he must go "Potty, or Poopie." Pretty good for a five month old. He won't leave the door until we let him out or he'll look out the kitchen window and either wimper or bark and lets us know that way. sometimes I think he just wants us to let him out for the heck of it. My little goof ball.

11-20-2005, 06:15 AM	#11
tashasgmommy Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15	How old is too old to train them to do tricks, etc? Our lil gpuppy is about a year and a half, knows SIT but won't stay! She also does SIT PRETTY, and has a really good balance. She does SAY CHEESE, and thats all! She barks way too much and we don't know how to get her to stop!