Training can be frustrating. The first thing to do is to figure out what motivates your dog. Is it food, a toy, petting? Food is most commonly used because it is assumed that is what gets the dog most excited, but this isn't the case for every dog. Some are motivated by play or simply praise. If your dog is food motivated select a special extra tasty food like warm hot dog or chicken that he/she only gets while training; some dog treats are not as tasty or exciting as you may think and if it is something the dog gets often it may not respond as well. Make sure you cut whatever food you choose into extra small pieces. You want something he can eat quickly and in small breeds, like the Yorkie, they fill up fast so you want to make sure they stay hungry enough to complete a training session.
It is also recommended that you train with no distractions. Train in an area of the house the dog is comfortable in, remove the cat from the room, and turn off the tv. It is important to keep the sessions short so that you keep the dog's attention. Start out with a 5 minute max. session and work your way up to 15. Work on one command at a time. Every time your dog does something correctly give tons of praise. Let him know how proud you are of him in addition to the food or toy reward. Most importantly, try not to get frustrated. I know it's easier said than done, but you want to keep the sessions fun and becoming frustrated can turn the dog off to the idea of training and even stress him out. Since your dog is 11 months old it may take him a little longer to pick things up, but he’s still young and while he might not be the knowledge sponge he was a few months ago, he will always want to please you.
As far as recommending a book for you, there are tons, but you don’t need to get an expensive one. Any will probably do the trick. I like the breed specific ones like the “Kennel Club Books: Breeders’ Best: Yorkshire Terrier” or “Animal Planet: Pet Care Library: Yorkshire Terrier”. With these books you get the training information as well as helpful information about your breed of dog. One book I always have at hand is “The Little Dog Activity Book” by Deborah Wood. The book has a section for basic commands, but also has a variety of fun games designed to stimulate your small dog both physically and mentally in a breed-appropriate fashion. The activities are a blast for both you and your dog!
There are zillions of training tips I’m sure everyone can give you, but you need to find what works best for you and your dog. If you try the advice and the books and still have problems you will need to find a trainer. I understand how a private trainer can be too expensive, but if it is causing so big of a problem you are going to have to try to fit it in somewhere. Have you talked to the trainer at Petsmart? Even though your dog is out of the “puppy” class age, he is still a small breed dog and some trainers might allow you into the puppy class assuming he is not too big physically. I would caution against some of those big box stores though. We did the class at Petco and it was a complete waste of money. Everything Lola knows, we taught her at home.
I wish you luck with your training and hope it works out for you! It may take some time, but eventually you’ll find the right rhythm for you and your dog. |