Kathy,
Thanks for the reply and advice!! Good stuff. You know, I think we turned a small corner today. She has sat at the door to go out every time today. WooHoo!! She has somewhat came when I called her (read...in HER own sweet time. LOL). I am using her name every chance I get, and have been using treats at every oppurtunity as positive reinforcement.
I think the biggest thing beside not turning her into a yappy, snippy pup is that I don't want her to rule the roost. So yeah, staying one step ahead of her is the key!
Oh and we have been working on the "sit" command too.
Your absolutely right...persistence, patience, and repetition is KEY!!
Bobbi
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjc  You're off to a good start! But do stop comparing her to other breeds, Yorkies look like dogs but I don't think they really are dogs at all, lol. Mine are all smarter than me, I accept that. That is why they are such fun, bc I'm always trying to stay one step ahead of them.
I gave up the notion of having a 'perfect' Yorkie a long, long time ago. I decided that if they didn't kill my cats, bite people, and learned half of what I tried to teach them, that would be fine by me!
I taught my first Yorkie to 'sit' on command. What he actually learned was if he hit my leg to get my attention, and then did the 'sit' while I was watching, then a treat should follow, lol.
Patience, consistency, and repetition are key. Short, frequent training sessions work best. They need to know you are in charge. If they feel you are not up to the task, they will take over your house.
They need to be part of the family, not just 'the dog'. They love to be included in whatever you're doing. Being kenneled for long periods all the time makes them very unhappy and can make them 'act out'.
Does she respond and understand when you talk to her? Or does she treat you like a chair in a corner, only there when she bumps into you?
Bonding and communication are very important too, and socialization.
Don't worry, most problems can be fixed. Just don't repeat what doesn't work and do figure out and repeat what does! |