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Originally Posted by isevilla I had play time with her the whole day it was just not as much as she would have received had the kids been home. She roamed around the house with the exception of the bedrooms and my office and she did awesome with the potty etc. She went on her own many times and even came to get me to let me know. |
Like all dogs, Yorkies are naturally roamers and like to explore a large territory each day. IMO, a large house and backyard is not enough. To prevent hyber-excited behavior, the dog needs to be walked, so it can fulfill its urges to roam a larger area and check out the neighborhood.
I think the barking at night might be just a side effect of not being walked enough. My puppy is only 4.5 months old, and if I don't walk her at least an hour per day, she can get pretty crazy too. Forcing the dog to walk next to you is a good bonding experience, as it shows your leadership, which makes the dog more relaxed. The mental challenge of matching your walking pace becomes another energy outlet for the dog as well. Whenever the dog walks perfectly next to you or slightly behind, make sure the leash is loose so the dog gets the idea that if it is patient and doesn't pull you, it will feel no tension from the harness. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggestion to leash pop the dog. But it's just having a little tension on the line when they are not walking next to you.
The best way to burn off their energy is to set up play dates with other dogs. We have a neighbor with a yorkie, and when our two girls get together, they turn on the afterburners and sprint for hours on end.