Submissive yorkies?
 

Hi just about to bring our new yorkie baby home!

I want to make sure I'm the pack leader of the family. So I want to teach Charlie to be submissive. I know all the signs of how a submissive dog acts, the trouble is that yorkies are very proud by nature and really confident etc , I don't want to mistake it as dominance. How will I tell if he's being submissive or just being a normal confident yorkie? Will he behave like any other submissive dog?

Thnks :)

The best way to do this is begin positive reinforcement training as soon as you get him. There are many training techniques on this site to help you. Yorkie work best with positive reinforcement and treats especially boiled chicken. Theses training techniques will get the results you want. Begin first with attention training. Call his name and every time he looks at you, you give him a treat. This will teach him his name and to realize that you are important.

Ban that word from your vocabulary .... Submissive

Because generally when you talk about that it means that you have a dog that shies away and cowers when he sees you

Being the leader doesn't mean that you dog necessarily needs to be submissive
Just being the one who feeds cares and loves your pup usually gets the message across that you are in charge
Things to watch out for as you raise your pup is play ... watch out for biting and aggressive play
Don't let him nip or growl at other people
and never let him guard his food or toys

But just enjoy having your pup around and unless you see a problem put that stuff in the back of your mind

Mine is very submissive, especially to other animals and stuff. He's only been around my sisters 2 dogs. A mini Eskimo and a husky and he is great with them. Use to scare me though when my 2 lb dog thought he could take on a 100 lb husky but now it's just cute.

Example: Be the pack leader doesn't always turn our the way you expect it should. Adding another pup may be easy like it was for my first three but once the fourth one came along, all hell broke loose. No madder how sure I was and confident that they know that there is only one leader in our home at I was it. I'd have a up rising on my hands. Two of my females including the newest addition would challenge one another. Things started out just as nit picking here and there but eventually progressed into a full on battle. I always broke them apart, and some times it wasn't easy. It continued to get worse until one day I just let them go. Fight until they got it out of their system once and for all. I wasn't about to let my son or anyone get bit again. Ruby came out on top and then another time Brandi. Now Ruby has taken on the role of pack leader by default when she had a litter of pups. At least thats what I've been told, and it makes perfect sense.

I've learned a lot since then and continue to learn more about dog behavior that has helped me understand how important my roll as pack leader is.

I've learned that you dont allow them to play fight, struggle over toys, treats, food or affection. If you are having issues your pups will normally roll over onto their back when being corrected. Thats submission and is a good thing. If they refuse to listen, walks away or growls at you than you may continue to have issues. Nip it in the bud dont allow them to get the last word or growl.