stubborn yorkie, i need guidance
 

Oookkkk...lil rascal is nine monthes old. He's graduated from his puppy class, now he's in intermediate class. He will sit, down, stand, used to stay for a bit...now he won't and he won't let me train him to wait either. Where you make him sit wave ur hand and say wait walk away three feet (that's right, he won't give me three feet) and then call him to you. He shys away goes for the nearest door lays down and ignores me, even went to his crate once! Idk what to do with him, he's getting on my nerves with this...I have been patient, not yelled. The trainer said u have to battle it out he's a stubborn yorkie in his teenage years....is this true? I use pupparonies which he and my other dogs LOVE. But he's on lockdown with me...what else can I do, any advice? I've battled him for twenty min intervals at a time which just means I keep trying to get him to sit and wait over and over and over and ...well I'm sure u get the idea...no I never hit my babies and he is soooo not scared of me...as soon as I put the treat away and sit down he jumps up on my lap!

.......anybody? ....please?

Well no one will say Yorkie's as a whole are easy. I can't help as my girl acts like a cat and is about co-operative.

try working with him at shorter intervals a couple times a day// that's what I had to do with morgan// he was pretty stubborn for awhile in his obedience classes// if he wouldn't do what I wanted I just walked away and did not give him a treat// hope this helps// I know that it took him about 2 weeks before he would do anything in his beginner class

Yes he is entering into his teen age years and just like humans, they can show attitude you have never seen before.

I agree shorter and more frequent training intervals, also end your training on a note of success.

Now by that I mean, success even if only for one second on the Stay command.

Start with the commands he knows well and obeys well. Then do your first Stay command. Also keep this indoors until he masters his stay.
I would stand beside him on his left, issue the Sit command, then the Verbal Stay command. Do not even attempt to walk away yet. Build the Sit Stay up to at least one full minute with your dog not moving. if YOUR DOG breaks the Sit/Stay command, immediately correct back into position with the correction immediately of NO. If he is sitting and staying reward with a treat. If he breaks the SIT after the treat which often happens, immediately correct, and place him back into sit. Sometimes what does work to break the habit of his releasing his sit after he gets a reward, is to multiple reward at the same time. Also make the treats very very small pea size, so you can multiple reward him as he is sitting.
When-ever a dog goes backwards in training of a command he was getting, you need to start right over at the most basic training for that command.

THis is a matter of your patience and he will try you over and over again.

Then the Step 2 in the Sit Stay once he has mastered the Sit Stay with you immediately by his side. Is to issue the commands, then step one step forward and turn to immediately face him as he is sitting. YOu still have your loose lead in hand. Then he sits for a minute with you standing in front of him. You can reward him intermittently with a treat.

Now ending on a good note. Might be as short as issuing a sit/stay that you know he can only keep for 5 seconds. That is fine, he has obeyed for 5 seconds!. THen if you like do the commands that he does just fine, and that make you happy too. For me and my dogs, it would be a nice shortish session of toy play!

Dogs read us all the time, and will read our frustrations with them, without one word of ours being spoken. So you want to end your training session with both you and him feeling good about the session.

I hope this helps, remember training should be fun for you and your dog.

Just so you know, it took me two years to build a reliable sit/stay, down/stay for my Blackie. Yes you read right two years! But it is so worth it.

Reliable stay is 5 minutes, ignoring all distractions and NOT BREAKING the stay command. That means other dogs running by, running up to my dog, people walking by, balls being tossed past them towards them, treats dropped around them, loud noises, etc.

O thank you so much, I'm glad I'm not alone in this! Yea the trainer said keep going till he caves u can't let him win. This sounds so much better thanks gemy! Ug! The stinker is so darn cute its hard to be mad at him I just get frusterated. ....he listens to dad...not mom....ill just have to be patient. Thanks everyone, ill keep the session 10 to 15 mins and end on a good note! :-) he's also scared to death of other dogs he doesn't know....he has his brother Chihuahua and sister cavalier, and my moms dogs and our friend Diane's dogs who he LOVES! But any other dog he freaks out about and cowers....o well one step at a time....

Two other things, you need to have a Release command. Most especially after the stay command. I use simply Release. Don't use Okay because we use it so often in everyday language.

So you reward for a good stay, and if the exercise of stay is over you say Release. That is an important second step, that sometimes I do forget.

ON another note, you can practice the sit stay or stand stay with you seated in a chair. Not always do you need to be standing. The idea here is to train your dog that no matter what position you are in, seated, standing, laying down, the commands any command needs to be obeyed. Seated also makes it easier on you to "correct". Oh me aching back with a small dog...lol..lol...

You can mix up your practice obedience sessions. From the home, if you have a backyard, that would be the next logical place to practice obedience commands. Then a local park - hopefully in slow times not too many folks. Pet stores especially when they are relatively deserted.

No backyard?, then your driveway, or your parking lot. You get the drift, I hope. It is staging as well as you are able to different environments with increasing levels of distraction.

When you take your dog for a walk, intersperse throughout the walk, some obedience commands, some play time, have your puppy walk on different surfaces, and heights. Go on and jump with him over that log. Or ask him to. walk along that log.

You can also get a long lead which is very usefull for the recall command, and the long distance stay command(when you get there). I use a fanny pack that I place a toy or two in, and a long lead, and their treats.

You just stick with it. It is such a joy and there becomes an incredible bond created between you and your boy with what I call an interactive walk.

In closing never forget to play! I remember at my first competitive obedience trial, I was watching this woman with her Teruven, they heeled together as if they were one unit. Amazing to watch. Afterwards I came up to her and asked how she did this with her dog? (My dog hated to heel, and we worked and worked to the ninth degree on this). She responded, You think of heeling as dancing!. I dance with my dog.
That has always stuck with me....

Don't give up and don't let him give up. Make sure you keep him on lead. The session isn't over until you say so but you do have to make it fun for him and treats are important. Maybe try some freeze dried meat treats. (much healthier than puparonia and he won't get filled up so fast with them) They are small and you can keep them in your pocket or in a little bag that you hang on a belt loop. I trained my very stubborn little girl to love being groomed with them....among other things.

Thank you for the great treat ideas!

And....no matter what he is just too darn cute to give up on

Make it a game...
I can now throw Dexter's favourite toys, treats and treats for other dogs with Dexter waiting nicely due to these tips. I started teaching him wait every morning at every meal time. It's consistent and you'll do it without thinking - and it'll emphasise that you're the alpha and provider... therefore making him respect you more.

So I'd start off with his usual bowl of food... make him sit, crouch over the bowl on the floor (as if it's yours) and every time he goes to move, tell him no, and correct him back to sit... it may take a few attempts and when he sits for a minute of so, offer him a bit of his kibble as a small well done (encouraging that when he 'sits' and 'waits' -he will be rewarded with what he wants.)

If you do this every meal time- he will soon associate 'wait' as a command worth knowing, and will not shy away from it.

Also, when you've got some consistent results with this method, you can then set up scavenger hunts with his favourite treats. Again, make him 'sit' and 'wait' and place the treats around the room. Not only will he wait, he'll have loads of fun locating them. Again, you're teaching him the essential commands, but in a fun environment and by staying consistent- when you need him to follow the commands, he should know them fluently and obey.

I also will sometimes include the sit and wait command when playing fetch with him... as again, play needs to have a small element of obedience training involved - just to emphasise that the play is on your terms... and not his/hers.

Just by doing this, you should be able to command 'wait' and walk off ... as he knows the fun and reward will surely follow.

Hope this helps :)

:):)

That's a cool idea, thanks! :-)

I've noticed Lola doesn't listen as well when she's bored with her treats. A few times at puppy class the trainer had to give me a different treat because she was completely uninterested in my treats.

So I'd try alternating treats along with what the others said.

He's acting freaked out and scared out of his mind the trainer tried to work with him and he snapped at her three times! ....I'm at a loss where the fear comes from ....I'm sad for him and wanna help him, she said try hotdogs for wait and stay...what say my experienced yorkie owners...he's my first

He loves the sit to stand, stand to down, down to sit...all the easy stationary commands its like as soon as I give some slack and get up over him standing he goes bonkers with fear and tries to run

Are you practicing at home? He sounds like he is somewhat insecure. Your classes are just a learning experience, more for you than for your dog. The real work is done at home. Being consistent is really important. At least two fun sessions a day with lots of treats and upbeat encouragement will help.

It could be the dogs in that class are causing your little one to freak out. Are they well controlled and staying away from your little one? If your pup is really nervous you may want to look into a smaller class until he has built up some self confidence.

True...the other dogs are a collie, a pittbull, and a huge great dane...plus two of his littermates and a Chihuahua. She suggested taking him to doggy daycare but...if he's already so scared he's snapping and running away wouldn't that cause him to b attacked....?

I'd ask to be moved to a petite class or at least one with a lot less dogs.
Does he act afraid at home?

I wouldn't use hotdogs, too much salt, fat, chemicals, and they probably have onion.
Petsmart has treats in the refrigerator, dog joy chicken treats. They have a strong smell, I'd try those instead.

I don't know what his fear is rooted in but if he is having that much of a problem maybe consider working on his obedience at home and try socializing him slowly, with just one dog at a time for now.

I agree that putting him in a doggy day care with that kind of reaction would be a problem for him and for the other dogs. He's not ready for it. Work on his obedience at home and try taking him for walks in areas where there are not a lot of people and animals. Once he is OK with walking in public then try taking him to places where he may see just a few people and animals but not too close. He is going to need a lot of patience. Don't push him too fast. He needs to develop self confidence.

If you can keep advancing with the obedience at home and then gradually have him adjust to new circumstances he may come around but it is not going to happen over night. Give him time. Once he feels secure that you are in charge and going to take care of him no matter what he will start to relax and feel self confident. Right now it sounds like he is a nervous wreck.

I've been working with a trainer with my yorkie and he believes clicker training is the quickest way to train. The first exercise takes 15 minutes a day for 2 weeks. Each session takes 5 minutes and will work on his focus and start the building block a reliable recall. Timing is key.


For the first 2 minutes you click and treat (this is called charging the cliker). For the 3rd minute he must look at you first and then you click and treat. For the 4th minute, he looks at you, then you say his name then click and treat. And the last minute, he looks at you, then you say his name and then come (or whatever your recall word is) and then click and treat. As mentioned above do not always do this in the same location or position as dogs do not generalize.
Karen Pryor is an American dog trainer and I believe she has website devoted to clicker training. \\


The biggest problem I have with clicker training is keeping his interest in food for that long lol. I use various types of treats, but will only use single ingredient, North American products, such as chicken jerky (Free range, antibiotic free Canadian Chicken) or lamb lung (but no too much) Good luck with your training.

Thanks, one day at a time for us...they sure r different then cavaliers and Chihuahuas lol! But he's worth it