Yorkies or any small dogs should NEVER be left out side unattended and should never be left out there all the time honestly no dog should. I mean whats the point of getting a dog if your just gonna leave it outside all the time? Also bark collars are very much not good for small dogs and can cause big problems because there little bodies are not made to take the shock plus it hurts. I would bring the dog inside give him a nice warm bath and then talk to a trainer.

Amlus1, add Yorkiemom1 to the list of respected people on here. Please take their suggestions and work with your little rescue.

Is there some reason he is kept outside? He needs to be treated as a new puppy. Bring him inside and bond with him. If he's not housebroken, put a belly band on him. Give him time to become a family member. Learn his quirks and work with him. He is an individual, not your other yorkie.


Grooming can be an excellent bonding tool. It instills trust, which must be established before training can work.

The shock collar for barking -- I saw on Victoria Stilwell's dog training show that they can cause health problems, heart and nervous system.

The psychological damage is undeniable.

I agree with everyone above that Yorkies are definitely not outdoor dogs. There is nowhere in this country that is warm enough for them. Their size, even the larger ones, make them easy targets for predators.

Please bring this dog indoors, and you will easily solve your barking problem.

Hi I am from Los Angeles as well and although our weather is really nice I really believe that Yorkies should be indoors dogs. Especially with our coyote problem and we have even had another LA YT member see hawks circling her backyard! Yorkies really love being with their humans so when you arrive home they are excited to see you and be with you. The barking is just saying hey Hi I am over here visit with me. Buster was my first Yorkie so I learned a lot on YT so welcome and I hope we can help.

Hi amlus1, please don't view all the excellent advice being given here as an attack on your dog-raising abilities. Yorkies are different from other dogs for the reasons given, and they are definitely indoor dogs, not outdoor dogs. The way your new Yorkie is freaking out about the outdoor space is to be expected for a Yorkie who is not used to being outdoors. If it is at all possible, please keep him indoors most of the time, and slowly introduce him to the outdoors after he is all settled in.

I found your post confusing. In the first paragraph you stated he is outside. Then you say you take him out three times a day and he loves it. Which is it?

Hi, it sounds like he is sleeping outside at night, and then you bring him inside during the day and take out three times a day to play and potty. The issues you're having might be related to keeping him outside at night. Yorkies tend to be very human-oriented and prefer to sleep indoors where the humans sleep. Try letting him sleep indoors, either with a family member in their bed, or in a crate by the bed, and see if that improves his mood. Also, Yorkies have hair, not thick fur like other dogs have, and even though you live in Los Angeles, it might be too cold for his comfort outdoors at night.

Yorkies were initially bred as ratters but have been bred in the last 60 years or more to simply be great companion animals and are essentially genetically programmed to want to be with and around their human person(s) at all times. They do not have protective undercoats to help them regulate their body heat and are not hardy outside dogs. Also they are easy prey for hawks, owls, eagles, coyote and people interested in a free dog, etc.

Your dog could have a history of having lived with a doting owner that never left the dog's side and he is missing that companionship terribly or was treated abominably and frightened or mistreated by humans and terribly confused and scared, plus he's just been subjected to a drastic change in his lifestyle and probably wonders what is going to happen to him next; but whatever his history, your dog needs to be in the house with you enjoying his new life and home and being loved and cared for except for potty, play and exercise breaks. Some dogs don't even know how to play if they have spent their lives in kennels as breeding "stock", never socialized and are completely lost when left to their own devices. Some Yorkies are scared of other dogs and quite uncomfortable around them. But probably he's just shocked by the recent changes to his life and is trying to adjust and needs some gentle help in how to do that.

My and other suggestions on this and your other thread will give you some insight and ideas about how to help him get through this time of rehabbing this little rescue and settling gently into his new life with you. But whatever you do, only allow him outside for brief periods of time in warm or cold weather and only when you are out there with him as when I first got my Tibbe, some adults tried to steal him out of my own back yard! They drove their car slowly down the alley, returned in a few minutes and the two adults in the backseat got out and were heading for my boat gate when I stepped out onto the porch and yelled, they took off and ran to the car and the driver spend off. I was standing just inside the open back door as Tibbe was let out to potty rather than right out there with him and learned that day not to ever leave a cute, small dog outside alone! Yorkies are easily resold for a quick profit and they can often quickly escape from almost any yard if there is even the tiniest space between the fence and the gate or a bit of space between the bottom of the fence and the ground.

I'm no expert, but given the short history you gave he sounds pretty typical. I agree with others that he needs to be inside and he needs to bond with you. That doesn't mean he should never go outside. He just shouldn't be "living" outside. As for the bark collar: Ruger has one and it works like a charm. I got a lot of flak when I brought this up in the forum but I modified the collar to reduce the charge, and to stop him from barking all I have to do is put it on him. He's had it about 3 years and he's only tripped it maybe three times. That said, these collars should be a last resort after all other efforts have failed. I only use it if I can't quiet him by using hand gestures and such. BTW, you should never leave a bark collar on indefinitely. I think even without the collar he'll settle down over time. Most Yorkies do, but they are still high energy dogs. Ruger is 4 now, and when I take him to the park he's like the Energizer Bunny. Speaking of which, as others have said you should walk him a lot not only to bond but to burn off energy.

I agree with the others. Yorkies are NOT outdoor dogs, in fact NO dog is an outdoor dog. All dogs require human interaction & I'm sorry but strictly outdoor dogs do NOT get enough human interaction, plain & simple. All small dogs are breed to be companion animals & this means companions to humans NOT companion animals for other dogs. This dog NEEDS to be allowed IN your home to be a part of your family, NOT thrown out in the yard & until you make this dog a huge part of your family he will never be a happy dog but a dog simply existing out in the yard. If you don't intend to make him an indoor dog & part of your family I would seriously recommend that you return him back to the shelter where he will stand a chance at being adopted by someone who truly knows the needs of a small dog, or better yet you can find a Yorkie rescue that will ensure he gets the home that he deserves.

yorkies are inside dogs, they like to be with people and they are not good to any change of weather. He is scared, he has been at the pound and now he is outside with less human contact, I would bark and whine to, please bring him inside and give him some extra love and give him time, he has been through alot

Looks like we will not hear from this poster again. I personally hope she returns him to the shelter so he has a chance of getting a loving home not just an environment and another dog to play with.