Getting your Yorkie used to its Collar & Leash is important. Leash Training is easy to do and with intelligent dogs like Yorkshire Terriers it is usually a very quick process.
Puppies don’t like the restricting feeling a collar gives them when they first experience it. Neither do they initially appreciate submitting to a leash. However, by using the element of fun and by making your Yorkie understand the concept behind what a collar and leash means it will soon get excited by the sight of a leash.
To begin put a collar on your Yorkie. Yorkshire Terriers are small dogs so make sure the collar is not too heavy. Do not tighten the collar, leave space for a finger or two so that your Yorkie doesn’t get upset or frustrated by it. Keep this light collar on for a short while, perhaps a few days. By doing this your little Yorkie will get used to the collar and what at first was a burden will now not even bother it.
Once those first few days with the collar are over it is time to introduce a leash. Leash Training requires that small steps are taken to maximize results, remember this.
Introduce the leash in a fun way for the Yorkie. Attach it to the collar and let your Yorkie play with it for a while. Be sure to keep an eye on it at all times as the leash could get tangled in awkward positions, especially around the legs and neck.
Once your Yorkie has accepted the leash and does not seem to find it annoying try and take control of the leash and see how your Yorkie reacts to it. If you find that your Yorkie is pulling really hard don’t be alarmed, nearly all dogs will do that to start off with. Don’t be surprised by the opposite reaction either. Some dogs will refuse walking with a leash to begin with and will simply sit and not budge.
When faced with a puppy that won’t budge the best action to take is to call its name or use the ‘Come’ command. Once it works use praise as a reward, this will make your Yorkie really happy. Every time it stops use it again and again until walking with the leash is second nature.
Practice walking for a few minutes each day in a quiet area. Practice does make perfect and you will find this to be true once you go for longer walks in busier areas. Use the dog commands to control your Yorkie when going for walks as well.
So, when you begin Leash Training chances are your Yorkie won’t be too impressed, but that will soon change. By the end of it the appearance of a leash will mean that its time for another ‘walk’ and that means going out and meeting new dogs and people, which means that your Yorkie will be really excited.
If you need a complete yorkshire terrier training guide, why not check out the e-book we have written specifically with yorkshire terriers in mind!
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