Is it possible to get your Yorkie to stop barking?

Although we absolutely love Yorkies, we know that their high-pitched, and sometimes, excessive barking can drive owners (and neighbors) up a wall. We’re sure you adore your tiny, excellent guard dogs but would love to know how to calm their yips.

Here are 5 tips on getting your Yorkie to stop barking.

1 – Train your Yorkie from a young age.

Proper training of any dog can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort. You’ll establish healthy barking habits with your puppy that they can depend on into dog-hood.

Animal Wised states, “It’s important to act early and create a tight emotional bond with your Yorkshire Terrier so that it feels that it can express its emotions in other ways than barking”. If you train a Yorkie properly from the beginning to control their noise, it won’t be as much of an issue later on. Here’s one method for training a Yorkie to stop barking from the Mom.me pet section:

• “Fill a soda halfway full of rocks or pennies. Shake the can every time your Yorkie barks while saying, ‘Quiet.’ Use a firm and forceful voice, but never yell at your Yorkie. When the dog is quiet, offer it a tasty treat and praise”.

2 – Keep things interesting.

Yorkies are little dogs with huge energy levels. They express themselves through endless barking when they’re agitated or overexcited, and this happens very often. It’s important to balance their mood accordingly. One way to do this is to stimulate their overactive minds and excess energy. Here are a couple of ideas to make this happen:

• Take Frequent Walks. Animal Wised states, “Take your Yorkshire Terrier for walks and make sure that it can spend all the built-up energy it has. Yorkies are very active dogs who like to be moving around all the time; if they repress their energy, they bark more”.

Yorkshire Terrier Guide states, “It is observed that Yorkies with more avenues of entertainment have a reduced tendency to bark. So, get a good range of toys for your dog to play with. More playtime means your Yorkie has less stress and frustration to deal with”.

3 – Try to solve the problem.

Deciphering the actual reason why a Yorkie repeatedly has fits of unnecessary barking can be one of the best ways to calm them down. If you know the problem, you can take action to solve it. Yorkshire Terrier Guide outlines all the different meanings of certain barks and growls, here are two to get you started:

• “Low-tone barking is the way of your Yorkie to communicate about a perceived threat. Change of place or conditions, unfamiliar animal sounds, or sudden loud voice may prompt such Yorkie barking behavior.”
• “High-pitched barking by a Yorkie is perceived as attention-seeking barking. They may want to relieve themselves, play or stay with the family.”

4- Desensitization Training

Using training techniques focused on desensitizing your Yorkie will help reduce random barking fits. A desensitization training technique is a method of teaching your dog what normal circumstances are at your home or when out and about. Teaching your dog what types of noises are normal is an effective method in reducing inappropriate barking  If your Yorkie is trained to understand what common noises are and is trained to not react to occasional loud noises, your pet and yourself will be live a much quieter life. You can search for local obedience classes or many online resources for techniques and lessons. 

5. Prepare Your Yorkie for When You are Not Around

Separation anxiety in our cute, lovable Yorkies is an issue that the owner may never even experience firsthand. At some point, you will have to leave your pet alone or in the care of another whether it be work-related, family emergencies, or trips to places you cannot take your pet. Preparing your Yorkie for these times may not affect you directly, but your pet sitter or doggie-daycare workers will thank you. 

Barking from separation anxiety is your dog’s way of expressing their feelings. This bad barking habit can be a nightmare. There are a variety of methods you can utilize to reduce separation anxiety:

• Act normal. Whenever you have to leave your home, try to not make a spectacle in front of your pooch. Giving your dog attention before leaving and after returning sets a cycle of behavior that can cause your dog stress. Making a point to tell your pet goodbye primes them for the attention when you return. This will make your pet look for and expect rewards once you are home. We all love our dog, but it is important to understand the patterns of behavior you set and how they can affect your Yorkie. 
• Keep them occupied. There are a variety of toys and treat dispensers you can use to keep your pet busy while you are away. Using these tools to keep your Yorkie occupied will reduce their anxiety. You are also training them to know what is happening when you bring these special toys or treats out. 
• Give them a safe space. Crate training your dog can be the safest thing for your puppy and your home. A properly used crate can be a safe, relaxing space where your dog and yourself can know they are safe. 

How do you handle your Yorkie when it won’t stop barking?

Feel free to comment below with any of your own experiences with barking behavior! The Yorkie Times is passionate about contributing to the Yorkie community through tips, tricks, and appreciation posts. Take a look at some other Yorkie topics and feel free to browse our shop!