Yorkies are wonderful animals and make great pets. However, training your Yorkie dog can oftentimes be difficult unless done correctly.

Yorkies are the second most favorite breed of dog in the U.S. They are a very intelligent dog breed and generally learn commands, such as sit, stay, and fetch fairly quickly. Here are a few basic principles to follow when training your Yorkie:

• Treats, treats, and more treats - Giving your Yorkie a treat anytime they do a command correctly is probably one of the most effective actions for training. If you want to try to teach your Yorkie to sit, then put the treat in your closed fist and let your Yorkie smell it, then speak the command "sit" and when they successfully sit, give them a treat. This is a proven method, and it makes performing acts a fun time for your dog.

• Potty training - Yorkies are very smart animals, but sometimes they need a little extra time to be potty-trained. It is best to start teaching your Yorkie to go outside as a puppy, but if yours is older, it's ok too. When you see your Yorkie doing their business on the floor, yell loudly "NO", or "STOP", followed by taking them to a familiar spot outside. When yours does their business outside, give them a treat and lots of praise of affection. If your Yorkie doesn't catch on, consider crate training. Place your Yorkie in a crate at night time and when you leave the house. Only let your Yorkie out when you can supervise them.

• Distraction Free - Remember to take away distractions when you are trying to train your dog. Such things as the television, kids, phone calls, etc. can distract your Yorkie from learning. You want a quite place to train.

• Punishment - You should never be physically aggressive to your Yorkie. This can be traumatizing and create an adverse affect on their training. Yelling at them firmly is enough.

• Barking - Some Yorkies have a tendency to bark loudly when visitors to the door. If your Yorkie wont stop barking, try to yell "NO" at them. If this doesn't work, try to ignore them completely. If you are consistent, your Yorkie will realize he will be punished the next time he acts like that.

Yorkies are fast learners and are very affectionate. Be patient training your Yorkie and always give them lots of love.