How to Identify Dominant Behavior in Your Yorkie: 5 Key Signs
Understanding your Yorkie’s behavior is crucial to maintaining a harmonious relationship with your pet. Yorkies, or Yorkshire Terriers, are known for their strong personalities despite their small size. Sometimes, their confidence can cross over into dominance, which, if unchecked, might lead to behavioral issues. In this article, we’ll explore five clear indicators that your Yorkie may be displaying dominant behavior and what you can do about it.
1. Guarding Resources Aggressively
Resource guarding is one of the first signs that your Yorkie might be dominant. This could involve your Yorkie growling, snapping, or even biting when someone approaches their food, toys, or favorite resting spot.
- Example: Imagine you’re trying to pick up a toy your Yorkie is playing with, and they immediately snarl or snap at you.
- Proposed Solution: Teach your Yorkie the “leave it” command. Start by rewarding them when they release an object without aggression. Gradually work up to more challenging situations.
- Counterpoint: Some experts argue that all dogs have a natural instinct to guard resources, but it becomes problematic only when the aggression escalates.
In such cases, it’s crucial to distinguish between protective instincts and signs of dominance. If the behavior intensifies over time, it could indicate a deeper issue related to control over resources.
Table: Yorkie Resource Guarding Behavior Across Various Contexts
| Situation | Common Behavior | Possible Sign of Dominance | Recommended Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Bowl | Growling when approached | Guarding the food | Use “leave it” or “trade” with a high-value treat |
| Resting Spot | Snapping when moved | Controlling space | Introduce a “place” command to encourage your Yorkie to move on command |
| Toys | Biting when someone tries to take a toy | Excessive possessiveness | Train “drop it” command with positive reinforcement |
2. Excessive Barking to Demand Attention
Yorkies are vocal dogs by nature, but dominant Yorkies tend to use barking as a way to control their environment or demand attention from their owners.
- Example: Your Yorkie may bark non-stop whenever you are on the phone or when guests arrive, trying to force you to focus solely on them.
- Proposed Solution: Establish boundaries by ignoring attention-seeking barks. Only reward your Yorkie when they are quiet and calm.
- Counterpoint: Not all excessive barking stems from dominance. Some Yorkies bark out of anxiety or fear, which requires a different approach to solve.
It’s vital to distinguish dominance-based barking from barking triggered by anxiety or other underlying emotional issues. Consistency in your response is key to controlling this behavior.
3. Disobedience or Ignoring Commands
A Yorkie that constantly ignores your commands, especially if they know the command well, might be asserting their dominance. Dominant dogs often act as though they don’t need to listen to anyone but themselves.
- Example: Your Yorkie refuses to come when called, especially if they are busy doing something they enjoy, like playing with a toy or barking at squirrels.
- Proposed Solution: Reinforce training consistently. Use high-value rewards and positive reinforcement when they obey commands.
- Counterpoint: Some Yorkies might disobey due to a lack of understanding rather than dominance, especially if the training was inconsistent.
Table: Signs of Yorkie Dominance Through Disobedience
| Behavior | Possible Dominance Indicator | Other Explanations | Suggested Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not responding to recall commands | Acting independently, refusing direction | Lack of motivation, distracted by environment | Increase training intensity, use more enticing rewards |
| Ignoring “sit” or “stay” commands | Challenging authority | Confusion due to inconsistent training | Re-establish consistency in commands, shorten command duration |
| Disobedient during leash walks | Pulling ahead to lead the walk | Lack of leash training, excitement | Implement leash training with clear rewards for following |
4. Controlling Spaces and People
Dominant Yorkies often try to control who can go where and who can do what. This can manifest in them physically blocking you or other animals from entering certain areas of the house or acting possessively over furniture.
- Example: Your Yorkie growls when you or a guest try to sit on a couch or chair they’ve claimed as their own.
- Proposed Solution: Establish clear rules about furniture access. Only allow your Yorkie on furniture with permission, and use a “down” command to teach them to move when asked.
- Counterpoint: Some Yorkies simply enjoy comfort and may not be trying to dominate but rather showing a strong preference for a favorite spot.
Diagram: Yorkie Body Language in Dominant Posturing
(Include a diagram of different body postures such as blocking, standing tall, and territorial growling.)
5. Aggression Toward Other Animals or People
One of the most serious signs of dominance in Yorkies is aggression towards other animals or people. This behavior can become dangerous if not addressed early.
- Example: Your Yorkie may bark, growl, or lunge at other dogs during walks or become territorial when guests arrive.
- Proposed Solution: Early socialization is crucial. If the behavior persists, consult a professional dog trainer to address aggressive tendencies before they escalate.
- Counterpoint: Aggression doesn’t always stem from dominance; it could also result from fear, trauma, or lack of socialization, making professional intervention necessary.
Table: Differentiating Between Dominant Aggression and Fear-Based Aggression in Yorkies
| Situation | Dominant Aggression | Fear-Based Aggression | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting new dogs | Growling, barking to assert control | Retreating, barking out of fear | Behavioral training focused on socialization and desensitization |
| Guests arriving | Lunging to block access | Hiding, then reacting out of fear | Desensitization to triggers and setting clear boundaries for behavior |
| During walks | Puffing up, walking in front to lead | Cowering, sudden aggressive outbursts | Consistent positive reinforcement and redirection techniques |
Limitations and Future Research
While this article covers five dominant behaviors in Yorkies, it’s essential to recognize that each dog is unique. Further studies could examine how factors like early upbringing, genetics, and owner behavior influence dominance in small breeds. Future research might also explore how dominance evolves in older Yorkies compared to younger ones.
More in-depth research on how diet, environmental changes, and training styles affect Yorkie behavior could give more tailored solutions to curb dominance. Additionally, a better understanding of how dominance differs between toy breeds and larger breeds could provide more breed-specific behavioral recommendations.
