Quite frankly, Yorkies are pretty full of themselves. They see no disadvantage in their small size and will stand up to far larger animals in most situations. After all, the rats they once hunted were not a lot smaller than the Yorkies themselves. This is not to say that Yorkies can't get along with others — they can. However, a certain amount of socialization and training is required.

Interaction with Others

If well socialized, Yorkies can get along with any other animals you have in the home. They have been known to become close friends with cats, though this depends on the cat perhaps more than the dog. Yorkies can be friendly with any other dogs, but they might be accidentally injured if roughhousing with larger individuals.

Yorkies make great pets for people living alone because they are such constant companions. It's difficult to be lonely with a Yorkie in the house! Yorkies can do equally well in larger house-holds, but every member must make an effort to befriend the dog or else risk being treated as an outsider.

Yorkies make excellent watchdogs, as they're eager to bark at any item of note. Of course, you may not agree with what the dog considers noteworthy. But with some training, the Yorkie can fulfill the main function of a watchdog — alerting you to intruders — better than many larger breeds. The downside of this skill is that they tend to bond to one person, and may even bark at other family members. Again, training can help curb these annoying tendencies.

If you find that your Yorkie is overstimulated by action going on outside your home, you may have to block off access to windows. After all, you can't have the dog barking every time a neighbor walks by. In the car, Yorkies can be kept a bit calmer by riding in a crate. This will limit their view of the world passing by and lessen the urge to overreact.

Busybodies

The Yorkshire terrier's activity level tends to be high for the dog's size. Because they have to take many steps to go a short distance, they don't require miles of walking or running as a larger active dog would. But you will still find them by your side through your daily activities. They want to be part of the action. If you are looking for a dog that will lie quietly on a mat in a corner, look elsewhere — the Yorkshire terrier is not the breed for you.

You can get a variety of toys to keep a Yorkie occupied. They like to shake and “kill,” so toys they can pick up and shake will be favored. Some toys are made with tails that flap wildly and make the game more exciting. Yorkies are also good candidates for the various food puzzle toys. The Buster Cube comes in a small size for toy dogs and is a particularly good choice because it holds kibble rather than treats that have more calories or a higher fat content. This toy consists of a maze of tunnels inside a cube. As the dog knocks the cube around, the food works its way through the maze and gets deposited piece by piece.