Granted, small dogs like Yorkshire Terriers can only make small messes. But you'll pay the same carpet cleaning costs to do the room with urine stains whether it's made by a Yorkie or a Doberman. Small dogs need the same potty training basics as any dog.

You have to remember that their size might work against them in that their tiny bladders won't hold as much (or for as long) if you're late coming home for their potty break.

The great thing about Yorkies is that they can live comfortably in an apartment or a home without a large yard. As long as you can provide a tiny spot like a flowerbed, your Yorkie will have all the room he needs.

It might seem silly to some folks when they see a Yorkshire Terrier in a knit sweater, but most of the time it has nothing to do with fashion. In the cold winter months, the climate change from indoors to outdoors is very harsh on a little dog's body.

The cold can be very distracting for a dog that needs to use the potty and could make them want to run back inside. As soon as they make it back into the warmth of your home the urge to go will come right back and the pup will likely go on the floor. This transition is made much easier when the dog has a nice warm sweater on for extreme cold weather.

Some Yorkshire Terriers will not budge off their hind legs until they see the sweater in your hands. Your Yorkshire Terrier may totally refuse to go outdoors in rain or cold, even with a sweater on.

There are ways to plan around this. You may want to lay down some paper in a box and keep it in the garage as a backup potty plan during bad weather. This should only be used for short amounts of time so that your dog still knows it needs to use the potty in the yard.

If your Yorkshire Terrier goes outdoors in a yard or in the park, be alert as to where he's walking. Keep your dog away from tall grass or bushes. While he's busy trying to sniff out the right spot, he's easy prey for snakes in tall grass.

Yorkie owners need to remember to be courteous to their neighbors. Just because your dog's feces is small does not mean your neighbor will not mind if it is laying in their yard. Clean up after your dog!

This is especially good measure since dog poop can be easily stepped on and dragged into the home. Most of the time you won't notice until it's too late and your carpet is dirtied up. Your neighbors will not appreciate this so be responsible and clean up messes promptly.

Housetraining a small dog like a Yorkie is the same as for large dogs. You can begin with crate training and frequent breaks until a routine is established. Some Yorkshire Terriers can be temperamental because many are spoiled lap dogs. That's where the positive reinforcement of your praise and affection is even stronger - when it's so important to your dog to please you.

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