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Without a doubt one of the most enjoyable
aspects of having a Yorkie is the boundless
energy and curiosity that they bring to the family. Making time to play
with your Yorkie) is probably the single most
important aspect of helping your Yorkie Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier )
become a well-adjusted, well-behaved dog. Playtime is when the Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) learns to trust their owners, when the
bonding occurs and when the Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) learns
how to interact with people. Puppies that are not played with and
handled in positive and loving ways grow up to be aggressive or timid
Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ), shy or very defensive and even vicious.
Puppies that learn that people are kind, loving and safe will be calm,
loving and social pets.
Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) playtime needs to include several
different elements beyond just having fun and bonding. Playtime is when
owners can watch for signs of the puppies personality developing and
also look for any possible problems in dominance, aggression or
stubbornness. Puppies that are very aggressive in play are likely to be
more dominant in training, less likely to be easy to work with and more
likely to be dog aggressive without additional socialization and
obedience training. Puppies that are very timid in play will be more
likely to be hard to train because of submissive behaviors, more
problematic to housetrain and less likely to be good Yorkie for families with kids. Thankfully both
of these issues can be worked on through socialization, lots of positive
interactions and time and energy on the part of the both the Yorkie
Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier ) and the owner.
To find the right type of play it is important to know about the general
characteristics of your breed of Yorkie .
Some puppies such as terriers, working breeds and gun dog breeds tend to
like games that include a mental challenge. Games such as hide and seek,
fetch and retrieve and even find specific items are all great for this
group of puppies. They want to be both physically and mentally
challenged when they are playing. These Yorkie Yorkie ( Yorkshire
Terrier ) are also likely to amaze owners with their problem solving
abilities even at a young age.
Other breeds may enjoy play as more interactive with the owners. They
will want to run along side, play with a rope toy by running with you or just
romp around with the kids. Some Yorkie are not as playful by nature even as
puppies however they will still enjoy being involved with the family in
a game of tag or just playing alongside the family. Most puppies will
play equally well inside as well as outside however the larger breeds
typically are taught to only play outside due to space issues and
possible destruction in the house if play gets to rough!
Toys to have on hand
No matter what breed of dog you have
there are an amazing number of toys and chew items on the market. For
very small and very large breeds of Yorkie Yorkie ( Yorkshire
Terrier ) the selection at pet stores may be limited, but the internet
provides a wealth of sites selling specialty toys and games for all
types of Yorkie Yorkie( Yorkshire Terrier ) . Some basics to have
on hand for a variety of choice for playtime include:
Hard rubber balls of varying sizes. Be careful that there are no toys
or balls small enough for the Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) to
swallow, keep to bigger rather than smaller sizes.
Kongs or other hard rubber shaped toys that can be used for fetch or
even for "Catch me if you can" type games of chase. Chase games should
be avoided if you are teaching or planning to teach the fetch or
retrieve command.
Knotted ropes. These are great for Yorkie Yorkie Puppy to carry around and play with. Don't use them as tug of war
toys with a Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) that is showing any signs
of aggression or dominance or with a breed that is known for these
traits.
Squeaky toys. These are great for small to medium sized puppies but
large puppies usually destroy them very quickly to get at the noisemaker
inside. Use these with extreme caution and don't leave them out as a toy
for puppies to play with when unsupervised as they do pose a choking
hazard if the Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) bites through the outer
plastic.
Frisbees are great for older puppies but will be too hard for young
puppies to follow as they move so fast. Always be careful to avoid
throwing the Frisbee too high and encouraging the Yorkie (
Yorkshire Terrier ) to jump while running, this can lead to serious
accidents.
Play can also involve setting up fun kind of obstacle course for the
Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) to play in. Puppies love to climb and
explore, but be sure that everything is safe and secure to avoid any
falls.
If the family has children it is very important to teach the kids how to
play with the Yorkie Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier ). Even large breed
puppies can be easily injured very unintentionally by a child, leaving
the child feeling horrible and the Yorkie Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier )
hurt. Simply reviewing some basic rules to playing with a Yorkie Puppy (
Yorkshire Terrier ) is usually all that parents have to do, especially
with older children. Toy breed puppies typically should not be played
with by kids in the traditional sense of the word simply because they
really are fragile and easily very seriously hurt by any rough handling.
Play should always be safe for the Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) as
well as the family. No rough behavior, aggression or biting on the part
of the Yorkie Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier ) towards any family member
should be allowed. If the Yorkie Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier ) does bite
or show aggression the game should stop immediately until the Yorkie
Puppy ( Yorkshire Terrier ) is calm and ready to play appropriately.
Playtime with other Yorkiey ( Yorkshire Terrier ) and other
pets is also a great way for a Yorkie Puppy to get exercise. If you do
have an older dog or cat be sure to introduce the Yorkie Puppy to your
current pet before leaving them alone unsupervised. If you have a Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) and a kitten it is a good idea to do the
same, especially if one is much larger in physical sized than the other.
Often Yorkie Yorkie and cats will bond very
closely to a Yorkie ( Yorkshire Terrier ) and will enjoy playing
and interacting, but will also have to deal with the Yorkie Puppy (
Yorkshire Terrier )'s high energy level. If you have a senior dog you
may need to find a way to allow the senior dog to get away from the
Yorkie , especially if the Yorkie is
a high-energy breed.
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