Browse ›
A grandpa with glasses crouches on a woven rug holding the raised paw of a small Yorkshire Terrier standing on its hind legs. 1 / 37

Grandpa Spent All Week Teaching His Yorkie One Trick. Today She Tried It.

AI imageyorkshire terrierdog trainingliving room

Lesson one is going remarkably well. Earl crouches low on the woven living room rug in his overalls and olive shirt, glasses on, gently holding a small paw in his weathered hand. Peanut, his scruffy blue and tan Yorkshire Terrier, stands up on her hind legs to meet him halfway, ears pricked and eyes locked on his face as if waiting for the magic word. Slippers sit abandoned nearby, family photos hang on the wall, and a coffee table holds a mug, a newspaper, and a bowl of something that might be the reward.

Yorkshire Terriers may be small, but they are clever, alert, and often eager to learn when training feels like a game. Short sessions of just a few minutes, repeated through the day, tend to work better than one long lesson. Teaching a shake usually starts by holding a treat in a closed hand low to the ground and rewarding the moment the dog paws at it, then adding the word and an open hand. Patience and gentle praise go a long way, especially with a sensitive little terrier. Since tiny dogs need tiny rewards, breaking treats into very small pieces helps keep their weight healthy.

Peanut may not have mastered it yet, but she clearly understands that something good happens when she lifts that paw. Earl looks just as pleased as she does. In this house, every handshake is a small celebration.

More from this collection

All 37 →
A grandpa in a cap and overalls picks a red apple as a small Yorkshire Terrier sniffs fallen apples in the grass.Grandpa Was Picking the Best Apples. His Yorkie Found Them on the Ground.A grandpa works on a jigsaw puzzle at a round kitchen table while a Yorkshire Terrier sits on a wooden chair beside him.Grandpa Pulled Out a Big Mountain Puzzle. Peanut Pulled Up Her Own Chair.
A grandpa in denim overalls walks with hands in pockets along a dirt path while a small Yorkshire Terrier trots behind.Grandpa Thought He Was Taking a Quiet Walk Alone. He Wasn't.A smiling grandpa sits in a wooden rocking chair while a small Yorkshire Terrier sleeps curled on the floor beside it.Grandpa Rocks Slower Now. The Reason Is Curled Up Right Beside the Chair.A grandpa shapes cookie dough on a baking tray while a Yorkshire Terrier with flour on its nose stands up to watch.Grandpa Was Baking Cookies. One Little Nose Got Into the Flour First.A grandpa kneels in garden soil pressing in a seedling while a small Yorkshire Terrier digs a hole beside his hand.Grandpa Planted One Tomato Seedling. His Yorkie Got to Work on Her Own Project.