That is a big reason you need to carefully consider: is it better to have one Yorkie or two. The answer depends on you and your dog. Some Yorkies do better with a second dog, but others have a very hard time with it.
Let’s dive deeper into the topic of jealousy in Yorkshire terriers. We’ll cover everything you need to know to prepare you for the possibility of your Yorkie becoming jealous of something or someone.
Signs Your Yorkie Is Jealous
There are certain behaviors that can indicate that your Yorkie may be jealous. The first is if your pup is barking, nipping, or whining.
Barking and nipping are signs of aggressive behavior. This type of behavior usually means the jealousy has progressed into something serious. You may want to address this right away, because it could lead to injury to you, or to whomever the dog is jealous over.
The Yorkie may also start to put itself between you and whomever it is jealous of. For example, if you have a new dog and you’re showing the dog affection, it may paw at you or whine or push in between you two.
The same can also be the case, if you’re showing affection to a new member of your household.
Your Yorkie may also start to become excessively clingy. It may start following you around everywhere you go or jumping onto you for some love and affection.
Yorkies do this if they think they aren’t getting enough attention from you anymore, because they feel you are giving it to someone else.
Your Yorkie may even start trying to chase away whoever is making them jealous, whether this is a dog or a human.
It could even try and get the offender out of their house, thinking that you will then be able to give all of your attention to it again.
Causes Of Yorkie Jealousy
The most likely cause of jealousy in Yorkshire terriers is a new family member or a new pet. Your Yorkie was likely used to receiving lots of attention from you. With the arrival of a new pet arrives, or a new baby, it is no longer getting all the attention if feels it deserves.
Another cause could be that you have interrupted your dog’s routine. Yorkies are creatures of habit, so they are not happy if their routine suddenly changes.
They may think something is wrong or think the change of routine could be because of someone new coming into their lives. This can cause them to become jealous.
It could also be something as simple as your Yorkie being bored and then seeing you with other people. This leads to jealousy and your dog trying to grab your attention. This can also be the case if it sees you giving love and affection to a new person.
How To Stop Jealous Behavior In Yorkshire Terriers
The first thing you’re going to want to do is to address your Yorkie’s behavior. If your Yorkie shows signs of being aggressive, you need to stop this as soon as possible, before someone is hurt.
If you have a new person in the family, such as a new partner, it may help for this person to show your Yorkie some love. This will stop your Yorkie from seeing them as a threat and it should hopefully create a bond between them.
Things may become a little more difficult if you have a new pet. Your Yorkie may not know its place in the household, which can cause jealousy.
To begin with, make sure you keep each pet’s food and water separate, at least until your Yorkie warms up to your new pet. Make sure to give both pets the same amount of attention, love and praise.
You may also want to give your Yorkie a safe place to go, like a crate or a bed. This will give your Yorkie more space and a place to retreat from any energetic new puppies.
How Do You Train A Jealous Yorkie?
Jealousy can lead to aggression, so you definitely want to nip this in the bud. The best way to do this is to train your Yorkie to stop seeing something as threatening.
If your Yorkie starts coming in between you and another person, or becomes aggressive, the first thing you need to do is ignore this jealous behavior.
Your pup is doing this to try and gain your attention, so don’t reward its behavior by giving it the attention it craves.
Instead, ignore it and reward it at a time when it is not showing signs of jealousy. For example, you can reward your dog if it lets you spend time with another person or pet, or if it shows some kindness to the other person or pet.
Are Yorkies Jealous Dogs: Related Questions
Let’s take a look at a few common questions related to jealousy in dogs. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below.
What Dog Breed Is The Most Jealous?
Coming out on top as the most jealous dog breed is the French Bulldog. This is largely due to the fact that this breed of dog can suffer from separation anxiety.
They’re very dependent on their owners and if they see their owner showing affection to anyone else then they will hate this.
Australian Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers are also well known for being jealous dogs. Both breeds crave their owner’s attention and would hate to see them give it away to someone else.
Yorkies did not make the top ten. While they are more jealous than average, they are not the worst!
Will My Dog Feel Betrayed If I Get Another Dog?
It can be hard to determine if your dog feels betrayed if you get another dog (or other pet), because dogs are unable to communicate with us through speech.
However, there will be some signs that your dog is in distress because of your new pet.
If your dog is suddenly given less attention, that is an indication something is wrong. It may also show signs of sadness, like putting its head into its paws, tucking its tail between its legs, and appearing mopey.
You should be able to figure out if your dog is in distress, because it won’t be its happy, bouncy self. If you notice this, make sure to give your dog plenty of attention, so that it still feels included.
Dogs don’t feel emotional pain the same as humans do, but they do still feel it. To avoid putting your dog through distress, you always want to make sure to keep it feeling included in the household with your new pet.
You can do this by all of you playing together or taking both dogs on walks at the same time. You could even give your dog some one-on-one time, so it don’t feel like anything has changed too drastically.
Yorkies Get Jealous: Conclusion
Overall, Yorkies are jealous dogs. They are not the most jealous breed, or even in the top ten, but they are generally on the more jealous side.
They have a protective personality and they can be quite needy. This combination means they get especially jealous if they feel another dog, or a human, is getting your affection instead of them.
This type of jealousy can lead to aggression, so it is something you want to address as soon as you notice it. Follow the advice in this article and you should be able to cure your Yorkshire terrier of its jealous streak.
