Yorkies are harder to potty train than many other breeds, but not because they lack intelligence

Yorkshire Terriers have a reputation for being stubborn during potty training, and that reputation is earned. Yorkies are smart dogs, but their small bladder capacity, independent streak, and tendency to hide accidents in the house make them genuinely more challenging than Labs or Golden Retrievers. A Yorkie may understand what you want and still choose not to do it on your timeline—or may straightforward forget where the door is because they got distracted by a toy three feet away.

The core issue is that Yorkies were bred as independent ratters, not as dogs bred to please their owners on command. This means they respond differently to training than breeds selected for obedience. Combined with their tiny size (usually 4 to 7 pounds), which means a small bladder and frequent bathroom needs, you are looking at a process that typically takes 4 to 6 months of consistent work, compared to 8 to 12 weeks for many larger breeds.

Key Takeaways

  • Yorkies have smaller bladders than larger breeds and need to go outside 8 to 10 times daily as puppies, making accidents more frequent even with perfect training.
  • Their independent temperament means they are less motivated by a desire to please, so food rewards and consistency matter more than praise alone.
  • Yorkies are prone to hiding accidents in corners or under furniture, so you must search the house daily and clean soiled spots thoroughly to break the habit.
  • Crate training works better for Yorkies than free-roaming because it creates a den instinct that discourages them from soiling their sleeping area.
  • Most Yorkies reach reliable potty training between 4 and 6 months old, but some take longer if they have hidden accidents you did not catch.

Why Yorkie bladders are smaller and fill faster

A Yorkie's bladder is proportional to its body size. An adult Yorkie typically weighs 4 to 7 pounds, while a Labrador weighs 55 to 80 pounds. This means a Yorkie's bladder holds roughly one-tenth the volume. A Yorkie puppy cannot physically hold urine for more than 1 to 2 hours at a time, even if trained, because the bladder straightforward fills too quickly.

This is not a training problem—it is a biology problem. You cannot train a 10-week-old Yorkie to hold it for 8 hours any more than you can train a human infant to do the same. The practical result is that Yorkie puppies need outdoor bathroom breaks 8 to 10 times daily: first thing in the morning, after meals (within 15 to 30 minutes), after playtime, after naps, and before bed. Missing even one of these windows almost guarantees an accident.

Adult Yorkies can typically hold urine for 4 to 6 hours once fully trained, but this is still shorter than many larger breeds. If you work a full 8-hour day, a Yorkie will need a midday break—either from a dog walker, a neighbor, or a doggy daycare—or you will see accidents.

The independent temperament that makes Yorkies resistant to training

Yorkies were originally bred to hunt rats in mills and mines. This job required them to work alone, make decisions independently, and pursue prey without waiting for human direction. That breeding history is still visible in modern Yorkies: they are confident, curious, and not naturally inclined to defer to their owner's wishes if something else seems more interesting.

This independence shows up during potty training as selective compliance. A Yorkie may understand that you want them to pee outside, but if they are distracted by a leaf blowing across the yard, or if they have already peed once and do not feel the urge again, they may straightforward refuse. Then, 20 minutes after you bring them back inside, they will pee on the kitchen tile because the urge returned and they did not care about your earlier request.

Larger breeds like Retrievers and Spaniels were bred to work closely with humans and are naturally motivated to please. Yorkies were bred to work alone. This does not mean they cannot be trained—it means they require more consistent rewards, clearer boundaries, and less reliance on praise alone.

Hidden accidents are the biggest training setback

Yorkies are small enough to squeeze into tight spaces, and they have a strong instinct to hide their waste. A Yorkie puppy will often pee in the corner of a closet, under a bed, or behind a couch rather than in the middle of the living room. This behavior actually makes sense from a dog's perspective—in the wild, animals hide their waste to avoid attracting predators—but it creates a major training problem for you.

If you do not find and clean these hidden accidents thoroughly, your Yorkie will return to the same spot repeatedly. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell, and even after you clean with regular household cleaner, the scent remains. Your Yorkie smells it and thinks, "This is the bathroom." You then wonder why training is not working, when the real issue is that you missed three accidents under the guest bed.

The solution is to search your house systematically every day, especially in the first 8 to 12 weeks. Check closets, under furniture, corners of rooms, and any enclosed space a small dog can reach. Use a blacklight or UV flashlight (available at hardware stores for under $20) to spot old urine stains you cannot see with your eyes. Clean any spot you find with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle or Rocco & Roxie, which breaks down the uric acid that dogs smell.

Crate training works better for Yorkies than open-house training

Many people resist crate training because it sounds harsh, but for Yorkies it is actually the most effective method. Dogs have a natural instinct not to soil their sleeping area. A properly sized crate (large enough for the dog to stand, turn around, and lie down, but not so large they can pee in one corner and sleep in another) triggers this instinct even in stubborn Yorkies.

The crate becomes your Yorkie's den. When they are in the crate, they will hold their bladder longer than they would in an open house, because the instinct to keep their sleeping area clean is stronger than their independent streak. This gives you a window of time—usually 2 to 4 hours for a puppy—to take them outside before an accident happens.

The schedule works like this: puppy goes in the crate, you set a timer for 2 hours, the timer goes off, you take the puppy directly outside (do not let them wander the house first), they go to the bathroom, you praise and reward with a small treat, then they either go back in the crate or have supervised playtime in a confined area like a kitchen with a baby gate. Repeat 8 to 10 times daily. This structure removes the guesswork and the opportunity for hidden accidents.

Food rewards matter more than praise for independent Yorkies

A Labrador will often be thrilled by enthusiastic praise alone: "Good boy! Good potty!" A Yorkie will look at you like you are wasting their time. Yorkies are food-motivated, and they respond much better to a small, when ready food reward than to verbal praise.

Use high-value treats—small pieces of chicken, cheese, or commercial training treats—and give the reward within 2 to 3 seconds of the Yorkie finishing their bathroom outside. The timing matters. If you wait too long, the Yorkie will not connect the treat to the behavior. The treat should be small (roughly the size of a pea) so you can give many rewards throughout the day without overfeeding.

Pair the food reward with a consistent word or phrase like "go potty" or "outside," said in a neutral tone (not excited, not angry). Over time, the Yorkie learns to associate that word with the action and the reward. But the food is doing the heavy lifting in the motivation department, not your enthusiasm.

Common mistakes that extend training time

The most common mistake is punishing accidents after the fact. If you find a puddle on the floor and yell at your Yorkie, the dog does not understand that you are upset about the pee. They understand that you are upset, and they may become afraid to pee in front of you at all—which actually makes training harder because they will hide to pee instead of going outside. Never punish an accident unless you catch it happening in real time, and even then, a firm "no" and when ready redirection outside is enough.

The second mistake is giving too much freedom too soon. A Yorkie that has been reliably trained for 2 months may still have accidents if you suddenly let them roam the entire house unsupervised. Yorkies need a confined area (a kitchen, a playpen, or a crate) until they are at least 6 months old and have gone at least 4 weeks without any accidents. Even then, gradual expansion of their space works better than sudden freedom.

The third mistake is inconsistent timing. If you take your Yorkie outside at 7 a.m. one day and 9 a.m. the next, their bladder will not adapt to a schedule, and accidents will increase. Yorkies thrive on routine. Pick specific times and stick to them as closely as possible, even on weekends.

When to expect reliable potty training in Yorkies

Most Yorkies show significant improvement by 4 to 6 months old, meaning they have fewer than one accident per week and are reliably going outside when taken out. However, "significant improvement" is not the same as "fully trained." Many Yorkies will still have occasional accidents until 8 to 12 months old, especially if they are excited, scared, or distracted.

Full reliability—meaning your Yorkie can hold it for a full workday and signals when they need to go outside—often does not arrive until 12 to 18 months old. This is longer than many other breeds, and it is normal. If your Yorkie is having fewer than one accident per week by 6 months, you are on track.

Some Yorkies regress during adolescence (around 6 to 9 months old), when they test boundaries and their hormones shift. If this happens, return to the crate training schedule and stricter supervision for a few weeks. Regression does not mean you failed; it means your Yorkie is being a teenager.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do male Yorkies take longer to train than females?

Male Yorkies often take slightly longer, especially if they are not neutered, because they have a stronger instinct to mark territory. Neutering before 6 months old reduces marking behavior significantly. Female Yorkies tend to be slightly faster to train, but the difference is usually only a few weeks, not months.

Can I use puppy pads instead of taking my Yorkie outside constantly?

Puppy pads work against you with Yorkies. Pads teach your Yorkie that it is acceptable to pee inside the house—just on a specific surface. This confuses the training goal and often leads to the Yorkie peeing on any soft surface (rugs, blankets, clothes) instead of just the pad. If you must use pads due to apartment living or mobility issues, use them in a confined area and transition to outdoor training as soon as possible.

What if my Yorkie is older and still not trained?

Adult Yorkies can be trained, but it takes longer because they have had months or years to practice the wrong behavior. Start with crate training and the same schedule as a puppy, but expect the process to take 2 to 3 months instead of 4 to 6 weeks. Older dogs also sometimes have medical issues (urinary tract infections, incontinence) that mimic training problems, so a vet checkup is worth doing first.

Should I use a bell on the door to teach my Yorkie to signal?

Teaching a Yorkie to ring a bell when they need to go outside is possible, but it is an advanced step that comes after basic training is solid. Wait until your Yorkie is reliably going outside on schedule (around 5 to 6 months old) before introducing a bell. Start with the bell already ringing as you open the door, so the Yorkie associates the sound with going outside, then gradually encourage them to touch it themselves.

Is there a difference between male and female Yorkies in terms of training difficulty?

Female Yorkies often train slightly faster than males, particularly if males are not neutered, since unneutered males have a stronger urge to mark territory. The difference is usually only a few weeks. Neutering or spaying before 6 months old helps both sexes train more reliably.