Why does my Yorkshire Terrier chase, catch and kill small animals?

They were trained to kill rats in the castle. However, as a Yorkie mom, I can tell you these sweet babies are house dogs . They are not designed to be in the yard , fenced in it not, without supervision. I have heard so many horror stories of hawks and other birds of prey killing them. And please don’t get me started about tying this poor baby up! Apparently, you are one of these people who us Yorkie lovers would report to animal control. I don’t want to sound rude, but if you are not willing to treat a Yorkie as a Yorkie, then you should probably find a proper home for this poor baby. These are our girls – we treasure them !

I have a Yorkie also & he will do the exact same thing if he gets the chance. That’s because originally, they were trained to hunt & kill rats. They will try & catch & kill anything they see that moves on the ground. Lol

I agree with zoeandcorky, these little dogs should not be chained up & left alone. We chain Bandit up only because we live on a busy street & no fence but only for maybe 5 minutes or so to do his business. We love our baby & he is strictly a house dog & they can be very sweet.

Kudos to ZoeandCorky; my response would be the same. My 8 year old is the epitome of sweetness. He won’t even hurt a bug. He tries to play with bunnies, squirrels, birds…he loves everything! He is always on a harness and leash, and NEVER left outside unattended. Samnsyd2, all due respect, but I think you need to be a more responsible parent.

Yorkies are know to chase other animals. Are you leaving your dog unattended? Perhaps that’s not a good thing. Certainly, as a rescue mom, I cringe at the thought that you’re then punishing this poor animal for doing what it was naturally bred to do — it’s an animal – it’s going to do things from time to time you don’t like – but number one tying it up is just cruel – just let it go out to potty and then either sit outside with it or bring it in the house……next suggestion is probably to just put it up for adoption.

You do not sound like a resposible pet owner at ALL! You should know/ understand your dog’s traits and read up to understand responsible and humane dog care. Tying your dog up is cruel, no wonder she acts up when you do this to him/her. The dog is crying out for care and attention. How would you react if you had a chain around your neck and left outside by yourself? Truthfully, I hope your neighbors DO report you so your fur baby gets the love and care it deserves and desperately needs. Shame on you for acting like the victim when it is clearly your dog who needs the help!

Why are you leaving this poor baby outside alone at night and then tying him up? You should be reported and your dog taken away from you! No excuses for this cruel treatment! Shame on you!

Please tell me why you have a dog in the first place if you’re gonna leave it without supervision outside??? Please give it to someone who really cares!!!

Eva my Yorkie goes outside and hunts but I NEVER leave her outside without supervision…

Please people try to help instead of running your mouth. If you do not know this family personally please do not judge. I understand that some of you love your dog as much as a person, but please have some respect, leaving a dog out in the yard is not abuse if they have shade water food and things that will not hurt them. The OP didn’t say she just put the dog out and just didn’t check on it. These small animals are naturally inclined to hunt small game. OP if you want to avoid the killings just play more with the dogs, games where they can chase and tug at toys, and when they go outside keep a close eye on them. There is nothing wrong with having a dog tied for a short while. As long as the dog is not being deprived or harmed. Dogs are pack animals and they need to see you as the leader.

You people are real idiots