Do Yorkies get attached to one person? If you are raising a Yorkie, chances are you have wondered about this many times.
And you may or may not be that ‘person’ that your Yorkshire Terrier attaches to.
You see, it is just a dog-thing. Yorkies, like most dogs, cannot help getting attached to one ‘master’ or one person in the household.
In this guide, we will talk about:
- Do Yorkies get attached to one person?
- Why do Yorkies get so deeply attached to one member of the house – Reasons behind this trait
- Do Yorkies only bond with one person?
- Are Yorkies loyal to one person?
- How does a Yorkie choose its favorite person?
- What to do if you are not your Yorkie’s favorite person? Tips to strengthen your bond with your Yorkie
- FAQs
Also Read: Do Yorkies Like to Cuddle
Do Yorkies Get Attached to One Person?
The other day, I was lamenting to a cousin about the fact that my Yorkshire terrier was more attached to my husband than me. She looked at me as if I were out of my mind and said: ‘Duh! Don’t you know that all dogs have just one ‘master’?’
She is right.
Evolution has led to this unspoken rule in domesticated dog world: dogs get attached deeply to one and one person only.
We have all read those touching stories about dogs passing away right after their master’s passing, haven’t we?
Well the same is true about Yorkshire Terriers.
Most Yorkies form a deep and affectionate bond with one person in the house.
Don’t get us wrong: they still love everyone in the house, but that one person that they bond to gets all those licks and cuddles!
Usually, the person your Yorkshire Terrier bonds with is the person who trains it, teaches it the house-rules, feeds, and disciplines it. However, at other times, your Yorkie pup might even bond with a child in your house!
If you are a Yorkie owner, you might notice most Yorkies can only get attached to one person. Based on some studies, if you get a male yorkie, it will typically stay close to one person but if you get a female yorkie, it can get along well with a few members of the family.
This could be a good factor when you want to become a pet parent and you want to either have a loyal companion dog, or one that can get along well with all of your family members.
So why do Yorkies choose one person and not another?
Let us try to dive into a Yorkie’s psyche to find out.
Also Read: Can Yorkies Be Left Alone
Reasons Why Yorkies Get Deeply Attached to One and One Person Only
As dog owners, we all want to be our Yorkie’s favorite person. But that isn’t the case always.
It is nothing personal. Our pets are just made that way. Male Yorkies or female Yorkies tend to bond and get so affectionate to only one person.
Here are some reasons why:
1. Bonding takes place in the early days
Your Yorkie puppy will bond with you or a member of your household during its training and socialization period.
This is usually the time when your (approximately 8 week old) Yorkie puppy steps into your home for the first time.
This is also the time when one person in the house takes it upon him/herself to train your pet. Chances are, your Yorkie pup sleeps next to that person, goes on walks with them, and even depends on him/her for its meals.
Naturally, this is the time when your small dog is missing its mother and litter mates.
Consequently, it might bond with its caregiver during this phase for love and affection its craving.
2. Evolutionary trait
If your toy dog Yorkie is attached to you, chances are that it might view you as its alpha.
Dogs are born to live in packs. Wolves, the primary ancestors of dogs, always hunt and do all other activities in packs.
This evolutionary trait still exists in our dogs.
A young Yorkie puppy looks up to one person as its alpha.
In its eyes, this alpha is its protector, savior, and someone who can do no wrong. That is why, a Yorkie might get attached to the ‘pack leader’ of the house.
3. Physical affection and special chemistry
We all know how adorable Yorkie puppies are. We cannot help cuddling them, picking them up, kissing them.
Yorkies are incredibly loving and affectionate too. They love to shower their humans with love and affection in the form of licks, cuddles, and sitting on their laps or by their feet.
This physical affection secretes endorphins and oxytocin – the love hormone in both you and your pet.
While your Yorkie loves all members of the household equally, it shares a special chemistry with one person of the house.
This chemistry seals the bond between your Yorkie and that special person. Your Yorkie toy dog may even feel separation anxiety if it does not see this person for a short amount of time.
4. Food and treats
In their growing up phase, Yorkie puppies, like all puppies, are always hungry. They expend a lot of energy as they are constantly exploring their world around them.
You also train your Yorkie during this phase and this stimulates your pet mentally and physically.
Every time you treat your pet for good behavior, it learns to associate that action with appreciation, affection, and love.
Likewise, when you feed it nourishing meals, it feels gratitude and affection towards you.
You can imagine the scenario that plays out if you have adopted an older Yorkie from a rescue shelter or pet home.
Your pet might have had a hard time in this environment and probably had to compete for love, affection, and especially for food.
Dogs are sensitive creatures and they can definitely differentiate between positive and negative environments.
They most certainly understand the language of love, safety, and security. And they are also hungry for good food.
When one person of your household offers these things, then definitely your Yorkie is more likely to bond with that person.
Also read: Why Are Yorkies so Hard to Potty Train
Do Yorkies bond with only one person?
Just like other breeds, a Yorkie can possess qualities similar to a human. They can have their affection set only to one person, but, they can still be friendly to another.
Yorkies are full of fun and energy, smart and playful. Smart because they can make you get into their trap of getting what they want from you while bonding!
Often, they only bond with one person who can make them feel so loved and spoiled; nevertheless, this cute little lap dog can bond with your loved ones with much energy and enthusiasm!
Are Yorkies loyal to one person?
One great thing about a Yorkie pup is their loyalty and being a safeguarding and defensive companion! This trait is innate and came from their ancestry.
That’s probably one of the reasons why pet owners wouldn’t trade their Yorkies to another because they only are not loyal to one person, but can be very loving to everyone in the family, she belongs to!
While every Yorkie is different, there are some ‘common rules’ that dogs use to ‘choose’ their master or favorite person:
So How Does a Yorkie Choose Its Favorite Person?
1. Its socialization period experiences
During the key socialization period, your puppy’s mind is like a sponge – it is absorbing the information around it.
Naturally, it also uses this period to bond with the person that cares for it the most- feeds it, takes it out on walks, grooms it etc.
It is a good idea to expose your pet to different people at this point. This way, it can be more confident around different people and also have more positive interactions at this stage.
Allowing your little dog to interact with different people can also help reduce the separation anxiety your Yorkshire Terrier will feel when being away from their favorite person.
2. Positive demeanor and body language
Your Yorkie can understand body language and differentiate between positive and negative demeanor.
If one person handling your Yorkie is negative, angry, or uses punishment during training, while the other uses love, patience, and positive reinforcements, then we can easily guess which person your Yorkie will choose.
3. Your lifestyle
Often, Yorkies bond with the person that is at home with them 24/7.
Naturally, it is that same person who might take it out for potty, walks, and also feed it.
Thus, your lifestyle and how much time you spend with your Yorkie will definitely determine who your pet bonds with.
If the main caregiver of your Yorkshire Terrier is away, you will notice signs of separation anxiety such as crying, whining and constantly looking around for that one person.
4. Quality of attention matters too
In our case, my husband always lets our dog lick him.
I am strict about these things and I do not like the idea of my pet’s saliva all over my mouth (especially since I know where her tongue has been minutes ago!)
I am also a stickler for cleanliness and never allow our dog on our bed or couch. My husband allows that and that may be one of the reasons why our Velcro dog has picked him as her favorite.
In short, it is not just the quantity of affection and attention but also the quality.
5. Associations it forms in its mind
Ever wondered why your Yorkie will never attach or bond with the vet, its groomer, or even its dog walker?
Your Yorkie is extremely smart and it can differentiate between good and bad associations with a particular person.
For example, although your pet sitter takes care of your Yorkie in your absence, your pet might not bond with it because it associates the person with your absence.
Likewise, it would associate your vet with pain, while groomers would be symbolic of ‘torture’.
So the kind of associations it makes also matter a lot in how your Yorkie chooses its favorite people.
Also Read: What is The Average Lifespan of a Yorkie
What to do If You Aren’t Your Yorkie’s Favorite Person? Top Tips to Increase Your Bonding with Your Yorkie
We understand that you feel sad when you know your Yorkie prefers someone else over you.
However, you should never take this personally.
1. Understand that it has nothing to do with you
While dogs are a great judge of character, it does not mean that you are a bad person if your dog hasn’t formed a special bond with you.
You are a good person, it is just that the person your Yorkie has bonded with matches its energy levels and personality better.
2. Affection and attention are key
Understand that attention and affection play a huge role in increasing the bond between you and your small dog.
So you must continue showering your love and affection on your pet. Know that your Yorkie loves you just as much (if not more) as the person it has bonded with.
3. Know that your pet is not evil or mean-spirited
Yorkies, like all dogs, are filled with unconditional love. Just because they are more attached to someone else does not mean that they are evil or mean or that they love you any less.
Here are some tips to Increase your Loving Bond with Your Yorkie
4. Spend time with your Yorkshire Terrier
- Play fetch with it especially with its favorite toy
- Take it out on walks or car rides
- Teach it tricks – work on old skills and teach new ones
- Get your Yorkie enrolled in agility or obedience school where you are active participant
- Make eye contact during petting and cuddling sessions
5. Make special efforts in feeding it
Try feeding your pet homemade meals and don’t forget to put in some extra love! Bake a homemade dog-friendly cake with this simple recipe:
- 1 cup oat flour
- 3/4th cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup mashed banana
- A large carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 egg
- A pinch of baking powder
Mix all ingredients into a smooth cake batter and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Frost with peanut butter and serve! Your Yorkie will surely love you for this treat!
6. Do not ever punish or hit your Yorkshire Terrier
Make sure you always keep things positive even when you are training your pet.
Never shout, hurt, or hit your Yorkie. You can correct negative behavior using a stern tone but never physical punishments.
Stay calm when your Yorkie has made a mistake or had a potty accident indoors. Calmly clean up the mess and say ‘Bad dog’ using tonal modulations. Then show it the right thing to do and reward it when it does that thing.
Also Read: Are Yorkies Easy to Train
FAQs on Do Yorkies Get Attached to One Person?
1. Why are Yorkies so clingy?
The Yorkshire Terrier breed is a loyal and affectionate one. They love all members of the household equally although they do attach to one person in particular.
They are also one of the Velcro dog breeds. This attachment and clinginess often results from their small dog syndrome. They want your security and protection and in turn, feel they are protecting you by being clingy!
2. How do yorkies show affection?
Yorkies often show their affection by sitting next to you, cuddling with you, sleeping at your feet while you work at your desk, or simply by licking you.
You might also find your Yorkshire Terrier staring at you with all the love and affection in the world!
3. Are Yorkies protective of their owners?
Yes, Yorkies are extremely loyal, affectionate, and loving dogs and they want to protect their owners.
Feisty, resilient and bossy are also hallmark of a Yorkshire Terrier temperament.
For this reason, they also get extremely territorial and might bark excessively at anything or anyone who approaches you or your property.
They might even show their protectiveness by following you around the house like a guard dog or by cuddling next to you on the sofa or the bed.
4. Do yorkies like being held?
Yes, Yorkies love being held and carried around. They are affectionate and loving dogs and one of the Velcro dog breeds that wants to spend all their time with their owners.
Also Read: Are Yorkies Good with Kids
Conclusion – Do Yorkies Get Attached to One Person?
Do Yorkies get attached to one person? The answer is yes, most of them do. This dog breed is really a one-person kind!
Most Yorkies usually attach to the person that matches with their energy levels and personality, feeds and trains them, or gives them attention, love and affection.
We hope this guide gives you an insight into your Yorkie’s loving personality.
