Yorkie

Yorkshire Terrier Temperament: Bold, Bossy, and Devoted

Yorkshire Terriers have a big-dog attitude in a tiny body — brave, loyal, opinionated, and deeply attached to their person. Here's what that really means to live with.

September 3, 2026 · 6 min read

The Core Yorkie Personality

Yorkshire Terriers were bred as working ratters — scrappy, bold, determined dogs. That working-dog drive is still very much present. Despite their elegant appearance and toy size, Yorkies are terriers first: self-confident, sometimes stubborn, highly alert, and deeply loyal to their person.

Boldness and the Napoleon Complex

Yorkies have no awareness of their own size. They will approach large dogs with the same confidence as a dog ten times their weight. Leash training and reliable recall are important safety fundamentals for this breed.

Loyalty and Attachment

Yorkies form strong attachments to their primary person and can develop separation anxiety when that person leaves. Their loyalty also means territorial alert barking at strangers and sounds is very characteristic of the breed.

Are Yorkies Good With Kids?

Yorkies are better suited to households with older children (8+) due to their small, delicate bone structure. They are patient with children who handle small dogs properly.

Training a Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkies are intelligent and can be very well-trained — but their terrier independence requires a confident, consistent handler. Housetraining typically takes longer than average — crate training from day one is strongly recommended.

The best Yorkie owners love the terrier personality — the attitude, the alertness, the loyalty — and channel it with consistency.