Yorkshire terriers or Yorkies are lovable dog breeds that most dog lovers own nowadays. But is it true that Yorkies are aggressive toward other animals?
In many cases, Yorkies attack other animals, sometimes out of aggression and sometimes due to invasion of their masters’ properties. Nonetheless, it gets tough once a Yorkshire terrier gets into a fight, whether it be with a cat, squirrel, bear, or even their own species, a dog.
So, knowing which animals trigger your Yorkie’s anger will help you to prevent any embarrassing situation within your house or in front of your neighbors.
We’ll discuss nine animals your Yorkies may want to fight and how to prevent them from fighting.
9 Animals Yorkies Want To Fight
Both pets and wild animals may get instinctively aggressive from time to time. You just have to be cautious about the type of pet you adopt to avoid any undesirable situation.
That’s why it’s essential to learn about them first.
If you’re a pet enthusiast and want to learn about various animals and their traits, you may check out informative resources like animalvivid.com and more.
Speaking of Yorkies, it’s incredible how adorable and aggressive these little hairy buddies can be at the same time. They may attack other animals out of aggression, mood swing, or to scare them away from their territories.
Let’s find out those nine such animals that your Yorkies may want to fight in the following:
1. Birds
Many pet dogs like birds, which shows when they want to play with them. They try to reach out to them with their claws; however, the same might not be true with the Yorkies.
You might want to keep the feathery friends away from your pet Yorkie to avoid any possible fights. A few birds that may be at risk when faced by a Yorkie include American Robins, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays etc.
2. Deer
Deer are another animal that often comes to people’s yards to graze. If you have a lawn or yard full of fresh green grass. The problem occurs when your terrier pounces at it from behind or chases it, barking throughout the yard.
It’s not only a ruckus but may put both animals’ lives in danger. The deer might hit a rushing vehicle while sporadically running for its life with your Yorkie on its heels.
3. Dogs
Typically, a Yorkshire dog doesn’t bother about the dogs in the neighborhood. Rather they get along nicely and playfully. A Yorkie can befriend multiple breeds at once.
Nonetheless, the problem arises if there’s an outsider—a wild or stray dog. Since Yorkies are quite elitist in their ‘poochy’ senses, they dislike having a stray dog nearby. Seemingly, it’s not about the breed but rather the unfamiliar and scruffy look of the stray dog that bothers a Yorkie the most.
So, pull it away instantly when you notice a stray or wild dog from the woods or alleys approaching your little hairy pooch. Or else, a row between the two is imminent.
4. Skunks
Your Yorkie wouldn’t even bother whether the skunk who’s crept into the yard has already sprayed. It’s just its appearance at night that’s enough to make your terrier go nuts.
Skunks are nocturnal animals who enter the yard or garden to hunt for food, especially larvas and insects. It remains calm as long as your dog doesn’t know a thing about its presence.
The true nightmare starts when your Yorkie finds out about the black & white smelly creep within its territory. All you should only care about at that time is catching or chasing the skunk away from the house so the dog doesn’t make a mess; or worse, make it spray all over your garden.
5. Black Bears
Don’t ever judge your Yorkie by its tiny size. One of the most interesting Yorkie facts is that it’s an outright scary species that can make bigger animals run for life on its day.
In this section, we’re talking about black bears. The night intruders creep into your yard to feed on the bird feeders and trash bins. Even if the bears have no harmful intention except for feeding, your dog won’t stand their sight for a moment. Reportedly, these small hairy Yorkies start barking at the black bears the moment they see it and keep yapping at them until the bears leave the sight.
Luckily, there’s little to no chance of any bloody fight since the black bears are very much annoyed by the constant barking. At best, they can groan and stagger away.
6. Rabbits
Rabbits may not appear as cute and cuddly to the Yorkies as they do to us. But it doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be any clashes between them.
Rabbits aren’t hostile; they mostly keep to themselves, playing with their siblings. You may sit and relax while both your rabbits and Yorkies are loitering in the garden.
However, you must stay on guard because of the possible mood swing of your Yorkies. What happens is rabbits might unknowingly get too close to the dogs, making them irritated and infuriated in no time.
You must act swiftly to evade any possible attack of your Yorkies on the rabbits. Even if there are no bites or scratches, the sudden barking and aggression might hurt your bunnies mentally, given their tender hearts.
7. Cats
This one’s an inherited animosity. It’s not like kitties and puppies can’t stay together. In fact, most pet owners try to pet them together, and in many cases, they succeed.
However, there’s no exception in tradition when we’re talking about Yorkshire terriers. No cats in the territory— that’s that.
Typically, Yorkies won’t allow any kitten in the house; it’s a tough coexistence. Most terriers may get furious even at the mere sight of cats.
You can’t always blame a terrier, though; cats are sometimes messy. And if those cuddly furry guys make a mess out of the Yorkie territory, they’re supposed to get cranky.
So, think twice if you love terriers and cats before adopting them.
8. Squirrels
Yes, they’re cute. But they’re not very sober when they’re inside the boundary of your house. Sometimes, you might feel like kicking those fluffy bandits out of your home, and everyone blames the Yorkies.
Yorkies won’t bother unless an animal is close to them. And they do get furious if squirrels invade your yard, bird feeders, and deck. Usually, squirrels are like boisterous kids who love to kick and throw everything in their way while running.
You’ll find your plants, feeders, tools, etc., in an absolute mess once those little goons are gone. Hence, it’s not a surprise if your Yorkie is trying to do its duties by barking and chasing them away to keep your house neat.
9. Chipmunks
When it’s about keeping its master’s house free from mischievous and threatening thieves, Yorkies are on their toes. Chipmunks are one of those crooks who can get on the nerves of the Yorkshire terriers.
Although from the same genetic origin as squirrels, chipmunks are smaller and prone to a terrier’s lethal bites and scratches. Your little Yorkie will effortlessly juggle a chipmunk while hurting it badly.
Even though Yorkies are no match to the wits of the chipmunk battalion, they can easily catch one and kill it any day. So, if you find chippy slipping through any hole in your garden wall for food, you better scare it away before it grabs your terrier’s attention.
Some Tips To Prevent Dogs From Fighting
No matter which type of Yorkie or other dog breeds you own, it’s always useful knowing some tips to prevent them from unnecessary fighting.
Below, we’ll share some handy tips to help you out:
- Make sure you make separate beddings for multiple pet dogs.
- If your Yorkie and another dog are fighting playfully, let them do it for three to five minutes. But pull them away after five minutes to prevent serious bites or injuries.
- Provide enough toys for your puppies, so they don’t fight each other for possessions.
- Don’t let your dogs go through anxiety. Hire a dog trainer to treat this problem in your pack, and make sure you walk them daily to release any tension.
- Keep them away from neighbor dogs if you notice enmity between them.
- Feed your dogs separately if they tend to get on each other’s bowls and start a fight in no time.
Following the above tips might help reduce the hostility in your dogs to fight any other dog breeds or pets. However, it’s a long-term process, and you must be persistent in maintaining it.
To Conclude
Most dog lovers will agree to have an adorable and friendly Yorkshire terrier at home. They may not be guard dog, but so far, you have learned how useful they can be in chasing away intruders.
However, the nine animals mentioned in this article may not be the final list your Yorkie may want to fight. You must observe your dog throughout its lifespan to know its aggression triggers.
Sometimes, it might not be animals but an environment or even humans that your Yorkie might loathe.
