Why do Yorkies look so different

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 18, 2024

Contributions sourced from

7 Reasons Why Your Yorkshire Terrier Stares at You

Those beautiful beady black eyes! When they look at you it seems as if they are staring into the very depths of your soul! Are they judging you, are they trying to tell you the secrets to their universe? What are they trying to communicate?

Oh, how I miss the probing eyes of my dear sweet Yorkie Katie. My Yorkshire Terrier Katie passed away when I was 17 and I still miss her sweet stare. Do you ever wonder why your Yorkie stares at you as I did? I would sit and contemplate it for hours some days. Well, now I finally know.

Your Yorkshire Terrier will stare at you as a way of communicating with you. They will often stare at you looking for cues of what is going to come next. They stare when they want something from you, such as attention, or food, or even when they are just trying to show you admiration and affection.

So how do you tell what the different stares mean? Why is it sometimes feel uncomfortable when your Yorkshire Terrier stares at you so intently? .And of all things, why on earth does he stare at you when he eats or poops! Consider this article your one-stop shop for winning the Yorkshire Terrier stare-down!

Reasons Why Your Yorkshire Terrier Stares!

1.Your Yorkshire Terrier Wants Something

We adore our dogs and want to take the very best care of them that we can. This can sometimes be to our detriment though if our dogs know that we will spoil them and give them anything they want they can leverage those adorable stares to make you give in to their every desire!

If you have found yourself in this trap you may noticeyour Yorkshire Terrier staring at you with an accompanying whimper or whining. When this happens hes most likely trying to communicate that he wants something from you.

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Learning how to read your dogs body language can go a long way in helping you bond with your dog as well as helping them to be better behaved.

Your Yorkshire Terrier how may be asking for you tolet them outside to use the restroom, he may want you to play with him,or maybe he is dying for you to share some of your delicious chicken sandwich you are eating.

When a Yorkshire Terrier stares at you while she is eating its because of the ancient natural instinct for dogs (and their ancestral wolves) to look at the pack leader during meal times as a sign of submission and asking for any scraps that they are willing to share.

Either way, pay attention to not only his eyes but his ears, tail, and how his body is positioned and you may soon discover how to understand your dogs secret language.

Other Yorkshire Terrier owners have said that if their dog is staring at them to get their attention then they better give them some attention! If they are on the computer or the iPad and they dont put it down and pay attentiontheir dog will start getting more insistent with its staresusing nose bumps, followed by strange whining noises, and possible barks in the face.

If you are thinking of getting another Yorkie or another dog to give your pup some company read this article first!

When Should You Get Your Yorkie a Friend? (A Guide to Yorkie Pairs) Paws and Learn

2. Your Yorkshire Terrier is Communicating Love

Another reason your Yorkshire Terrier is staring at you can simply be explained thathe loves you!

When a new mother holds her new baby and they look into each others eyes it has an amazing effect of releasing a powerful hormone called oxytocin. This hormone is often called the love hormone asit helps us connect and bond with one another.

If you let your Yorkshire Terrier sleep with you, you may be getting more benefits from oxytocin.

Should I Let My Yorkie Sleep With Me? (Safety Tips) Paws and Learn

Eye contact is a big thing to us humans, and dogs may be the only species that really understands that.A study showsthat dogs and their owners alike both experience anincreased release of oxytocin when we stare amorously into one anothers eyes.Dogs are the first and possibly only species besides humans that have been observed doing this.

So even though your Yorkshire Terrier may at times be wary or nervous around strangers, his bond with you can be unshakeable! This explains why your Yorkie may just be your best and most loyal friend.

This release of hormones will actually help you and your dog build a stronger bond and build more trust with each other.

Here are some other ways to tell that your Yorkshire Terrier loves and trusts you.

So next time you are feeling stressed and need a pick me up, try having a staring contest with your sweet Yorkshire Terrier and see if that helps you both feel a bit better.

3. Your Yorkshire Terrier is Trying to Read Your Cues

One of the biggest reasons your Yorkshire Terrier will stare at you is togather information about the cues you are sending him.

Yorkshire Terriers make wonderful companion dogs whowant to be connected to their owners and understand them.Yorkies crave the attention of their owners and are very loyal they have the ability to bond to their owners quite strongly.

Dogs instinctually look to their pack leadersfor guidance on what to do next, Yorkies are no different, and you are their pack leader.

Yorkshire Terries can be energetic feisty and domineering! Working toEstablish yourself as a strong and confident leader in their presence is the key to teaching them as well as gaining the Alpha status so that they will know who is in charge and not try to overtake the household.

When they stare intently at you they are looking to you for that confidence and guidance as the alpha member of their pack.

Because Yorkshire Terriers are so loyal they often pick up on subtle things that other dogs might miss. They are good at understanding you andthey can often feed off your emotions and know when something is off. They may be looking to you to figure out how to fix it.

This is one reason Yorkies can make fantastic service and emotional support dogs!

They may also be staring at you as they try to decipher your body language and figure out what might be coming next in their dailyroutine.

Fun Fact:Your dog is not only drawn to look at your eye movement and track your face in order to read your social cues, dogs can use their powerful noses to smell the emotions of their owners. These two amazing abilities explain why our dogs are so great at being a mans (and womans) best friend!

4. Your Yorkshire Terrier is Trained to Look at You

When you bring home a new puppy and first start teaching and training it,one of the most important things to teach them first is to look at you.

Teaching them how to sit, stay, heel, settle and all the other important commands is so much easier when your dog first knows to look at you.

Dogs often recognize visual cues much easier and sooner than they can figure out what you want them to do purely by speaking the command.When your Yorkshire Terrier is trained to look at you are able to see your movements and interpret whether you want them to sit, stay, come, or something else.

So for training purposes, if your dog looks at you a lot that will make your job a lot easier. Take advantage of all that attention and see what fun tricks you can train them to do.

This attentive stare may also explain whyyour Yorkshire Terrier looks at you while hes pooping.Hes not doing it to gross you out, but most likelywhen you trained him to go poop in his spot outside you gave him lots of praise, attention,and maybe even treats.He may continue to stare at you becausehes expecting more of the same.

5. Your Yorkshire Terrier is Confused

If your Yorkshire Terrier is looking at you and youre are confused as to why that may just be your answer as well. Sometimes we humans do funny and unpredictable things.

If you Yorkshire Terrier is looking at you with his head tilted to one side and his ears perked at the attention hes probably confusedand wondering what you are doing or trying to communicate to him.

Another sign of confusion in your Yorkie may belicking of the lipsor a quick shake of his body. This could show that the confusion is causing a bit of stress in your dog.

Your Yorkshire Terrier may be asking for more clear directions and understanding of the behavior you are looking for from him.

Unfortunately, as your Yorkshire Terrier ages and becomes a senior,his confused stares could indicate something more serious such as cognitive dysfunction. If you have an older Yorkie and they are also forgetting basic commands, wandering aimlessly in circles, or having accidents in the house its time for a visit to your vet to see what can be done.

Pro Tip: If you are not able to get a hold of a vet near you, or you want to avoid an unnecessary ER trip, there are online resources that you can turn to. Here is our best recommendation: Pawp: a 24/7 digital clinic for pets that connects you to an experienced vet Why we love it: Answers 24/7! No waiting! Get Answers Online with Local Vets! Quick Response Time! Easy Sign UP! Try Pawp 7 Days For Free

6. Your Yorkshire Terrier is Confrontational

Yorkshire Terriers generally get along well with other people and animals, but you will still need to socialize your Yorkie to make sure that it wont become confrontational with other animals. If your dog has had a bad experience in the past it could cause your Yorkie to become warry or confrontational with other dogs.

Yorkies can also be somewhat protective of their owners! If your Yorkshire Terrier is not well socialized as a puppy his stare could be confrontational and a warning that something bad is going to happen.

If your Yorkie has an icy hard stare accompanied by a low growl or baring of teeth,proceed with caution. Pooles are unlikely to show this behavior to their owners butmay do this when feeling threatened.

Situations, where your Yorkshire Terrier might feel threatened, can include:

Resource guarding a treat, special toy, or food
Any situation where he perceive his owner is being threatened
Being approached by a stranger or someone that makes them feel uncomfortable
An unfamiliar animal that is invading his space
Any interaction that is unfamiliar, unsettling, or startling

Other signs that your Yorkshire Terrier staring could lead to confrontation mayinclude a rigid or stiff body, holding very still,tail tuckedor not wagging, andears laid back on his head.

If this is your Yorkshire Terrier or any other dog that you may be approaching break eye contact and back away. Give your Yorkie some space to calm down and evaluate why he may have reacted that way. You will also want to work on training him to not be aggressive in order to avoid potentially dangerous situations in the future.

Final Thoughts

So next time your Yorkie is staring you down, and your first reaction is to think about how creepy it may be, or that hes judging you and found you unworthy, think again. Most likely that intense stare means that your dog is your lifelong companion ready to please and protect you no matter what.