Uninformed and unsuspecting owners allow uncontrolled, vicious dogs through half-hearted leadership and actually encourage it in other ways.

Some people find it amusing when a little dog growls and barks, or reassuring when large dogs do so. Unfortunately, encouraging what you consider to be cute snapping or snarling will only teach your yorky pup to grow into a dog that bites.

The flattering thought of a puppy that comes to your aid when anyone approaches you or your family will not be so reassuring when your full-grown dog takes a chunk out of a neighbor.

At maturity, a dog that’s been raised to permissively may begin to take advantage of you. Teasing is one method used to train a dog to attack. Unfortunately, unsuspecting people often use this method to make their dogs aggressive.

Sometimes the owner doesn’t realize what’s happening; perhaps a jealous child or a neighbor annoys your yorky when you’re not around. A teased yorky may learn to be a vicious animal.

Make sure no one grabs bones and toys away from your yorky puppy for the fun of it. He should not have to growl and chase other dogs or people away from his food.

A tug-of-war over a toy is in effect a form of teasing that teaches your yorky the power of his teeth, and should not be encouraged unless your yorky understands it’s only a game and you are in complete control.

A yorky that is kept enclosed in a yard or confined consistently in a small area should be protected from people who would throw things to incite him or run around just out of reach, taunting him. All of these teasing games can cause your yorky to become nasty.

Perhaps the most prevalent (and so disconcertingly unintentional) aggressiveness training is done by owners who believe they are actually reprimanding their pets. Wherever a yorky hears a noise, sees something unusual, or spots another animal, he may growl and bark.

On hearing this, the owner may pat and say “good dog” to calm him down. Actually, this “good dog” encouragement is a good way to teach your yorky to bark and growl. The yorky, thinking this is what is wanted, may eventually go on to more pronounced forms of aggression.

What you should actually do is firmly slap the dog or reprimand him in some way for his undesirable behavior.