Dogs respond to the outdoors as a symbol of freedom and often make a dash for liberty, forgetting all their lessons. Only after your yorky learns to come to you consistently in the house, and has been taken methodically through every training step along the way is he ready to be taken outside.
Even then, your yorky’s first outside training experience should be in a semi-enclosed area such as a fenced-in garden or a dog run. There have to be enough restrictions to ensure that you can control him while teaching him to come back to you outdoors.
Before you can finally allow him off a leash in the park or on a beach, you must be absolutely sure of your yorky. Teach him thoroughly in an enclosed area first to avoid problems later.
The best way to proceed is exactly as you did when teaching a dog inside. Take a quick review by having him come from the end of a six-foot training leash. Then use a leash that has been extended with an attached cord. Once your yorky responds immediately, move on to the off-leash training procedures.
The most effective off-the-leash outdoor technique is throwing objects in front of him (not at him), which makes your yorky think you can reach out to get him anywhere.
It is perfect for reinforcement when he refuses to listen. If you use it to correct any regressive behavior, our yorky will learn that once outdoors, when you can call his security lies solely with you.
You can’t use a magazine or a slipper as your tool because you need something with more heft to reach your yorky at a greater distance.
You can use small chains, a choke chain, or even your house keys (with a bright ribbon attached to help you recover them from the grass). Just keep the size of your yorky in mind. The idea isn’t to frighten your yorky, but to let him know you can reach him wherever he is.
When you are outside and your yorky is running around, call him to come once. If he comes, praise him. If not, he is being disobedient because he knows the command. So take an object you chose as a training aid and try to throw it in front of him.
The object shouldn’t hurt him, but it must actually physically touch him. The moment after it does touch him, say “come” and give the beckoning signal.