I have been through the process of potty training a Yorkie. Based on my own experience, as well as that of many others, here is what you do for a successful experience.
You will first need a crate appropriate in size for your Yorkie. This comes in handy anyway as a safe haven for your pet to sleep, hang out when alone, and for traveling.
If you want your Yorkie to have a certain designated spot for potty, then you will need to lead it on a leash, or have a penned in area for training purposes. If you just let it find it's own spot, then of course it could be anywhere, and may end up as several spots. Let your Yorkie know who's boss and you step through the doorway first, then have your Yorkie follow. This is an important step in any type of training you do with your Yorkie.
So when you start out, you must keep a close eye on your Yorkie at all times when not in it's crate. When potty training, it is critical that you keep a watchful eye on your Yorkie whenever it is out of it's crate so as to avoid an accident. If it has an accident in your home, then it will begin to associate that area as it's potty spot. Individual dogs have their own body language when they are preparing to go potty, but generally, a Yorkie will begin circling a small area as they get serious about going potty. When you spot this, immediately lead it outside to the designated spot and let it relieve itself.
Always use the same door when taking your Yorkie out and hopefully yours will eventually go to the door and bark when ready as mine did. Let your Yorkie know who's boss and you step through the doorway first, then have your Yorkie follow. I believe it is also helpful to praise your Yorkie after a successful potty. I preferred not to give treats, as I did not want to get her thinking she got a treat every time she went potty. I gave her treats initially, then realized that she must have been wanting to go out just for the treat, because she couldn't go potty, but she still wanted the treat!
In order to avoid an accident, you must pay especially close attention when first letting your Yorkie out of it's crate, right after eating, and after awakening in the morning or after a nap. When you notice your Yorkie signaling it needs to go potty, you need to immediately intervene and whisk it outside and keep reinforcing the habit. Persistence will pay off, and your Yorkie should soon know to only go potty in it's spot outdoors.
