The Yorkshire Terrier Information Center
The Yorkshire Terrier - A Wonderful Canine Family Member
The wonderful Yorkshire Terrier is a highly popular toy breed dog. The Yorkie's development can be traced back to England, where he was used as a mill dog and a 'ratter'. Later, this breed was used for hunting small animals that lived in dens and burrows hidden on the forest floor.
During the Victorian Era, royalty embraced this tiny dog, making him a sought-after companion.
Recognized by the AKC in 1885, the Yorkshire Terrier has consistently ranked in the top 10 most popular registered breeds.
He is friendly, energetic, and expressive, making him a wonderful canine family member.
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New Right Now:
Yorkie Summer Care Tips
- Updated article; follow these 7 top tips to keep your Yorkie safe, happy, and comfortable this summer.
The Top Toys for a Yorkie
- For both puppies and adults, the 6 types of toys every Yorkie needs.
Also New:
The Best Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-Ins for a Yorkie
- If your Yorkie's coat is dull and lost its shine or if your puppy or dog has dry skin, itching, or other troublesome problems, this is your guide to fast resolution.
When a Yorkie Puppy Barks or Cries All Night
- This is an obstacle that many new owners face, but luckily there are some very helpful methods to stop this rather quickly.
The Top 4 Benefits to Using a Playpen for Your Yorkie
- Not just for puppies, these are beneficial for Yorkies of all ages.
Yorkie Color
Yorkie puppies are born black and tan. This holds true even if you can barely see one of the two hues. As a Yorkshire Terrier matures, the coat will transition to blue and gold.
It is 2 bb genes & 2 BB genes which combine to make this gorgeous coloring. A quick overview of colors:
Tan:
All tan will be darker at the roots and then a slow lightening to the tips
Blue:
A diluted black and is not mixed with another color. This is usually a dark steel blue.
Black: Puppies will usually have black intermingled with tan
Gold:
A term used to describe tan tones in the darker shades
Learn all the details about color changes and puppy & adult color information.
Stats of the Yorkshire Terrier
Pronounced: YORK-shur TAIR-ee-uhr
Common Name: Yorkie
Pronounced: YOR-kee
Commonly Misspelled: Yorky
Purpose: Companion
Breed Group: Terrier, Toy
Area of Origin: Northern England
Date of Origin: Officially became its own distinct breed in 1870
Height: 6-9 inches (15.24 – 22.86 cm) This is in general, There is not an AKC specific height guideline
Weight: Must not exceed 7 lbs. (3.17 kg)
Coat: Hair
NOTE: For a brief time, there was a minimum weight set by the AKC, of 4 lbs ( 1.81 kg).
Life Expectancy:12-15 years | See: Life Span
Average Litter Size: 1-5
Recognized by: CKC, FCI, AKC, KC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR
Points of Interest
- The Yorkie was originally a working class family's dog. Then, during the Victorian Era this breed became popular among royalty. This change made the Yorkie a very sought after dog breed and those who owned one were admired.
- 2 purebred Yorkshire Terriers, both with a genetic recessive genes, mated to produce a white spotted Yorkie. This, in 1984, created a new breed known as the Biewer.
- Although it is said that the Yorkie used to originally be used as "rat catchers" long ago, there is evidence that this breed was also used for hunting, especially for small animals that would hide in tiny dens. Because animals in dens that are cornered often fought back brutally, this gave the Yorkshire Terrier the characteristic of having great courage and valor.
- This breed is considered to be above average in regard to intelligence.
Allergies
Did you know that 20+% of all dogs suffer from some type of allergy? A dog may be born with this or it may develop at any age. An allergic reaction to fleas is the most common type; however there are many elements that trigger this including food ingredients (most often additives such as artificial flavoring, preservatives and coloring), shampoos, and airborne triggers (pollen dust).
Read more about Yorkie Allergies
Exercise
Though this breed is tiny, this is not a self-exercising breed. With a high energy level and curiosity to match it, Yorkies should be exercised on a regular basis.
Read more about Yorkie Exercise Requirements
Dental Care
Taking care of your Yorkie’s teeth is very important, as this breed is prone to tooth decay. It will take a combination of both at-home care and professional checkups keep your Yorkie's dental hygiene on track. At home, brushing with an appropriately sized brush while using an effective paste, along with quality dental treats will go a long way in combating dental disease.
Read more about Yorkshire Terrier Dental Care
Tail Docking
The element of docking a Yorkshire Terrier’s tail is quite controversial. In the United States, a tail docked to a medium length is very common and is part of the AKC breed standard. Yet, many countries have banned this practice, such as Australia, Finland, Greece, Sweden and Norway, among others.
Efforts to ban tail docking grew strong in the 1990’s. If you are thinking about docking the tail or have any questions about this procedure, read more details regarding this in our Tail Docking
section.
The Popularity Factor
This is one adorable canine friend that seems unaware of his small size. This breed is usually very enthusiastic for adventure whether this be exploring a new walking path or accompanying you to run an errand. He has wonderful quirks and traits.
The Yorkshire Terrier is also is very energetic, brave (due to its ancestry which called for courage), loyal and his behavior can be quite clever. Therefore, when one is looking for a loving, happy friend, this is the breed!
Known to be very affectionate with its human family members, they love to give and receive attention. This loyalty also shows when strangers come around, as they will want to protect their family and can be a great watch dog inside of a little body.
This protection instinct can become a behavioral issue if the dog is not shown very clearly whom is the master and whom is the canine family member.
Easy to housebreak
if proper training procedures are followed, great with children if youngsters are shown how to properly play with this very tiny dog and filled with personality, the Yorkshire Terrier has found its way into millions of homes.
This breed is among the 10 most popular dogs in the entire world. In the United States and Canada, this breed usually stays in the top 14 most popular dogs, the number of registered dogs varies any where between 40,000 and 50,000 in the US each year.
Yorkie Health
All dog breeds are prone to their own set of genetic health issues, and unfortunately the Yorkshire Terrier is not an exception. Being aware of general health, as well as signs of red flag issues is vital to a good prognosis.
Some of the top concerns for the Yorkie include Legg-Perthes disease, retinal dysplasia, luxating patella (kneecap dislocation), collapsed trachea, and portosystemic shunt.
Details of all health issues the Yorkshire Terrier is prone to; symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, and prevention. Read More: Yorkie Health Issues
Yorkie Grooming
Though this is a tiny breed, this does not negate the need for routine grooming; however, with a single coat of hair (not fur), there is very minimal shedding. Hairs, just like with humans, will fall out as new ones grow in.
The coat is silky to the touch and should have a nice shine to it. It may be kept short (puppy cut), moderate or long in a show coat (however, many owners find this to be too much upkeep).
Baths should be given once every 3 weeks. It will be important to use quality products so that the skin and coat do not become dry; this can cause lots of issues including itching and even thinning hair.
Read more about Grooming a Yorkshire Terrier
Barking
Some Yorkies can be rather mellow and others may have plenty to say. Excessive barking can be attributed to attention-seeking behavior, disturbance, reaction to a trigger, or even boredom.
If this is not corrected, it can become quite an issue.
Though every dog will be vocal to some extent, there are some things you can do to minimize barking.
Feeding
The food that you offer to your Yorkshire Terrier for both meals and snacks plays a huge role in his health, both now and long term. A huge problem with many of the commercial brands that are so popular and fill the pet supply stores, is that they are severely lacking in nutrition, but filled with all sorts of chemical preservatives, flavoring and coloring.
Toy breeds, perhaps more than any other, have an intolerance to this and can react various ways, from skin irritations to upset stomach.
Read more about What to Feed a Yorkie
Yorkie Heat Cycles
- If you have an un-spayed female, you'll want to know about the heat cycle.
Yorkie Puppy Teething
- When a puppy is teething, it's rough time for both owner and pup.
Teacup Yorkies
- Yorkshire Terrier is one of the smallest breeds in the world. Is there a variety that is tinier than 7 pound or under standard?
Supplies Needed for a Yorkie
- The 16 items you should have to take proper care of your Yorkie of any age.
Appearance
When having the 'Show Dog' look, the ultra long, silky coat parts along the spine and then gracefully falls straight down on either side.Though the coat can easily grow to floor length in just a few year, most owners opt for the 'puppy cut', short to moderate as this is much easier to groom, maintain and keep clean.
In the US and some other states, the tail is usually docked to half its length. In most other countries, the tail is left natural.
The head is flat with a medium-sized length muzzle and black nose. The eyes are very lively and the ears are v-shaped, erect or semi-erect.
Limbs should be straight with round paws and black nails. If left untrimmed, the hair on the head grows so long that it is usually gathered in a band to keep from going into the dog's food bowl and to give the Yorkie maximum visibility. This is known as putting the hair into a topknot.
"The amount of time that it takes for a dog to 'do his business' is directly proportional to the outside temperature and the suitability of the owner's outerwear."