Introduction
Also known by the name Yorkie, the Yorkshire Terrier breed is the smallest dog breed in the Terrier type. Although the smallest in size, but big in personality. The Yorkshire Terrier is an advanced mixed breed of dogs in the English family and is popular among people and pets in North America and Northern Europe. It is a familiar companion dog. The breeding of some other dogs such as Silky Terriers involved it too. These dogs love to play, are full of life, and are animated. However, if they are left alone, they come across separation anxiety. It is an important reason why some owners prefer to keep two dogs at a time. These dogs are recognized as working, socialized, and extremely friendly. They have some characteristics that make them unique and very different from other breeds of dogs in their behavior and personality traits.
Quick Facts of Yorkshire Terrier Breed
History of Yorkshire Terrier Breed
They developed the Yorkshire Terrier in a country known as Yorkshire, and they raised it in the 19th century. Scotland workers brought numerous varieties to Yorkshire when they came for work. However, those dogs were very much bigger than the Yorkies we currently know, and it’s believed that these were resorted to capturing rats in factories.
Clydesdale Terriers have most likely mixed with some other terrier breeds. These breeds include the English Black and Tan Toy Terrier and the Skye Terrier. However, at first, they were well known as waterside terriers.
In 1861, they initially showed a Yorkie dog in a bench exhibition. Huddersfield Ben, a successful show-dog born in 1865, is thought to be the parent of the current Yorkshire Terrier breed. Although most of the breed’s growth took place in that area, it got its current name in 1870.
The studbook of the British Kennel Club originally recorded Yorkshire Terrier in 1874. Later in 1898, England also established her first-ever Yorkshire Terrier breed club.
Similarly, the United States witnessed her first Yorkshire Terrier dog in 1872. As soon as 1878, Yorkies were allowed to participate in dog shows. They placed Yorkies into two weight groups in the early shows: below 5 pounds and 5 pounds and up. However, the vendor chose to stick with a single category weighing 3 to 7 pounds.
Appearance of Yorkshire Terrier
These dogs belong to the Terrier family. We consider Yorkshire Terrier as a toy dog. Yorkshire terriers are passionate little canines who don’t mind displaying their pride. They may only weigh seven pounds, but they have the mentality of a Great Dane. Other than that, Yorkies are tiny but eager for action, making them the perfect “bag dog” to take anywhere.
Yorkies may wear long silky hair straight to the floor or have their coats clipped smaller in something like a puppy cut, giving them two contrasting styles. They like to show their thing, regardless of how their hair flows. They’re aware that they’re adorable.
Height
The Yorkshire Terriers are not huge. They typically have a height of 7 to 8 inches at the shoulder.
- Male: 8 to 9 inches
- Female: 7 to 8 inches
Weight
The weight depends upon different factors such as health conditions and varies with age. However, they mostly have a maximum weight of 7 pounds (3.2 Kg).
- Male: 5 to 7 pounds
- Female: 4 to 6 pounds
Life Span of Yorkie
The life expectancy of Yorkshire Terriers is about 11 to 15 years.
Coat and Color
Coat color, thickness, and smoothness are crucial factors to observe in adult Yorkies. Shiny, thin, flat, but smooth hair is required. The coat is typically lengthy and divided in the center of the spine, yet it “must never obstruct his mobility.”
Metals level in the Yorkie’s body may be determined using the dog’s hair. The coat should always be grey or black from the back of the throat to the end of the tail, or the rear hairs will be a deeper black. Its hairs should be a deep, rich brown on the head, higher chest, and limbs, dark at the roots than the center, fading into a brighter tan just at tips, but not for every dog.
Additional Traits
- Male of Yorkshire Terrier breed are hard to train. It is because these dogs get distracted easily. However, female Yorkshire Terriers do not play too much. They give fast and proper responses.
- Male Yorkshire Terriers are warm-hearted and love their pet parent a lot. However, female Yorkshire Terriers are comparatively less loving.
- As we already stated, female Yorkshire Terriers are not fond of playing a lot. Therefore, you do not have to focus much on grooming. For male Yorkshire Terriers, the case is the opposite. It is because of their playful nature.
Personality and Temperament
Stable and Protective
The AKC defines the personality as “carriage very upright feisty” or “conveying an important air”. Although why, it is active, curious, fond of attention, and protective. Lapdogs display some soft and submissive behavior. But that is not the case with them. Even though some Yorkshire Terriers exhibit this behavior owing to incorrect training, they are mentally and emotionally stable individuals and should not demonstrate the weak subservient disposition. That is why the Yorkshire Terriers are not directed to keep at home with young kids, but they are suitable for families with older people.
Smart Dogs
It is important to note that Yorkshire Terriers are very easy to train because of their nature to work without the assistance of human beings. They are naturally energetic and quicker to learn new things. Since we mainly used them as working dogs, they often required physical and mental activities to keep them busy and active.
Although they are notorious due to being bad-tempered, many people have stated that a happy Yorkie would contentedly snuggle up over your knees in the evening.
Easily Adjust
Yorkshire dogs do not have any problems while fitting into an environment, and they can adjust to any habitat. They accept their surroundings and have a lovely attitude towards the family. Although they demand little workouts due to their small weight, they need daily communication with humans. They flourish in love and care.
Barking
Yorkies are good watchdogs due to their sharp senses. On the other hand, it may cause them to be overly ready to sound the alert at every new sight or sound. You should respond quickly to stop their incessant barking before becoming his habit.
We covered every one of these topics in dog training books, Respect Training For Puppies, including leash riding, breaking, litter box training, and halting barking (at least 30 seconds to a well-mannered, well-behaved puppy).
Active
They are quiet in front of other fellows. But prefer to remain near to owners for ease. Yorkies have a habit of barking a lot which makes them ideal watchdogs. They will raise the warning if someone approaches. However, if barking is an issue for you, proper training and exercise may frequently remedy this.
Yorkshire Terrier Breed Care and Maintenance
Taking care of pets is a responsibility, not a privilege. They always rely upon us for various reasons such as food, training, exercising, etc. Therefore, being a guardian of them, you need to feel your commitment. Care can take many forms. We briefly outlined some of them below.
Shedding Level
Yorkshire Terriers do not shed a lot. These dogs barely shed during the whole year. Most of the time, you will not even notice the hair of Yorkshire Terriers breeds. There is no particular season of shedding. Basically, the fur of Yorkshire Terriers grows to a limit. Once that limit ends, their hair will stop growing.
Exercise
Yorkies, in principle, could get the majority of their activity inside. The difficulty is that when you compel a Yorkie for a workout just by rushing about the home, they might become too excited. A dog that runs around, leaping and barking, has a good mental state. It is not healthy for your mental health, and it frequently leads to behavioral issues.
As a result, make an effort to bring your Yorkie outdoors. You can keep a Yorkie in a home without a yard. However, a gated yard, either small or large and in which he can extend his limbs and play around, will make him happier. Yorkies are sharp little canines who would benefit from mental stimulation. Innovative dog toys, a narrow constructed assault course, training tricks, and games like hiding and Seek are just a few of the exciting things that keep his mind occupied.
- Although it varies on what you’re attempting to teach them, many Yorkies are intelligent and quick learners.
- They can quickly pick up skills like Beg, Dance, Spin, and Roll Over. Of course, they anticipate a reward for their efforts.
- Cover the potty area of Yorkshire terrier all the time. For the comfort of your dog, you can make a small door. Moreover, through this door, a Yorkie can enter their potty area. However, you must train your dog for this purpose.
- They have the potential to be tiny divas. Teaching a Yorkie to walk correctly on a leash is a difficult task. They can show signs of rebellion. It happens when people tell them what to do.
Yorkshire Terrier Breed Food
Although, the actual amount of food intake largely depends upon the dog’s size, age, level of metabolism, physical activity, build and age, etc. However, ½ to ¾ cups of high-quality dry food per day, split into two meals, is the recommended daily quantity for Yorkshire Terriers.
Make sure your Yorkshire terrier does not gain weight. This exquisite breed does not look good in roly-poly. Rather than putting eatables out all the time, it is better to measure the food and feed them twice a day to keep your dogs in a decent state. Give them the eye and hands-on tests if you are not sure about the weight of a Yorkie.
Look at him first. Waist visible. Then, using your thumbs down his backbone and fingertips stretched downwards, put your hands over his shoulders. Without pressing too much, you should be able to sense and not see his bones. If you cannot, he must eat less and move more.
Yorkshire Terriers are small cute dogs. Therefore, you do not need to feed too much to this breed. An estimate of food for Yorkshire is 20 dollars to 30 dollars. So this Yorkshire Terrier is not an expensive dog at all.
Best Food for Dogs
Worst Food for Dogs
You can feed various other food items to your pup. These can be treats, fruits, or anything else. However, most people do not know what to feed a Boston terrier. We have a wide range of articles that tell which food is best for a dog. Must read these articles to know more about a dog’s eating tastes.
Pros of Owning a Yorkshire Terrier Breed
- Adapt to Changes: Yorkies are intelligent and flexible, and their tiny stature makes them perfect home dogs, but they often like getting out over the town. Their bold, adventure-seeking temperament allows them to flourish in urban settings.
- Loving Nature: With families and the public, they know well, the Yorkshire Terriers are likely to be quite loving. Although certain breeds are reserved with people other than their owners, they adore everyone they know as if they were their best friends.
- High Patience and Tolerance: They also have a great degree of tolerance and patience with children’s conduct, as well as a family-friendly demeanor. You should monitor them around small children or youngsters of any age who have had little experience with dogs.
- Easy to Manage: Fine-boned, stylish, simple to carry, and not taking up a lot of room (best for those with allergies). Lively and curious, move quickly and gracefully. An inconsiderable amount of physical exercise is necessary. Outstanding watchdogs. Companionable with other animals.
- Loyal: If you socialize the Yorkie with the other animals at a young age, they will get along swimmingly. Strange dogs, especially ones that outweighed them by a factor of 10, are unabashed in pursuing them, and defending them against themselves becomes part of the routine of Yorkie owners.
Cons of Owning a Yorkshire Terrier Breed
- Anxiety Issues: They dislike getting left alone for extended times and are susceptible to anxiety issues, which might require further training. If your Yorkie shows indications of worry or discomfort while you’re gone, get guidance from your veterinarian or hire an animal behaviorist.
- Warm Weather: Although your Yorkie might choose to go on adventures with you. Yorkshire terriers are primarily introvert dogs. They do not take excessive heat or cold effectively. When it’s chilly outside, you might want to invest in a decent jacket to keep her warm. Avoid putting your Yorkie out in hot weather, and if you must, make sure he has plenty of water to drink. Note that dogs do not sweat as much as humans do, so look for indications of heatstroke
- Contests and Shows: Stolfi emphasizes the importance of selecting a dog that will fit your routine. If you want to prepare for the New York City marathons with an energetic partner, a Yorkie is not a good idea.
- Lazy and Cuddly: Most Yorkies are content to spend the afternoon snuggled in your laps, while others prefer to hold meetings on the floor, where they may feel in command.
- Jealous Dogs: Yorkshire terriers are known as jealous dogs. They are sensitive about their pet parents, toys, belongings, and area. However, they behave well with dogs with whom they grew up from the beginning. According to the Yorkie Information Center, by interacting and talking more with dogs and other people. It will lead to your Yorkshire terrier being calm and gentle with strangers and everyone in general.
- Common Issues: Extremely frail, need constant control and reporting House training challenges are well-known. If you do not like the noise, barking can be an issue for a pet parent. Cleaning, brushing regularly, or cutting the coat short from time to time. Suspiciousness, stridency, and rudeness in children that are babied or spoiled. Also, kids who have not been properly socialized or forced to behave. Yorkies don’t get along with them in most cases.
Yorkshire Terrier Breed Health Issues
The overall health is generally in good shape. However, diseases are a part of everyday life for all living things. Similarly, the Yorkshire Terriers, like humans, are also susceptible to several illnesses. They can catch several diseases. Although a Yorkie does not necessarily need to get any of these ailments, you should know them if you want to adopt one.
The following are a few of the common health risks linked to Yorkshire Terriers:
- Patellar Luxation: Also called slipped stifles is one of the most common issues associated with small dogs. It occurs whenever the patella, which has three parts: the femur (thigh bone), patella (knee cap), and tibia (calf), is out of alignment. It results in stiffness in the leg of the pet or an irregular gait. In severe cases, it may even require surgery to fix the issues. The symptoms include a bowlegged appearance. So, if you suspect your dog with these symptoms, get it to the nearest vet to get proper treatment.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): It is a kind of ongoing eye disease. The breakdown of photoreceptor cells at the rear of an eye causes PRA-induced myopia. It is a gradual process. We can detect it several years before the dog displays any indications of blindness. A veterinarian ophthalmologist certifies the eyes of a reputed breeder dog once a year.
- Portosystemic Shunt: It is a blood circulation abnormality. It is a concern since the liver is in charge of detoxification, nutritional metabolism, and drug elimination. Neurobehavioral disorders, decreased appetite, hypoglycemia, periodic digestive troubles, urinary difficulties, medication intolerance, and restricted development are just a few of the symptoms. A particular diet, as well as reconstructive surgery, can aid with long-term treatment.
- Hypoglycemia: When agitated, Yorkies, like many other small dog breeds, can develop hypoglycemia, especially while they are puppies. The main reason behind this is Low blood sugar. Symptoms include weakness, disorientation, a shaky stride, and seizure-like events. If your dog is already at risk, speak with your veterinarian about preventative and possible treatments.
- Collapsed Trachea: The trachea, which transports oxygen into the lungs, is prone to collapse. A persistent, drying, loud cough that many people compare to something like a goose honk is by far the most prevalent symptom of a collapsed trachea. A trachea that has collapsed might be addressed clinically or by surgery.
- Reverse Sneezing: A collapsed trachea can sometimes be mistaken for this disease. It is a much less dangerous ailment that lasts just a few moments. Whenever your dog is eager or attempts to eat and drink too quickly, it will sneeze backward. It could also happen if pollen or even other allergens are present in the air. It might be terrifying for your Yorkshire terrier, but the backward sneezing will cease once he settles down. To take care of them, calm down, gently touch their throat, and take them to the nearest vet.
Famous Yorkie in History
Due to their loveable nature and stunning personality, they have an extensive notability. We briefly described some of the notable events below
- Show Dogs: Champion Ozmilion Mystification, a Yorkie, won Best in Show at Crufts, the World’s biggest yearly dog show, for the first time in 1997.
- Small Dogs: Sylvia was the tiniest dog ever documented, a cardboard box-sized Yorkie owned by Arthur Marples of Blackburn, England. The Yorkie was approximately two years old when he died in 1945, standing 2+1/2 inches (6.4 cm) high just at shoulder, measuring 3+1/2 in (8.9 cm) from snout tip to tails, and weighing 4 oz (110 g).
- War Dogs: William Wynne from Cleveland, Ohio, had Smoky, a hero of World War – II dog. Smoky was acquired by Wynne when he was stationed in the Mediterranean with the fifth Air Force.
- White House Dogs: During the Richard Nixon administration, Tricia Nixon Cox’s pet Yorkie Pasha stayed inside the White House.
People who should own Yorkie
- Live in Apartments: This breed does not shed so much. Moreover, these dogs do not grow much in size. Therefore, all these fascinating features make Yorkshire Terrier a perfect dog for people who live in small dorms. You can still adopt a dog even if you live in a small place.
- Lazy People: We all are lazy sometimes. We barely have time for ourselves. So taking care of a dog can be the ultimate issue. However, Yorkshire Terriers do not need too much exercise. There is no need for walks to the parks. But short walks occasionally are healthy.
- Extrovert or Introvert: Yes, this dog is suitable for extroverts as well as introverts. Introverts want a company that will love them unconditionally. Anyone who will not get bored with them and vice versa. Then Yorkshire Terrier is the best choice. Extroverts love to meet new people, have fun, and play. Yorkshire Terrier will make everyone fall in love with them.
