With their long silky locks (including a possible hair clip) and tiny size, a Yorkshire Terrier might look like a pampered pooch but these are feisty, brave, occasionally bossy dogs who live up to their terrier name. Like a true extrovert, Yorkies get their energy from being around their people. Friendly, playful and affectionate with their favourite humans, Yorkshire Terriers thrive on being the centre of your world - and they’re not afraid to let you know when your attention isn’t up to scratch. Big barkers, an untrained Yorkie can be a handful. But in the right pair of loving hands, a Yorkshire Terrier shines as a dedicated canine companion.
Yorkshire Terrier Facts
Originally bred in the mid-1800s in Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England, Yorkshire Terriers were first used as ratters in mills and mines. These working class pups eventually became fashionable lap dogs for well-to-do English ladies in late Victorian times.
- Breed Group: Toy
- Height: 18-20cm
- Weight: 3kg
- Life Span: 11-15 years
- Coat: Long, silky
- Colour: Black and tan or gold; blue and tan or gold
What Does a Yorkshire Terrier Look Like?
A pint-sized pup, Yorkshire Terriers are tiny terriers with a big personality. Well known for their silky long coats, you’ll either see a Yorkshire Terrier rocking a floor-length straight coat or a ‘puppy cut’, where it’s cut to 2-5cm all over. Born with mainly black coats, it turns more golden and grey (also called blue) as they grow older. Yorkshire Terrier’s hair is very similar to human hair in both look and feel.
Yorkshire Terriers look like soft toys come to life, thanks to their small teddy-bear faces, including bright black or brown round button eyes and tiny black button noses. Their triangular ears stand proudly upright, giving them an inquisitive and alert look. Finally, a perky tail that curves up and over their back completes the Yorkshire Terrier.
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier Temperament: Excitable Extrovert
There’s the heart of a true terrier beating underneath that silky hair. Bred to be ratters in mines and mills, Yorkshire Terriers are brave, feisty pups who tackle the world with their signature sass. They’re also affectionate and friendly and provide years of love, laughter and friendship - as long as they’ve been properly socialised and trained as puppies, that is.
Like most small dogs, Yorkshire Terriers aren’t aware of their tiny size. This means their personalities can be super sized, including their confidence. An untrained Yorkie will try to rule the roost, reminding you when it’s time to get up, feed them and play with them. The number one way they’ll do this? Yapping. Yorkies are big (and we mean big) yappers.
Not only will they rule your household, they can even display aggression towards visitors and new people and pups. But training your Yorkshire to respect their leader (you) and giving them lots of positive interactions with other people and dogs from when they’re a puppy ensures these are playful, friendly and loyal dogs.
Yorkshire Terriers can get along well with most humans and animals, especially if they’ve grown up with them. There are 2 exceptions to this: small children and small animals, like hamsters, guinea pigs and rats. It’s not that Yorkies don’t like children - they generally like everyone - it’s that some young children like rough and tumble play, which isn’t ideal for a Yorkie. Plus, some young kids can assume that because a Yorkshire Terrier looks like a teddy bear, they are one which can lead to grabbing and tight cuddling - neither of which the Yorkie enjoys. Small animals look too much like the rodents they were bred to chase and hunt so sharing a home together is a no-no.
Although they’re not fans of being grabbed by small hands, Yorkshire Terriers are ok with being picked up and handled. Just remember to balance holding time with time spent exploring on their 4 paws - Yorkies still need exercise and independence.
Keeping Yorkshire Terriers Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
Thanks to their history as working dogs, Yorkshire Terriers are surprisingly healthy and hardy and should live a long, happy life of up to 15 years. Preventative care, like regular vet check ups, daily toothbrushing, and keeping up with flea and worm treatments, can all help.
Collapsed Trachea
Like a lot of toy dog breeds, Yorkshire Terriers are prone to collapsed trachea (or windpipe). This prevents them from breathing properly. A Yorkie with a collapsed trachea will have a persistent, dry, harsh cough that sounds a bit like a goose honking. Other signs include wheezing. You can avoid your dog developing a collapsed trachea by using a properly fitting collar - 2 of your fingers should fit nicely between the collar and your dog’s neck. A harness is better than a lead attached to their collar too. A collapsed trachea can be treated with pain medications, weight management and surgery, depending on its severity.
Low Blood Sugar
Young Yorkies (those aged 5 months and below) are at risk of hypoglycemia. This is a sudden drop in their blood sugar. It causes drowsiness, rapid breathing and heart rate, tremors, seizures and vomiting. A Yorkshire Terrier experiencing hypoglycemia needs medical treatment ASAP so get them to the vet as soon as you can.
Joint Problems
Yorkshire Terriers are genetically predisposed to dislocated kneecaps, or luxating patella. It’s when their kneecap doesn’t sit in the proper position but instead floats about. Normally it develops over time. Signs your dog has luxating patella include stopping walking or a skip in their step. There’s a range of treatment options including medication, physical therapy, massage and surgery. As a genetic condition, breeding dogs should be screened for it.
Eye Issues
Another genetic condition Yorkshire Terriers are at risk of is PRA or Progressive Retinal Atrophy. This is when the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) doesn’t develop properly. It eventually leads to blindness. While there’s currently no cure or treatment, most dogs adapt well to blindness and continue to live happily.
Caring for Your Yorkshire Terrier Dog
Small dog, small care needs? Not quite! A Yorkshire Terrier’s coat needs daily grooming to look its best. Add in plenty of attention, cuddle time and training and you’ve got plenty of opportunities for quality time with your pup.
Grooming
A Yorkie’s coat is very like human hair. Fine and delicate, it needs to be cared for like you would your own. Whatever length their coat is, brush it every day to avoid knots and tangles and to get rid of any mud or dirt. You’ll also need to bath them weekly so stock up on shampoo and especially conditioner. Make sure that the hair above their eyes doesn’t grow too long and begin to irritate their eyes. Either trim it short or clip it up.
Bath time is a great time to check their ears for any wax or debris build up and signs of infection - redness, irritation, oozing, a weird smell. Gentle ear cleaning wipes are a quick and easy way to keep their ears clean and healthy. They’ll need their nails clipped occasionally too, to keep them comfortable as they move about.
Finally, brush their teeth everyday. Yorkies are very prone to tooth decay, which can lead to a range of health problems.
Nutrition
Yorkshire Terriers do well on quality commercial dog food that’s suited to their life stage (puppy, adult or senior). You could consider dog food that’s specifically for toy dog breeds. Not only is the kibble / biscuits smaller for their smaller jaws, but it’s nutritionally balanced to meet their needs.
Yorkies should get plenty of kibble / biscuits to chomp on, daily. That’s because they’re prone to dental disease. Their tiny mouths are usually overcrowded with teeth (they have the same number as all dogs, but in a much smaller space). So, there are lots of tiny areas for plaque to develop, which can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and other health issues. Dry food can slough off any tartar, helping to keep their mouth and gums healthy.
It’s important that your Yorkie doesn’t become overweight, which can be easy to do, especially if they don’t get enough exercise. Keep an eye on portion size, ensure they get the opportunity to move and run about every day, and remember that treat calories count towards their daily intake.
Exercise
Yorkshire Terriers were bred to be active working dogs, hunting down rats and other rodents in the mills and mines of Yorkshire in northern England. Even though they’re small, they still need daily exercise to stay physically and mentally healthy.
Two 15-minute walks a day will get them exploring (and smelling) their world and burning off their energy. Because of a Yorkshire Terrier’s risk of tracheal collapse (more on that below), it’s best to walk them with a harness, rather than a lead that attaches to their collar. With their short legs, a Yorkie isn’t going to be pounding the pavement. Expect somewhat slow walkies together - think of them as an opportunity to (literally) stop and smell the roses. Be patient and avoid picking them up where possible. They need daily exercise and you constantly holding them stops them from getting it.
Toss in the occasional game of fetch with a ball in the garden, a gentle tug of war at home, and some time spent with puzzle and enrichment toys and you’ll have a happy Yorkie.
Training
Very smart pups, Yorkies love their people and are very eager to please. Yorkshire Terriers respond well to praise, treats and play time for good behaviour and will happily, and quickly, master the basics. Once they’ve nailed sit, stay and come, you can move onto the more fun tricks, like shake, roll over and even dancing on their hind legs. These outgoing dogs thrive on the attention their showstopping tricks bring.
Starting from puppyhood, you should socialise your Yorkie so they can get comfortable with a range of new experiences, situations, humans and dogs. Because they’re so small, it can be tempting to pick them up and carry them everywhere. But doing this deprives them of normal dog interactions and can make them anxious, which makes them more difficult to train. Puppy school, where socialisation can be handled in a safe, positive, calm way, is a great way to go.
With their high barking tendencies, training them to curb excessive barking is worth it. Although you’ll never get them to stop barking altogether, teaching them when it’s appropriate to bark, and when it isn’t, is achievable.