Introduction

The Yorkshire Terrier, often known as a Yorkie, is a Terrier turned companion dog breed that is highly affectionate, undeniably gorgeous and slightly mischievous.

At one point the Yorkie was known as the Scotch Terrier, but they have been officially recognised as the Yorkshire Terrier by the British Kennel Club since 1874. Their generally accepted origin story goes back to the Industrial Revolution when workers from Scotland travelled to work in Yorkshire with their Paisley Terriers which were used to catch rats.

Whilst in Yorkshire, the Paisley Terrier was crossed with other Terriers, possibly the Skye Terrier, English Black Terrier and Tan Toy Terrier. Eventually a prize-winning Terrier named Huddersfield Ben was born in 1865 and has long been acknowledged as the sire of the modern-day Yorkshire Terrier breed.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a strikingly beautiful dog who has a long, silky coat that most could only dream of. This perfectly straight coat, which falls to the floor on show dogs, is generally blue and tan with a bright gold head and tanned legs up to the knees.

Their big personality, which far outgrows their small size, is another reason why they’re a very popular dog breed in the UK. Whilst they bring the old saying “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog” to mind, they do also make very loving companions who are devoted to their family.

Gorgeous black and tan Yorkshire Terrier with long hair lying down

12 - 15 Years

Lifespan

20 - 23cm

Size

1.8 - 2.7kg

Weight

2/5

Cold weather tolerance

2/5

Hot weather tolerance

Companion

Breed group

15 - 30 mins a day

Exercise

Silky, long, single

Coat

3/5

Dog friendly

Cheeky looking Yorkshire Terrier sitting in a garden with its tongue hanging out

Behaviour and personality

The personality of a Yorkshire Terrier can range from a cuddly, perky fur ball who wants nothing more than to follow their human and snuggle on their lap, to a mischievous, outgoing rascal. It’s sheer chance which personality yours will have, but often they will be a mix of the two. Whatever their personality, they will require lots of love, attention and time from their family.

Generally, they’re incredibly affectionate towards their family and other trusted humans, but they can show their inherited Terrier nature with strangers to whom they can be very suspicious. They will also usually alert you if someone they don’t know is approaching the house.

In their eyes, they're not a small dog. Unless trained out of them, most Yorkies will seemingly forget their small size and stand up to other dogs whether they’re a Chihuahua or a Great Dane. You can avoid this behaviour by training and socialising them at a young age, so they don’t one day pick a fight with the wrong dog.

Yorkies are a smart breed who’s usually easy to train, largely thanks to the attention, treats and mental stimulation that comes with it. With that said, they're notoriously difficult to house train and often people will just put up with their little puddles instead of training it out of them. This is a mistake that can be avoided by focussing your efforts on ensuring they go in a designated area in your house rather trying to get them to go outside. This approach will help avoid any missed presents and can make the whole clean-up process a doddle.

They’re very intelligent and full of energy, so they really appreciate toys and other puzzles that keep them mentally stimulated through the day, especially when you’re not home. If you don’t provide this stimulation, they can get bored and release their pent-up energy in negative, destructive ways.

All in all, a well-trained Yorkshire Terrier is a very pleasant, gorgeous addition to the family with a mischievous personality that will never struggle to keep you entertained.

Ideal owner / home

House or Apartment

Older children

Novice owner

Cats & Dogs

Yorkshire Terriers can adapt to most households which means they’re a suitable option for someone who lives in an apartment. Wherever you live, you should train them to reduce their barking. If you don’t, you’ll have a dog that can be triggered by anything from a passing cyclist to a leaf in the breeze.

Their love and affection towards their family means they don’t cope well with being left alone, so they’re not suitable for anyone who must leave the house regularly. They’re best suited to someone who works in a dog friendly environment that allows you to bring your pooch, or who doesn’t have a job that takes them out of the house.

They’re small compared to many other breeds, even as adult dogs, and they can snap if they’re startled, teased or handled roughly. This means they’re not best suited to a family with young children, but they’ll live happily with older children who respect their boundaries and aren’t rough with them.

They can live in a house with other pets, including dogs, but this is usually considerably easier if they grow up with them from a young age. Unfortunately, if a new pet is brought into the house at an older age, they can get possessive so you must take care when introducing them. If you’re not careful, your Yorkie’s instinct to fight to the death may kick in and you’ll see a whole new side to them. Any unpleasantness can usually be avoided by socialising Yorkie puppies at a young age and regularly through their life.

Although they’re good with cats and dogs, their ratting heritage means they’ll see any smaller animals, like hamsters and mice, as prey. If you already have small pets, you would be best to avoid any Terrier breeds who’ll make their lives very difficult.

Unlike many other breeds, some indoor play or a nice short walk around the block will usually be enough exercise for a Yorkie. This makes them a good choice for anyone who isn’t very mobile or doesn’t have the time for long daily walks.

Their relative ease to train and their low exercise requirements makes them a good option for first time dog owners, but you must be prepared for their grooming requirements which are higher than many other breeds.

Although they mostly respond well to training, they’re notoriously difficult to house train. This means they’re not necessarily the best option for someone who must have a super clean house and will not tolerate little accidents here and there. The best way to tackle this is to accept their reluctance to do their business outside and instead train them to go only in a specific area of your house. You can then prepare and regularly clean this area properly and you’ll be less likely to find any unwanted presents in other areas of the house.

Cute Yorkshire Terrier sitting next to their owner

Cute looking, well groomed Yorkshire Terrier sitting on a blanket on a beach

Grooming

One of the Yorkshire Terrier’s most desirable features is their gorgeous, long silky coat which can fall right down to the floor in show dogs. The cost of this beautiful coat is the high level of grooming required to keep it looking and feeling as it should.

To keep their coat healthy, you must gently brush it every day to prevent matting. You should also bathe them weekly to help keep the coat shiny, soft and silky. When you bathe them, all you need to do is run your fingers through the coat with some dog friendly shampoo instead of rubbing it in. This method will gently lift the dirt out of the hair whilst sufficiently distributing the shampoo.

Make sure you never brush their coat if it’s dirty and dry because this can damage the coat. If they’re dirty, give them a bath and then brush them.

When you’re grooming your Yorkie, check and trim the anal area with scissors if the hair is longer than half an inch.

In addition to their regular grooming which you can do at home, you'll want to have your Yorkie groomed by a professional groomer two or three times a year.

Grooming will become an ever-present part of your Yorkies life, so you can make the process much easier for both of you if you get them used to being handled, examined, brushed and bathed at an early age. Make the experience positive by rewarding them for good behaviour and they'll soon come to love the attention and praise that comes with it. You’ll find this will also make visits to the vet considerably easier.

Small dog breeds are prone to dental problems and unfortunately Yorkies are no exception, so you must make dental care a regular part of your grooming routine. Brush their teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and bacteria. If you can, daily brushing is even better to prevent gum disease.

Trim their nails once or twice a month, but always bear in mind, if you can hear them clicking on the floor, they’re too long and should be cut immediately. Not only does trimming the nails keep their paws in good condition, it also protects you and anyone else when they jump up.

Check ears regularly for any sign of infection which could be redness, sores, or bad odour and gently wash their ear with a cotton wall bud and cleaning solution, but to avoid damaging the ear canal, only clean areas you can see.

Health

Some Yorkies can have a delicate digestive system so you should follow the breeder’s advice or speak to your vet to reduce the risk of any digestion related health problems.

Yorkshire Terriers can retain their puppy teeth even through adulthood, especially their canines, so you should check them regularly. If an adult tooth is pushing up when a baby tooth is still there, you should take your Yorkie to the vet because it could cause their adult teeth to become uneven, eventually leading to tooth decay.

Just like some other small breeds, they don’t cope well with either cold or hot weather, so you should take precautions to reduce the risk of any adverse effects.

There's a very small variation of the Yorkshire Terrier which have come to be known as ‘Teacup’ Yorkshire Terriers. Be careful with these as they don’t meet the breed standard, are prone to certain genetic disorders and are generally at a higher health risk than the standard Yorkie.

Light coloured Yorkshire Terrier sitting down in grass

Common health issues

Patellar Luxation

Patellar Luxation is a relatively common problem that occurs when the patella is not properly lined up. This causes the Femur (thigh bone), Patella (kneecap), and Tibia (calf) to slip out of place. When this happens, the dog will generally skip or hop.

There are four grades, ranging from I, an occasional luxation causing temporary lameness in the joint, to grade IV, in which the turning of the tibia is severe, and patella cannot be realigned manually.

The constant rubbing caused by this issue can lead to arthritis, a degenerative joint disease and severe levels of Patella luxation may require surgery to avoid further issues and pain.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina.

Early in the disease, affected dogs become night-blind, with the loss of sight during the day occurring as the disease progresses.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment, but it is known that the condition doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort and most dogs will adapt well to their limited or lost vision, so long as their surroundings and environment stay the same.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is more commonly known as low blood sugar and is more of a symptom of an underlying disease/condition than it is a disease in itself.

The condition is when the body is deprived of sugar which is the bodies main source of energy. The lack of sugar can result in symptoms including serious lethargy, loss of appetite, trembling, blindness and even unconsciousness.

There are many diseases and lifestyle issues like poor nutrition and even too much exercise whilst fasting that can cause Hypoglycemia.

Diagnosis will often start with a physical examination by a veterinary professional, followed by numerous tests on the blood, liver and kidneys.

Post diagnosis, a vet will immediately treat the low blood sugar levels and the underlying condition that’s causing the issue. This treatment may include oral or intravenous glucose supplements as well any other treatments needed for the underlying cause.

You can reduce your dog’s risk of Hypoglycemia by providing proper nutrition as recommended by the breeder or your vet.

Yorkshire Terrier

Introduction

Behaviour and personality

Ideal owner / home

Grooming

Health

Common health issues

Other Breeds

Share

Insure your Yorkshire terrier today with lifetime cover from as little as £7.56 a month