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Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a confident, playful, and affectionate breed with tonnes of personality. Although small in stature, they are a well-proportioned breed that walks around with a spring in their step, and the confidence is obvious.
You can be sure that he will make a fine watchdog, due to their vigilant and smart nature, as well as their “big dog” bark – which they are quite eager to share with everyone!
Due to the high intelligence of the breed, the Yorkshire Terrier will flourish when participating in agility courses. As with most dogs, early socialization and puppy obedience comes highly recommended.
A fully grown Yorkshire Terrier has an average height of 7–8 inches, and will weigh somewhere between 6–7 pounds.
The average life expectancy of a Yorkshire Terrier is around 11–15 years.
Yorkshire Terrier Average Statistics
Average size and life expectancy of a Yorkshire Terrier.
Height
7–8 inches
Weight
6–7 pounds
Life Expectancy
11–15 years
Yorkshire Terrier: A Very Popular Dog Breed
The Yorkshire Terrier has been a popular breed for many years, ranking within the top 15 most popular dog breeds since 2013, and has consistently ranked within the top 5 small dog breeds since 2013.
In 2020 the Yorkie was the 4th most popular small dog breed, as defined by the AKC (American Kennel Club). Only the French Bulldog, Miniature Poodle, and Dachshund ranked higher.
Yorkshire Terrier Characteristics
Just like humans, dogs have unique personalities. But did you know that there are common personality and character trends unique to each breed?
This means that it’s worth taking the time to understand the differences in personality, character, and needs of each breed before choosing the right dog for your family, for you, and your lifestyle.
Below is a table we created to show the personality and character traits commonly associated with Yorkshire Terrier‘s in an easy-to-read table. Each row contains a character trait, a score ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), and a description.
Trait | Score | Description |
---|---|---|
Affectionate | 5 | How affectionate a breed is with family members or close friends. Some breeds are reserved around strangers, while others treat everyone as a close friend. |
Playful | 4 | How eager a breed is to play, even as an adult. Some breeds will want to play tug-of-war or fetch until they are old, while others will be content to lounge on the couch with you. |
Energy | 4 | A breed’s need for exercise and mental stimulation. High-energy breeds are always ready for their next challenge. They’ll spend the day running, jumping, and playing. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes who enjoy a good nap. |
Trainability | 4 | How easy it will be to train and how eager your dog will be to learn. Some breeds only want to please their owners, while others prefer to do their own thing, whenever they want! |
Grooming Requirements | 5 | How often a breed’s coat needs to be brushed, trimmed, or otherwise maintained. When looking at the grooming effort required, consider your time, patience, and budget. Nail trimming is required on all breeds. |
Shedding | 1 | How much fur and hair the breed will leave behind. High-shedding breeds require more frequent brushing, are more likely to cause allergies, and require more frequent vacuuming and lint-rolling. |
Drooling | 1 | A breed’s drool-proneness. If you’re a neat freak, dogs that slobber on your arm or wet your clothes may not be the best choice. |
Watchdog | 5 | How often the breed will bark or howl. Some breeds will bark at every passer-by or cat in the window. Some barkless breeds can still communicate using other sounds. |
Good with Children | 5 | The breed’s tolerance to children’s behavior and overall family-friendly nature. Always supervise dogs around young children or children of any age unfamiliar with dogs. |
Good with Dogs | 3 | How sociable a breed is with other dogs. Interactions and introductions with other dogs should always be supervised, but some breeds are naturally more likely to get along, both in public and at home. |
Good with Strangers | 5 | How friendly a breed is towards strangers. Some breeds are reserved or cautious around strangers, whether at home or in public. In contrast, others will be excited to meet a new human! |
Keeping your Yorkshire Terrier happy & healthy
Did you know that each dog breed has different needs to keep them both physically and mentally healthy?
That means things like exercise requirements, grooming needs, mental stimulation, frequent training, and bonding time will need to be taken into consideration before you decide whether a Yorkshire Terrier is right for you.
So let’s start with listing out the needs of the Yorkshire Terrier, and describe the minimum expectations that will be required to keep your dog happy and healthy, helping you to decide if they’re the right breed for you.
Exercise Requirements for Yorkshire Terrier‘s
Yorkshire Terrier‘s should be exercised twice daily, 20 to 30 minutes at a time as they need plenty of active play time. We also highly recommend that you have a decent-sized yard or visit a local dog park, allowing them to run around and stretch their legs.
Are Yorkshire Terrier‘s a playful breed?
Yes, Yorkshire Terrier‘s are a playful breed. In fact, Yorkshire Terrier‘s are rated as one of the most playful small dog breeds, making them a perfect fit for young, fun, and playful families. They’ll just love running around playing in the house or yard, and love to play games such as rope pull, chase, and make games for themselves out of any soft toy.
Are Yorkshire Terrier‘s easy to train?
Yorkshire Terrier‘s are known to be quite a challenge when it comes to training, but with some persistence, consistency, and patience, you can be sure to reap the benefits from taking the time to train him.
Just remember that as with any element of training, but especially potty training your dog, positive reinforcement and consistency from you is one of the most important aspects of training.
Random Facts about Yorkshire Terriers
For a bit of fun, here are some facts about Yorkshire Terriers:
- Their coat is hypoallergenic, meaning that it will cause few(er) issues for people that suffer from allergies.
- Back in the 1800s, the Yorkie’s miniature stature allowed it to squeeze between cracks to catch rodents in textile mills.
- With long, almost human-like hair, the Yorkshire Terrier requires almost daily grooming.
- Positive reinforcement is highly recommended when training your Yorkshire Terrier, as they’re a breed that very much aims to please its owner.
- If you have a nice-sized yard, this will be enough to burn off the Yorkie’s ample energy reserves. Otherwise, a 30-minute walk with other dog buddies will be perfect to help assist with socializing your pup.
Medical Conditions
Some breeds are prone to medical conditions, so severe, others mild. But either way, it’s important for you to be aware of such issues as a responsible dog owner, so you know what potential symptoms to look out for, and what steps to take if you spot any in your dog.
FAQs about Yorkshire Terrier‘s
People also regularly ask the following questions about Yorkshire Terrier
What is the average height of a Yorkshire Terrier?
The height of a fully grown Yorkshire Terrier will be somewhere around 7 to 8 inches. Don’t worry if your Yorkshire Terrier is slightly over or under those figures, as this is just a breed average.
What is the average weight for a Yorkshire Terrier?
Ideally, your Yorkshire Terrier should weigh somewhere between 6 and 7 pounds. This is an average for the breed overall, so if your pup comes in slightly over, or slightly under this weight, don’t worry too much.
How to tell if my Yorkshire Terrier is overweight?
In surveys conducted by Pet Obesity Prevention since 2012, more than 55% of dogs are now classified as overweight or obese. This number has been steadily increasing from 52.5% in 2012, with the most recent numbers in 2018 being 55.8%.
That’s an increase of 3.3% in just six years, showing that dog obesity is a problem that is only getting worse over time.
We’ve created an easy-to-use dog calorie calculator to give a pretty good idea of how many calories your dog needs to maintain energy requirements (or MER).
Keep your dog happy and healthy, and be sure to regularly check the weight of your dog to ensure a long and healthy life.
What is the life expectancy of a Yorkshire Terrier?
The average life expectancy for a Yorkshire Terrier is 11 to 15 years, although don’t be surprised if your dog lives longer!
It’s not uncommon to fall outside of this age range, mainly due to health and medical conditions. So keep your dog happy and healthy, ensure your dog’s weight is kept within the ideal range, with plenty of exercise and playtime to keep his mind and body healthy, helping to extend his life!
References, and Further Information
- Yorkshire Terrier full breed standard, AKC (American Kennel Club)
- Pet Obesity Prevention