Yorkshire Terrier: Breed Facts and Temperament

Yorkshire Terriers have for a long time appealed to a variety of dog-lovers thanks to their soft loving eyes and soft-to-the-touch honeyed coat. The Yorkshire Terrier is vigilant, trainable, and avidly curious, making them an archetypal “giant dog in a tiny dog’s body.” They are similarly one of the most widespread dog breeds in the US and the one of the most popular little dogs worldwide. Though officially categorized as belonging to the toy group, they have lots of typical terrier traits too, especially in their lively personalities. .Characteristically weighing in at less than several pounds, Yorkies are the tiny sweethearts of the carry around set, but they similarly need plenty of time to enjoy running around on the ground. Yorkshire Terriers will happily take lengthy walks and they can be quite a single-minded and lively watchdog as well.

Their determined personality aside, the Yorkshire Terrier is not always the best choice for families with small children as their own slight size puts them at risk of damage. They can also be a little nippy with overenthusiastic children, hostile to other big dogs, and stubborn about house-training. Steady and organized training is a necessity for the Yorkie, who has to learn that they should not challenge all dogs that cross their path. The additional big obstacle is that this naturally yappy dog will never be quietened.

The History of Yorkshire Terriers

The Yorkshire Terrier’s courageous nature comes from their lineage, which includes being breed from the now extinct Clydesdale Terrier. Scottish weavers migrated to England taking their terriers with them to York. They in due course crossbred their tiny terriers with local dogs, creating the hearty terrier known today for its shining blue and gold coat. Their purpose was to get rid of the rats which over ran the coal mines in England. This made them highly respected as they were very skilled in this role. The Yorkshire Terrier then became more and more a companion dog, and dog breeders started to breed them for their smaller size. By 1870, these dogs were known as Yorkshire Terriers, which is the name given to them after the area where they were first breed. It was not long before these dogs turned into sidekicks for stylish ladies and started appearing at dog shows.

By 1872, Yorkshire Terriers had made it to the U.S.A., where they rapidly became favorites and even political mascots. Even the Nixon family joined in with the Yorkshire Terrier craze and shared the White House with their cherished Yorkie, Pasha.

Quick Facts

• The Yorkshire Terrier has a nosy nature and likes to know what is going on with everything at all times.
• The Yorkshire Terrier has a mischievous sense of humor and you will both have lots of fun.
• They have spectacular blue-and-tan coats, but that is not how they are born. Yorkshire Terrier puppies are born black and their coat color matures as they develop.
• In spite of their Toy standing, these dogs love speediness, action, and ample applause, consequently, sports like agility are perfect for them as they love all of the action.
• Show dogs ought to weigh around seven pounds, yet your pet Yorkie can weigh as much as 15 pounds. A Yorkie who is underweight is more disposed to health problems.
• Yorkshire Terriers are sensitive little dogs and are predisposed to chills. It is essential to protect them appropriately in cold weather and lots of Yorkies can be seen about town in fashionable coats.
• Life Expectancy is normally around 15 years so plan to spend a lifetime with your new pet.
• Yorkshire terriers are amid the smallest of dogs and they are usually only seven inches tall.
• They are not compatible with extreme temperatures, they dislike it being either hot or cold, so they need to be indoor dogs. You will need to take a Yorkie for its walk in the coolest part of the day in warm weather and offer a coat for them during the really cold weather.

Personality

Even though the Yorkshire Terrier is a Toy dog, they will not settle for a tedious life. The Yorkshire Terrier is clever and independent which makes them a dog which is both hilarious and especially stubborn. Yorkies always want to please you until anything more exciting comes along. So, if you are looking for a sleepy lap dog, select another breed.

Yorkies have two separate personalities: fluffy and playful. The soft side of Yorkies means that they have a habit of being more laidback, are sweeter and more likely to enjoy cuddling while they hang out on your lap. The Yorkshire Terrier may be tiny, but their courageousness is legendary. In fact, the breed’s courageous nature frequently causes a problem for owners as Yorkies are never shy about having an argument with dogs five times their size.

The majority of Yorkies respond brilliantly to dog training because they love all the attention that they collect for successfully doing tricks. Encouraging praise and food rewards are important to training the Yorkshire Terrier. However, beware, it is also all too easy to spoil a Yorkshire Terrier. They are just as skilled to learning good behaviour as any other dog, nonetheless people who give their puppy a break in training because they are little and endearing will discover that bad habits in adult dogs are hard to break.

Yorkshire Terriers do become very faithfully attached to their owners. It is lovely to share such a durable bond, however, this might develop into difficulty if separation anxiety happens when you are away from home.

Training

Knowing how to train a Yorkie puppy is a big task due to their stubborn nature. The Yorkshire terrier is spirited, energetic and domineering, but also friendly. It is considered a good house dog, but then again they can be stubborn when it comes to house training. Note that it is easier to start to train your dog from as young an age as possible. Try to commence training your Yorkie puppy from 8 weeks old if you can. A Yorkie puppy will have a short attention span but then again they will still be able to learn basic commands such as sit and stay. You are able to train your older Yorkie, but it is a little more difficult, and you might want to turn to a professional trainer.

Using unpretentious command words to prompt a behavior from your dog is an authoritative tool and easy to do. When you are teaching your Yorkie a behavior, say the word and guide them to do the desired behavior, then follow up with a reward. Make sure to use words or phrases that sound distinct from each other. Yorkshire Terriers can be tough to potty train but this is far from an impossible task if you follow an established house training timetable.

It is frequently pointed out that it is questionable whether a Yorkshire terrier will work well in a home with small children. The glitches come both with coarse handling of a small dog by children and also by the Yorkies reaction in nipping when triggered. But they can be trained to overcome this nippy nature. Yorkies might also get into demonstrations of dominance when they around other dogs and are habitually not frightened of taking on bigger dogs, which could be dangerous. As long as your Yorkie learns that you are the Alpha of the family then these behaviors can be overcome.

Health

Small dogs frequently come with giant health problems and the Yorkshire Terrier is no difference. Most Yorkshire Terriers live long healthy and active lives, but there are of course some medical conditions that are common to the breed, like declining collapsing tracheas, dental issues and hypothyroidism. Low blood sugar in Yorkshire Terriers (hypoglycemia) is also a common problem particularly in smaller Yorkies along with certain kinds of hair loss, bladder stones, cataracts, and ingrown eyelashes.

Yorkshire Terriers have a high occurrence of a liver defect called portosystemic shunt, which might want to be treated with surgery if it occurs. Luckily there is a test that you can have for your dog to identify if they are carriers of this liver disease.

Frequently the kneecaps of small dogs, including Yorkshire Terriers, can move out of place which is known as luxating patellas. You may wish to ask your vet to inspect your dog’s knees frequently, particularly if you notice them hobbling or hopping while they are running. It is likewise essential that your Yorkies gets consistent dental care as they often have difficulties with overcrowding in their small mouths and difficulties with the development of the teeth.

Yorkshire Terriers can additionally suffer from a disease called Legg-Calvé-Perthes d. Dogs that have this disease will have reduced blood supply to the rear leg bone which makes it worsen in strength over time. Signs of this disease include hobbling, which typically starts by the time a Yorkie is six months old. Surgery is needed to treat this disease, so the sooner the disorder is recognized and treated, the chances are that your dog will go on to enjoy a total recovery.

Before a Yorkshire Terrier can be included in the CHIC database, the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America necessitates that a dog receives a full clearance from the Canine Eye Registration Foundation at years one, three, and six years of age, in addition to a patella evaluation from the OFA.

Grooming

Yorkshire Terriers are certainly not low-maintenance dogs. Where you keep them as show-dogs, they will need to be brushed every day, and their hair must be tied up to keep it out of their eyes. Consistent trips to a professional groomer are essential to maintain their coat. Since they do not shed their hair as much as other breeds of dog, the Yorkie is often referred to as being hypoallergenic. Yet, what more commonly triggers allergies in humans is a dog’s dander or saliva so this is something to be aware of as your Yorkie might still irritate and cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive.

There are a few basic steps to grooming a Yorkie, and luckily there is no need to do all of them daily. Brushing is, however, something that you will need to do at least once a day and maybe twice daily where a Yorkie has a longer coat. Bathing and can be done less frequently, but it vital to keep your Yorkie looking and feeling amazing.

Your Yorkie will profit from regular brushing to keep their coat silky and free from knots and dirt. Nevertheless, do not brush your Yorkie’s coat when it is totally dry as you will cause their fine hair to start to break. Instead, spritz the coat with water first and only once the coat is damp can you brush it safely. At all times brush in the direction of the way the hair grows.

Ensure that you select the right grooming tools which will make grooming your Yorkie easier, and more comfortable for your dog. As soon as your Yorkie has been groomed it is then bath time but one common mistake owners make is using too much shampoo at bath time – a little goes a long way.

If you intend to groom your Yorkie at home, you will possibly want to ask your professional groomer for a lesson in what are the best ways to best trim your Yorkie. The particularly tricky areas are around the face and you will also need to know how to trim your dog’s claws. Learning how to do basic grooming that you will be doing every day at home can decrease the rate of visits to your groomer.

For more help on dog grooming, you may wish to read our guides on the best dog nail grinders, dog dryers, dog clippers, dog paw washers and dog shampoo.  

Feeding

Feeding your Yorkshire Terrier a well-balanced and healthy diet is one of the best ways that you can care for your dog and this task is one of your responsibilities as a loving owner. Every single mouthful of food that you provide will either be harmful or helpful. A Yorkshire Terrier dog’s diet affects their wellbeing in a diversity of ways and plays a big role in your dog’s overall lifespan.

The feeding needs for a Yorkshire Terriers are very dissimilar to that for larger dog breeds, as they have to be fed slight and regular meals. While other dog breeds might be fine with one main meal in a day, if you make your Yorkshire Terrier go for such a long time in between meals then this can cause difficulties such as low blood sugar and stomach upset. 2 small meals a day is often recommended for adult Yorkshire terriers. You might discover that your Yorkie favours a larger breakfast and a smaller dinner and that is just fine if it suits their needs.

Presenting such tiny meals leads to countless dog owners feeling like their Yorkie is possibly not eating enough food; but, in the majority of cases if an adult dog is maintaining their weight successfully then they are definitely ingesting the right amount of food. The Yorkshire Terrier is a miniature breed that eats tiny meals.

Remember that if a Yorkie does not eat everything, they still need another meal even if they have just picked at the food and seem to scarcely eat. Yorkshire Terriers eat very small meals, so those small snacks are providing the required nutrients. So, without regular meals throughout the day, there is an increased risk of them developing hypoglycemia, which will be risky and even fatal in some cases.

Feed your Yorkshire terrier a total of 1/2 a small cup of dry dog food twice a day or as recommended by your vet. Also, ensure that you do not start sharing your own food with your dog. Yorkshire Terriers are known to experience intestinal upsets like vomiting and diarrhoea when they have these treats. Giving your dog mouthfuls from your plate is not suggested or you might end up with an overweight dog. This disposes your dog to a briefer life and you will have to cope with other health conditions in the future. Do discuss weight gain with your vet to get ideas about an appropriate feeding plan, types of dog food that are best, and your dogs exercise requirements.

For more guides on choosing the right dog food, you may wish to check out our reviews of the best dehydrated dog food, organic dog food, grain free dog food, wet dog food and best dog food for yorkies. 

As with any other dog breeds, if you are contemplating whether or not the Yorkshire terrier is the right dog for you, be certain to do sufficient research before locating one. Yorkies have a tendency to be very vocal, protective and faithful. Despite their tiny size, they make outstanding guard dogs. At their heart, Yorkshire Terriers are delightful companions that love to be indulged and cuddle up to their loved ones. Again, before you make the commitment to buy your brand new Yorkshire Terrier, find out all the information you can. It is a really good idea to talk to other Yorkshire terrier owners to learn more about the real-world experience of living life with a Yorkshire Terrier.

Source: