Yorkshire Terrier

Temperament & personality

Yorkies are affectionate and clever, with a streak of terrier boldness under an otherwise easygoing nature. They will bark at the door, chase a squirrel twice their weight, and stand their ground against a much larger dog, which is charming and occasionally dangerous for a 2 kg animal. Early socialization and consistent training to curb excess barking pay off for years.

They bond hard to their person and love being close, often riding around in arms or curled on a lap. That devotion can tip into separation anxiety if they are never taught to settle alone, so build short absences into a puppy's routine from the start. They are clever and quick to learn, including the housetraining, which the breed has a reputation for finding difficult.

Around other pets Yorkies are generally sociable, especially with dogs they know. With very young children the concern is the other direction. A Yorkie is easily hurt by a toddler's grip or a fall from the sofa, so households with small kids need close supervision and clear ground rules.

Vaccination schedule

Yorkie puppies get the standard core vaccines. The DHPP combination protects against distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus, and parainfluenza. The series starts at 6 to 8 weeks and repeats every 3 to 4 weeks until the puppy is at least 16 weeks old, so typically doses at about 8, 12, and 16 weeks.

Rabies is given once between 12 and 16 weeks according to local law, boosted at one year, then repeated on a 1 to 3 year schedule. Core vaccines follow a similar 1 to 3 year adult cycle depending on the product your vet uses.

Leptospirosis is now recommended for every dog as a core vaccine, given as a 2-dose puppy series followed by an annual booster (unlike the every 1 to 3 year DHPP cycle). Water, rural, and wildlife exposure raise the risk and are why the yearly booster matters, but the vaccine is advised regardless of lifestyle. Non-core vaccines like Bordetella (kennel cough), Lyme, and canine influenza still depend on lifestyle and local risk, so discuss grooming, boarding, and travel plans with your vet. Because Yorkie puppies are so small and prone to low blood sugar, feed a good meal before and after vaccine appointments and watch for wobbliness or lethargy afterward.

Best food & diet

A toy dog burns through energy fast relative to its size, and Yorkie puppies in particular can crash into hypoglycemia if meals are skipped. Young puppies need frequent small meals, often three or four a day, to keep blood sugar stable. Adults usually settle onto two measured meals daily. A small-breed formula with appropriately sized kibble suits their mouths and calorie needs.

Portion control still matters. A couple of extra treats is a large share of a 2 kg dog's daily intake, and obesity strains the knees and back, joints this breed is already prone to problems with. Weigh or measure food rather than eyeballing it, and count treats as part of the total.

Yorkies can react to certain foods with itchy skin or upset stomachs, with beef, chicken, dairy, and wheat among the more common triggers. If you see chronic scratching or loose stools, a vet-guided elimination diet identifies the ingredient far more reliably than trial and error with random new bags.

Common health problems

Luxating patella, a kneecap that slips out of its groove, is common in Yorkies as in other toy breeds. You may notice a skip in the step or a hind leg held up for a stride or two. Mild cases are managed conservatively; more severe ones may need surgery. Keeping the dog lean and avoiding big jumps helps protect the joint.

Collapsing trachea produces a honking, goose-like cough, often worse with excitement or pressure on the throat. For this reason a Yorkie should walk on a harness, never a neck collar, so the lead pulls across the chest instead of the trachea.

Dental disease is a real concern in this breed. Crowded teeth in a tiny jaw trap plaque, so daily brushing and regular professional cleaning matter. Two more conditions to know: portosystemic liver shunt, a blood vessel abnormality that bypasses the liver, which some Yorkies develop and which can stunt a puppy's growth or cause neurological signs; and hypoglycemia in young puppies. Both need prompt veterinary attention.

Allergies & skin

Under the long coat, Yorkie skin can be sensitive. Environmental allergens such as dust mites and mold, along with pollens, can contribute to atopic dermatitis in dogs, showing up as itching, paw licking, recurrent ear trouble, and red skin. It often begins in the first couple of years and is managed long term rather than cured.

Food can play a role too. Beef, chicken, dairy, and wheat are the usual dietary triggers, and telling a food reaction apart from an environmental one takes a proper elimination trial run with your vet. Many itchy dogs have more than one cause working at once.

Practical coat care doubles as skin care. A tangle that mats against the skin traps moisture and irritates, so regular brushing prevents sores as much as it looks tidy. Use a gentle, dog-formulated shampoo, rinse thoroughly, and dry the coat fully. If itching is constant or the skin is broken, have it checked rather than reaching for more baths.

Flea, tick & worm prevention

Even a small indoor Yorkie needs year-round flea and tick prevention, and flea bites are a frequent cause of the itchy skin the breed is prone to. Choose a product with your vet and dose it to the dog's body weight, which for a Yorkie usually lands in the smallest weight band, so check the packaging carefully. Options include monthly chews and spot-on treatments.

Ticks pass on Lyme disease and other infections, so if your dog walks in grass or woodland use a product that covers ticks and check the coat afterward. The long hair hides ticks well, so part it down to the skin around the neck, ears, and legs when you look.

For worming, puppies are treated every 2 weeks from about 2 weeks old until 12 weeks, then monthly to 6 months, covering roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. Adults are usually wormed every 3 months. In heartworm regions a monthly preventive is essential and often bundles intestinal worm cover into the same dose.

Medications & dosing

With a 2 to 3 kg dog, dosing precision is everything. A margin of error that means nothing to a Labrador can be a real overdose for a Yorkie, so every medicine should be measured to the exact body weight and, where possible, given as a product formulated for small dogs. Never split a large dog's tablet by eye and hope.

Keep human medicines away entirely unless your vet directs otherwise. Human painkillers like ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic to dogs and especially dangerous at this size. For pain or inflammation, vets prescribe dog-specific NSAIDs at a weight-based dose with the smallest reliable measure, often a liquid.

Two breed notes. First, Yorkie puppies are prone to hypoglycemia, so any illness that stops them eating can cause a sugar crash. Keep a syrup like corn syrup on hand and call your vet if a puppy goes limp or wobbly. Second, in dogs with a portosystemic liver shunt, drugs and anesthesia can be processed abnormally, so it is worth confirming liver function before elective procedures and tell any vet treating your dog if a shunt has been diagnosed.

Grooming & coat care

The coat is the headline. Yorkie hair grows continuously and sheds very little, but that same trait means it mats fast without upkeep. A full long coat needs daily brushing down to the skin to stay tangle-free, plus regular baths and trims to keep it off the ground.

Many owners skip the maintenance by choosing a short puppy cut, clipped down to a couple of centimeters all over. It loses the show-ring drama but needs far less daily work and suits an active pet dog well. Either way, keep the hair around the eyes and rear trimmed for comfort and hygiene.

Beyond the coat, small-dog basics matter a lot here. Brush the teeth daily given the breed's heavy dental risk, keep nails short, and clean the ears, plucking or trimming excess hair from the canal if your groomer advises it. A topknot or clip keeps hair out of the eyes, which also cuts down on tear staining.

How the Yorkshire Terrier compares

Deciding between similar breeds? Here is the Yorkshire Terrier next to Dandie Dinmont Terrier and Norfolk Terrier.

Frequently asked questions