The Yorkshire Terrier is the best example of how much size distorts perception. He weighs three kilos, fits in a handbag and is therefore treated like an accessory. In fact he is a terrier, bred to hunt rats in English textile mills: brave, loud, opinionated and completely unimpressed that the German Shepherd across the street is twenty times heavier. Most problems with this breed arise because nobody takes it seriously.
Yorkshire Terrier at a glance
- Origin: County of Yorkshire, England, bred in the 19th century to hunt rats in mills and mines
- Size: About 20 to 23 cm, up to 3.2 kg according to the breed standard
- Coat: Long, silky, hanging straight, steel blue with light tan markings, hardly any undercoat
- Life expectancy: 13 to 16 years
- Temperament: Confident, watchful, affectionate, brave to overbold, very communicative
Temperament: a big dog in a small package
The Yorkshire Terrier has no idea that he is small. He announces visitors, defends his spot and goes up to bigger dogs when something does not suit him. This self-assurance is charming as long as it stays within limits, and quickly becomes a problem if nobody sets boundaries.
He is very attached to his people and wants to be part of everything. At the same time he is alert and reacts to every noise in the stairwell. For him, barking is not a disturbance but part of the job description. Whether it turns into constant barking is decided in the first few months.
His past as a ratter explains almost everything: the courage, the speed, the pronounced prey drive and the readiness to act independently. If you treat him like a lapdog, you take away exactly what makes him who he is, and you get a nervous, overwhelmed dog in return.
Five points that make the difference
1. The coat is a daily job
The long coat of the Yorkshire Terrier grows continuously, much like human hair, and quickly mats without care. If you want the full length, you have to brush daily and go to the groomer regularly. Most owners opt for a short cut, and that is perfectly fine. Even then, expect an appointment every six to eight weeks. If you underestimate coat care, after four months you have a matted dog for whom only the clippers will help.
2. Teeth are the biggest construction site
Small breeds have the same number of teeth as large ones, just much less room for them. Tartar, gum inflammation and early tooth loss are extremely common in the Yorkshire Terrier. On top of that, baby teeth often do not fall out by themselves and have to be pulled. Dental care is not an extra with this breed: without regular tooth brushing and the occasional professional cleaning under anaesthetic, he loses teeth long before he is old.
3. Luxating patella and tracheal collapse
Kneecap displacement is common in small breeds and can range from a slight hop in the gait to surgery. In tracheal collapse the windpipe becomes unstable, which shows up as a typical goose-like cough. Because of the latter, a Yorkshire Terrier belongs in a harness and not on a collar, and that is not a matter of taste. There are also liver shunt and a tendency towards low blood sugar in puppies.
4. Small does not mean little training
Much of what you would never let a large dog get away with is tolerated in a three-kilo dog: jumping up, barking, growling at the food bowl, being picked up as soon as things get uncomfortable. This is exactly where the reputation comes from that Yorkshire Terriers are yappers. They are not by nature, they are made that way. He needs the same clear rules as any other dog. How to avoid lead problems is in our guide Dog pulls on the lead, and how the first months are structured overall is in our book Welpenerziehung & Junghundtraining (Puppy Training & Young Dog Training).
5. Beware of dwarf-size offers
Terms such as teacup Yorkie, mini Yorkie or toy Yorkie are not recognised variants, they are sales arguments. Dogs below the breed standard weight are more often ill than average: brittle bones, low blood sugar, heart and liver problems. A puppy from a checked breeder via the VDH costs 1,200 to 1,800 euros. Anyone offering one much cheaper while advertising extreme smallness is selling a health risk.
Care: what he really needs
- A harness instead of a collar. Because of the sensitive windpipe, not an option but a must.
- Daily coat care or a short cut. Both are right, only doing neither is wrong.
- Dental care from the start. Tooth brushing as a routine while the puppy still learns it calmly.
- Serious training. The same rules as for large dogs, just in small.
- Real contact with other dogs. He has to learn to deal with other dogs instead of constantly being picked up.
Who is the Yorkshire Terrier right for?
For people in flats and cities who want a small, lively companion and are prepared to treat him like a proper dog. For anyone who has time for coat and dental care or budgets for the groomer. And for owners who find a watchful, opinionated dog charming rather than exhausting.
Not for families with very small children, because a three-kilo dog is fragile and fights back when pressed. Not for people who want absolute quiet. And not for anyone who wants a dog you simply take along without training him. If you like it smaller and calmer, the Havanese is the more relaxed alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Yorkshire Terrier shed? Hardly. His hair grows continuously instead of falling out in a cycle. That is why he is considered comparatively suitable for allergy sufferers, though there are no allergy-free dogs and the reaction remains individual.
Is the flat enough exercise for him? No. He needs real walks every day, nose work and contact with the outside world. His exercise needs are smaller than those of large breeds, but not zero.
Does he get along with cats? If he has known them since he was small, usually yes. His prey drive is pronounced, though, and animals introduced later need patience and supervision.
Steel blue and gold in the picture
The long, silky, glossy coat in steel blue and gold is a gift for any portrait. It works especially well in watercolour, because this style picks up the soft transitions in the hair. Photograph him at eye level, so if in doubt lying on the floor, and not from above. Small dogs photographed from above always look stocky in the finished picture. More on this in our photo tips.
Three kilos of dog, one big picture: the mismatch is half the joke. On acrylic glass the steel blue gets the shine that the coat has when freshly brushed. Poster, canvas and wooden frame are alongside in the dog portraits.
Keep reading
- Chihuahua: why the yapping is home-made: the same training mistake, a different breed
- Miniature Spitz: why you must not shave him: small, watchful and with a coat philosophy of its own
- Maltese: coat care is the full-time job: when long hair is the main work
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