Yorkshire Terrier dog breed

Yorkshire Terriers are a high maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. Their hair grows long and straight and will need to be brushed and trimmed regularly to keep it in good condition and tangle free. 

Your dog will need a bath once a month. You can either give them a bath at home or take them to a groomer and do the lot in one go.

Yorkshire Terriers often suffer from dental problems. You can reduce the risk of this happening to your dog by brushing their teeth every day. Use a dog toothpaste as human toothpaste is toxic to them. Take care of your dog’s teeth with dental cover.

Yorkie puppies need to be fed three to four times a day, and an adult Yorkshire Terrier should be fed twice a day. How much you should feed your Yorkie will be printed on the dog food packaging based on the weight of the dog. Mini and teacup Yorkies will need less food than the standard size. 

If you’re unsure, speak to your vet and they’ll give you more information about dog food and a healthy dog diet.

Ask the breeder what they fed your Yorkie puppy as you should feed them the same food to start with to prevent an upset tummy. If you want to change their food, do it gradually. Mix the two foods, incrementally reducing the old and increasing the new.

Yorkshire Terrier puppies can be difficult to toilet train. You’ll need to have patience and determination when house training your dog. Reward their good behaviour with treats or toys. A tip for toilet training your Yorkshire Terrier puppy is to give them lots of chances to go to the toilet. Start by letting them out every 30 minutes, then increase the time as your puppy learns.

Training and socialisation are extremely important parts of a Yorkshire Terrier’s upbringing. They can suffer from small dog syndrome and be quite a pugnacious pup around other dogs. To stop this behaviour from presenting, Yorkshire Terriers need to be trained and socialised regularly with other dogs from a very young age.

Exercise plays an important part in your Yorkshire Terrier’s health. You should exercise your dog for at least 30 minutes a day. If your dog is a teacup or miniature Yorkshire Terrier, they will only need 20 minutes. Yorkshire Terriers are alert dogs, so using play as a means of exercise is a good way of keeping them occupied and entertained.

Unfortunately, Yorkies do have a reputation of having a yappy temperament and they are known for some negative behaviour. They like to be seen and heard, so will bark if being ignored. But with some training and some puppy party socialisation and you’ll find they make wonderfully loyal and protective companions. They are known for being a ‘lap dog’ so they do love a snuggle on the sofa.

Yorkshire Terriers can suffer from separation anxiety so shouldn’t be left on their own for long periods of time.

The cause of this condition is unknown, but it can be inherited and is quite serious. The blood supply is unable to reach the ball of the thigh bone which causes the bone to die and collapse. This leads to osteoarthritis in the hip joint. Hind leg lameness happens when the dog is around five months old, but some dogs are fully grown before showing signs. Your dog will be in pain, irritable to touch and will rarely use the affected leg. This causes loss of muscle mass making the affected leg thinner. Surgery is the best treatment, either a total hip replacement or replacing the ball with a fibrous joint at the hip. Most dogs lead a relatively normal life following surgery, but recovery is a long and expensive process that involves a lot of rehabilitation therapy such as water treadmill therapy.

This condition causes a narrowing of the airway. Tracheal rings hold the windpipe open, creating a clear airway. These rings can become soft which narrows the airway and causes breathing difficulties. It’s common in Yorkshire Terriers as they tend to have softer tracheal rings. A ‘goose-honking’ cough that lasts more than two weeks is a sign of a collapsed trachea. There are treatment options for this condition but in severe cases, surgery is needed. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight may help prevent this problem from happening. It’s also best to use a harness instead of a collar for walking your dog on a lead.

If you notice your dog hopping on one of their back legs, they may be suffering from a luxating patella. This means that their kneecap is not sliding into the correct place, causing the leg to lock up. The kneecap will either stay there or continue to slide out of place. Your dog will be in pain and will become lame if not treated. To treat the problem, your dog will need surgery to correct the kneecap’s alignment.