Yorkshire Terrier: A Complete Guide
The Yorkshire Terrier, often called a Yorkie, is one of the smallest and most popular breeds in the terrier group. Originally bred during the 19th century in Yorkshire, England, these pint-sized dogs were developed as working dogs to hunt mice and rodents in textile mills and coal mines.
Today, Yorkshire Terriers are adored worldwide as companion dogs, thanks to their intelligence, charm, and big personalities.
Yorkies are known for their “big dog in a small body” attitude. They are energetic and require daily walks and regular playtime to channel their lively nature.
Their single-layer coat makes them sensitive to cold weather, so a jacket is recommended in colder climates.
Grooming
Yorkies have a single-layer coat that requires regular maintenance to keep it looking healthy and shiny. Daily brushing is highly recommended to prevent tangles, and professional grooming every 4–6 weeks is essential. Many Yorkie owners opt for a low-maintenance “puppy cut” for ease of care.
Health and Vet Care
Routine vet visits are essential for Yorkies due to their small size and potential for health issues. Ensuring they are kept up-to-date on vaccinations and preventive care will help them live a long, healthy life.
While Yorkies make great family pets, it’s their popularity and high prices that make them an attractive business model for unscrupulous dog breeders. They are sold online by USDA commercial dog breeders, online puppy broker websites, and backyard breeders otherwise known as puppy mills.
It is for this reason that our Puppy Mill Watchdog monitors and reports on Yorkshire Terrier breeders and other online puppy sellers as well as puppy broker websites.
Read the story about four rescued breeding dogs.
Please do your research before you buy a Yorkshire Terrier puppy. Understand red flags — If you can’t meet the mother dog and see where she and all of the breeders dogs live, find a new breeder. Video chats, videos and photos do not take the place of seeing in person.
About the Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Size: 7–8 inches tall
Weight: 4–7 pounds
Age Expectancy:13-16 years
Temperament: Intelligent, bold, confident, and independent
Coat: Single-layer coat of thick, silky hair
Colors: Blue and tan, black and tan, black and gold, blue and gold
Grooming: Professional grooming every 4–6 weeks; daily brushing recommended.
Training: It is suggested to start positive training your Yorkie at an early age.
Vet Care: Regular vet care is essential for the health and well-being of your Yorkshire Terrier.
Types of Yorkshire Terriers
FAQ’s About Buying Yorkshire Terrier Puppies Online
When choosing a Yorkie puppy, ensure it was raised in a clean, loving environment. Look for puppies with bright eyes, clean fur, and a healthy posture. A happy, curious puppy with an active tail is a good sign. Avoid puppies that appear scared or lethargic.
Buying a puppy from a picture is risky, always meet your new puppy in person before you buy him. These are all clues to his overall health and mental state. You want a happy well adjusted puppy and unless you meet them in person, you have no way of knowing.
Buying puppies online is risky. Many online breeders operate puppy mills, where dogs are kept in poor conditions. Always visit the breeder in person to see the puppy’s living environment and meet the mother dog. Make sure your breeder is not a puppy mill. Never have the puppy shipped to you.
Always pick your Yorkie puppy up in person, meet the mother dog, see her mental and physical condition. She should be clean, happy and well adjusted. If the breeder won’t let you meet the mother and see where she lives we recommend finding another breeder. No excuses. Reputable breeders have nothing to hide. Video chats, videos and photos do not take the place of seeing in person.
No, it is not safe to buy a Yorkie or any dog online. Avoid having puppies shipped or meeting breeders in neutral locations like parking lots. Insist on visiting the breeder, meeting the mother dog, and seeing how all the dogs are cared for to ensure you’re not supporting a puppy mill.
Over 1 million puppy mill puppies are sold online each year and it is in your best interest to make sure your new puppy is not coming from one of these bad breeders. It is in your best interest to get a healthy, happy well bred puppy and to not support cruelty of any kind.
Finding a reputable breeder takes time, and that’s okay! The pup will be a part of your family for 14 plus years so it’s important to find a healthy well-bred puppy. Since Yorkies are purebred dogs, start by contacting the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America for recommendations. These breeders breed by a code of ethics. They breed to improve the breed. Always meet the breeder in person, meet the mother dog, and inspect the living conditions to ensure your puppy comes from a responsible breeder.
See where and how she and all the breeding dogs live. Photos videos and video chats do not take the place of seeing in person.
If they have excuses why you can’t come…walk away!
A puppy mill is any dog breeder who puts profit over the health and well-being of the breeding dogs and puppies produced. These bad breeders come is all sizes, Some could have ten to twenty dogs, while larger breeders could have hundreds of breeding dogs. Puppy mills are legal too!
The cruelty is tremendous. Puppy mills keep the mother and father dogs pregnant and sell the puppies. The breeding dogs never leave, they are forced to breed twice a year or at every heat cycle and they are usually kept in wire cages, many times stacked in dark pole barns. Yes, this is legal and how most USDA dog breeders keep their breeding dogs.
The breeding dogs are not groomed, they are not given opportunity to exercise nor do they know the touch of a loving hand. They are not given veterinary care and most are living and breeding with painful health and mental conditions. Imagine living with urinary tract infections, ear infections, rotten teeth, infected eyes, tumors, infected mammary glands and sore feet from standing on wire cage floors — that never get addressed.
It is important to know that any breeder can be a puppy mill. It’s hard to imagine the breeder you are talking or texting with could be a puppy mill. If the breeder has excuses why they won’t let you come to see where and how the breeding dogs live, if you are not able to meet the mother dog in person, that is a red flag and you should find another breeder. Video chats, videos and photos do not take the place of seeing in person.