Yorkshire Terrier

The Royal Kennel Club and FCI standards describe the Yorkshire Terrier as an alert, intelligent toy terrier and ask for a spirited but even disposition. According to the Royal Kennel Club, although the breed is much loved as a house pet, it keeps some of its terrier background and can still deal with any rodent in the house.

That means a Yorkie is a small dog with plenty of curiosity, self-confidence and get-up-and-go. It may enjoy sitting in a lap, but sniffing, exploring and playing matter to it just as much. Its alert nature means it keeps a close eye on everything going on at home.

The Yorkie is a good choice for people living in apartments who will walk their dog every day, even if only briefly, and can make regular time for coat and dental care.

Young children carrying the dog, squeezing it or holding it while standing up raise the risk of falls. According to UFAW, the most common cause of foreleg fractures in toy breeds is falling from someone's arms or jumping down from a height. It's best to teach kids to pet the dog while sitting on the floor. Our article on kids and dogs at home has more tips.

According to the FCI, the Yorkshire Terrier comes from the same area as the Airedale Terrier and was first seen in the 1850s; its current name was accepted in 1870. According to the Royal Kennel Club, the breed is founded on the old working Black and Tan Terrier, with Maltese and Skye Terrier blood added. It is thought that workers who traveled from Scotland to the mines and cotton mills of Yorkshire brought their terriers with them, and that the breed grew out of these dogs.

A dog named Huddersfield Ben, born in 1865, is considered the breed's foundation sire. The Yorkie soon became a favorite house pet among ladies. The Royal Kennel Club notes that the breed, first exhibited on a silk cloth or cushion, is still the only breed shown on a decorative box in the show ring.

A compact, neat little dog with an upright, confident carriage. Its most striking feature is the coat: long, glossy, silky hair that parts from nose to tail and falls perfectly straight on both sides.

• Weight: The Royal Kennel Club and FCI call for up to 3.2 kg; the AKC says 7 pounds.
• Real life: In a 2025 study of more than 28,000 Yorkies seen at UK veterinary clinics, the median adult weight was 5.06 kg (about 11 lb), ranging from 1 to 15 kg. A Yorkie that's bigger than the standard is perfectly fine.
• Height: According to the AKC, 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) at the shoulder.
• Color: Dark steel blue on the body, with rich golden tan on the head, chest and legs. According to the Royal Kennel Club, puppies are born black and tan, and the coat turns steel blue as they mature.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends daily grooming for this breed. Long, fine hair tangles easily, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and between the legs. Show dogs wear their coats floor-length; a pet Yorkie's coat can also be clipped short to make care easier.

• Combing: Comb down to the skin every day if the coat is long; with a short clip, a few times a week may be enough.
• Groomer: Have the coat cut by an experienced groomer who uses rewards. The RSPCA suggests introducing a puppy to the groomer as a positive place as soon as it's fully vaccinated, and avoiding enclosed drying boxes in which a dog can't control its body temperature.
• Nails: In the UK study, overgrown nails were the second most common problem after gum disease (6.5%). The nails of small indoor dogs don't wear down enough on their own; trim them regularly.
• Teeth: Get your puppy used to tooth brushing early. According to the same study, dogs start losing their baby teeth at about three months, and the full set of adult teeth is in by seven months; have your vet check during this period that the baby teeth have fallen out.
• Ears and eyes: Check weekly and see your vet about any bad smell, redness, discharge or watery eyes. Tie up or trim the long hair around the eyes so it doesn't poke them.
• Cold: If the coat is clipped short, a coat may be needed in winter; our article on dogs in cold weather explains how to choose one.

Our dog grooming guide walks you through a combing and bathing routine step by step.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 30 minutes of exercise a day for the Yorkie. Given its terrier past, sniffing, searching and chasing games are especially valuable. Our article on sniffing games has ideas you can try at home.

• Reward-based training: A smart dog with a mind of its own; short, rewarding and consistent sessions work best.
• Harness: UFAW recommends avoiding collars that press on the neck in dogs with tracheal collapse. Using a harness that holds the chest from the start is a good habit with a Yorkie. Our loose-leash training guide teaches walking without pulling.
• Recall: It may take off after a bird or a cat; practice coming when called thoroughly before letting it off leash in open spaces. Our recall training guide explains how, step by step.
• Fewer jumps: Put a ramp or steps by the sofa and bed, and hold the dog securely with both hands when you carry it.
• Hot weather: Walk during the cooler hours in summer; hot, humid weather can make breathing problems worse.

A Yorkie doesn't need a special food; a complete, balanced dog food suited to its age and size is enough. In the UK study, being overweight was among the five most common problems (3.7%). UFAW also notes that extra weight makes the signs of tracheal collapse worse.

• Measure food and count treats as part of the daily amount.
• If you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above, the weight is about right.
• Don't leave a puppy without food for long; plan the number and timing of meals with your vet. If a puppy seems weak, trembles or behaves oddly after eating, contact your vet right away.
• Some human foods are toxic to dogs; check our list of foods dogs should never eat.

The authors of the 2025 UK study see the Yorkie's long lifespan as a sign of generally robust health; still, some problems are common or have been reported as predispositions in this breed. The information below is for awareness only; ask your vet about diagnosis and treatment.

Gum disease and baby teeth

In the study, 21.1% of Yorkies were diagnosed with gum disease within a year, making it the most common problem. In a large 2021 UK study, the Yorkie's risk was also more than twice that of crossbred dogs. Baby teeth that don't fall out after the adult teeth come in are also common in this breed (3.6%); they trap food and bacteria and make gum disease more likely. The authors recommend watching closely while the teeth come in and acting early if there's a problem.

Slipping kneecaps

In patellar luxation, the kneecap slides out of place; over time it can lead to arthritis. In a 2016 English study, Yorkies had about 5.5 times the odds of this diagnosis compared with crossbred dogs, and it was recorded in 3.4% of Yorkies in the 2025 study. If you see your dog skipping a hind leg now and then or limping, see your vet.

Tracheal collapse

The cartilage rings that hold the windpipe open soften, and the windpipe collapses. According to UFAW, this happens almost exclusively in small breeds, and Yorkies make up far more of the cases than expected. A dry cough that sounds like a goose honk and noisy breathing are typical signs; excitement, exercise, hot humid weather and extra weight make them worse. It usually appears in middle-aged and older dogs: in a 2026 study of records from 11,000 Yorkies at a US referral hospital, severe tracheal collapse was seen in 6.7% of dogs, with a median age at diagnosis of 10.

Portosystemic shunt (liver blood vessel defect)

An inborn blood vessel defect that lets blood from the intestines bypass the liver and go straight into the circulation. Toxins the liver should filter out reach the brain. According to UFAW, affected puppies usually stay smaller than their littermates and fail to thrive, and signs are often worse after eating: weakness, trembling, drooling, pressing the head against walls, loss of vision and seizures. UFAW cites a study reporting that about 3% of Yorkies in the US are affected; in the 2026 hospital study, the figure was 0.8%, with a median age at diagnosis of 2.7 years. UFAW notes that a bile acid test can screen puppies before they're sold.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease

During growth, the blood supply to the top of the thigh bone is temporarily disrupted; that part of the bone collapses and the hip joint becomes painfully damaged. According to UFAW, it is considered a significant problem in the Yorkie, and signs begin in puppyhood, often with pain so severe that the dog holds one hind leg off the ground. If your puppy limps on a hind leg, see your vet.

The Yorkie is one of the longer-lived small breeds:

• A 2024 UK study using data from about 585,000 dogs found a median lifespan of 13.3 years; for crossbred dogs, the figure was 12.0 years.
• In 2022 UK life tables, the Yorkie's life expectancy at birth was 12.54 years, second only to the Jack Russell Terrier among 18 breeds.
• In the 2025 veterinary clinic study, the median age at death of Yorkies was 13.56 years; the most common groups of causes were brain and kidney disorders.

The AKC gives 11–15 years for the breed. Dental care, a healthy weight, a home that's safe from falls and regular vet checkups are the most practical ways to help a Yorkie enjoy that long life in comfort.

• Consider a shelter: Purebred dogs end up in shelters and rescues too. Our article on adopting a shelter dog covers the first steps.
• If you buy from a breeder: The Royal Kennel Club currently recommends no screening tests for this breed, so ask openly about the parents' health history, including knee and dental problems. Find out whether the bile acid test UFAW recommends has been done, and have your vet examine the puppy before you take it home.
• "Teacup," "mini" or "pocket" ads: The Royal Kennel Club doesn't recognize any teacup breed and names the Yorkshire Terrier among the breeds often used to produce such dogs. It notes that these dogs are often bred from the smallest, weakest puppies of litters, and that some sellers let puppies go before 8 weeks to make them look smaller; breathing, bone, joint, heart and stomach problems are more likely, and their lives can be significantly shorter.
• Red flags: Steer clear of sellers who won't show you the mother, always have puppies available, can't provide paperwork or rush you to "buy now."
• Registration: Rules vary by country; many places require or recommend microchipping. In Türkiye, owned dogs must be microchipped and registered in the PETVET system.
• The first days: Our guide to bringing a puppy home walks you through the first night and first week.