DOG FAQ - How much will my Yorkie pup weigh as an adult?

You can get a rough idea of your Yorkshire Terrier puppy’s eventual adult height and weight by doubling the puppy’s height and weight at 13 weeks of age. Also knowing the weight of your puppy’s parents can give you an idea too. There normally are no guarantees on how much your Yorkshire Terrier puppy will weigh when he/she is an adult. Some breeder’s might put a guarantee for weight on their contract, but seldom do you find such a guarantee. Genetics is almost impossible to determine.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - What foods should I AVOID giving my Yorkshire Terrier?

Foods to avoid giving your Yorkshire Terrier are onions, dark chocolate, and hot spices. Some Yorkshire Terriers have been given chocolate with no problems, but we would strongly suggest not giving them any if you can help it.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - What is the best puppy food to give to my Yorkshire Terrier?

A high quality puppy dry kibble should be adequate for your Yorkshire Terrier. Most types of puppy food is of personal preference regarding food brands, wet or dry, homemade, holistic, etc.

Some Yorkshire Terriers have been known to be finicky eaters and refuse to eat. Offering plain rice, boiled chicken, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, plain yogurt, chicken livers, baby meat sticks, etc are often given in helps to boost your Yorkshire Terrier’s appetite. Healthy human snacks can consist of carrots and small pieces of fruit. With any sudden diet change your Yorkshire Terrier might experience an upset tummy ending in diarrhea. Gradual change in any Yorkshire Terrier diet is suggested.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - What Immunizations are required for my Yorkshire Terrier?

Vet’s recommend vaccinations at 6, 9, 12, and 16 weeks with no Lepto. The Rabies vaccine is given at 6 months of age with some vet’s not giving until later depending on the state which you live in. Communicate with your Yorkshire Terrier vet to determine the best schedule of vaccinations. There have also been news reports that vaccinations can be more harmful than good for dogs.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - What type of shampoos, conditioners, and or oils should I use?

Any pet shampoo/conditioner should work on your Yorkshire Terrier. Most products are of personal preference. Many claim that using “human” products do not have the correct PH level and are not recommended to use on Yorkshire Terrier. Again, most is of personal preference and what seems to work best for your Yorkshire Terrier.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - How often can I bathe my Yourshire Terrier?

Some Yourshire Terrier are bathed more often then others, it depends on your Yorkie’s coat and skin type. Some Yourshire Terrier experience dry skin and can not tolerate often bathings, others are bathed 2-3 times per week. Once a week is usually sufficient in keep your Yorkie clean with daily brushings. Many Yorkie owners find that a small wash cloth to wash up their Yorkie’s face daily works well in between bathings. Also, if your Yorkie has a lot of eye boogers near the eye area, you can use a flea comb to clean the eye boogers out. Most Yourshire Terrier owners brush their Yorkies daily, the length of time of brushing may depend on the length of your Yorkies coat, the longer the coat, the more you may need to brush it.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - My Yorkshire Terrier puppy’s ears won’t stand up, what can I do?

Most Yorkshire Terrier’s ears will stand up between 6-8 weeks of age, sometimes not for up to 4 months. In aid to help your Yorkie’s ears stand up taping or trimming the hair off the tips of the ears works well. Some Yorkies ears (after standing up) might flop down again for short periods due to vaccinations, stress, or illness. Some people do not believe in taping, as an alternative, you can trim the hairs off the tips and massage the ears daily for them to get them to stay up.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Where can I find a Yorkie puppy and find a good honest breeder?

Breeders fit into categories and like any business there are levels of desirability. There are the high profile professionals, those who exhibit and advertise regularly being dedicated fanciers, and then there are the “Mom and Pop” breeders who have litters just a few times also known as “back yard breeders (BYBs)”.

Research on your part, trust in the breeder, and learning as much as you can about any breeder will help in the search for your Yorkshire Terrier puppy. Internet searches, local newspapers, and visiting dog shows can give you insight and breeder information. Time, patience, and trust is worth a million in your search for your Yorkie pup.

Another method of finding a breeder is by a personal referral from someone you trust. If you know someone that has a Yorkie locally, ask where they got their Yorkie from and if they are happy with the breeder. Most will be happy to give you honest opinions about their breeder. Also, you can ask for recommendations from YorkieTalk members, ask in the YorkieTalk Regional Forums, or look in the Yorkies For Sale forum. It may be better to trust YorkieTalk members who have been around a while (members with a few hundred posts or more). There are also quite a few reputable breeders on YorkieTalk as well that people have gotten Yorkshire Terrier from with satisfaction.

DOG FAQ - Are Yorkshire Terrier hard to housebreak?

Any breed of dog can be housebroken. Smaller breeds of dogs have been known to possibly take longer. It seems that some Yorkshire Terrier take years to fully housebreak while others only take a couple weeks or months. Personal preference to use puppy pads for inside housebreaking or outside training will work with the proper training “techniques” which training manuals are highly recommended. What works for one Yorkshire Terrier might not for another. Some Yorkshire Terrier owners use the kennel method, other owners designate a small area of the house to contain the Yorkshire Terrier in until the Yorkshire Terrier is mature enough to have full rein of the house and is completely housebroken. Patience and dedication with positive reinforcement is the key to housebreaking your Yorkshire Terrier.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Are Greenies and other hard chewable treats ok for my Yorkshire Terrier?

- Any food item or treat given to your Yorkshire Terrier has the ability to not be properly digested or cause internal injury. There have been some concern with Yorkshire Terrier Talk members over concern and negative experiences upon giving “Greenies” to their Yorkshire Terrier. Lodging, intestine disruption/blockage, and diarrhea have been symptoms some Yorkshire Terrier have experienced. However, many other member’s Yorkshire Terrier having the “Greenies” have not had any ill effects.

WARNING concerning Greenies

- With all food/treat items supervise your Yorkshire Terrier closely. Monitor him/her to see if any treat given has caused any problems and make sure they are properly chewing the food, and not just “gulping” it down.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Why is my puppy not eating and sleeping all the time? He/she seems to not have any energy and is weak.

- Hypoglycemia is a disorder of the central nervous system caused by low blood sugar. It can occur most often in small, young, stressed, or active Why is my puppy not eating and sleeping all the time? He/she seems to not have any energy and is weak.

- Hypoglycemia is a disorder of the central nervous system caused by low blood sugar. It can occur most often in small, young, stressed, or active Yorkshire Terrier due to not being able to store enough glucose (sugar) within their system.

- Signs such as sleepiness, weakness, and loss of appetite and or coordination may appear suddenly. Left untreated, the condition can worsen until the dog has seizures, loses consciousness, and dies.

- Nutrical is a vitamin supplement provided by your vet should be administered immediately to your puppy. If Nutrical is not readily available upon your Yorkshire Terrier symptoms offer sugar water or syrup or honey in very small amounts. Seek immediate veterinary care. due to not being able to store enough glucose (sugar) within their system.

Signs such as sleepiness, weakness, and loss of appetite and or coordination may appear suddenly. Left untreated, the condition can worsen until the dog has seizures, loses consciousness, and dies.

* Nutrical is a vitamin supplement provided by your vet should be administered immediately to your Yorkshire Terrier. If Nutrical is not readily available upon your pups symptoms offer sugar water or syrup or honey in very small amounts. Seek immediate veterinary care.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Is there such a thing as a “teacup” Yorkshire Terrier?

- No. Many Yorkshire Terrier breeder’s claim to have “teacup” Yorkie’s and justify charging more for such claims on their puppies. The Yorkshire Terrier standard gives no preference for smaller dogs within the 7 pound weight limit. Extra care should be given to the more tiny Yorkies as some are more susceptible to hypoglycemia, physical injuries due to falls, etc. The Yorkshire Terrier standard as defined by the American Kennel Club (AKC) is between 4 to 7 pounds.

- The desired size of the Yorkie is a personal choice. Families with small children might try to find a larger Yorkie, where as other’s might be in search for the so called “purse baby”. Smaller Yorkshire Terrier may be more susceptible to disease and injuries due to their size. Also, many vets will charge more for working on smaller Yorkshire Terrier because it is more difficult (and dangerous) because of the smaller size.

- There is no such breed! The Yorkshire Terrier breed standard classifies Yorkies as up to 7 pounds. They may weigh from 4 to 7 pounds. If a breeder or pet store is selling a "teacup" or "mini", run away! They may be shady and misrepresenting the Yorkie. The tiny ones may be sold too early, perhaps just so they can call them "teacups" or a "mini". If you are set on a smaller Yorkshire Terrier, ask your breeder when their next litter will be. There will be some "smaller" Yorkies in the litter from which to choose from. Most consider a respected breeder to be one that is AKC registered. While that does not always determine that they are to be trusted 100%, there are standards and qualifications that AKC registered breeders must pass.

- There are small, full-grown Yorkshire Terrier that may only weigh 2 pounds. But, it is very rare for Yorkshire Terrier to be that small. If you have a Yorkie that is on the small side of the scale, you must be very careful with them, as they are definitely more "fragile" than standard sized ones and you must take extra precautions with them, such as making sure they don't fall from a high place or that they don't jump off of places.

Yorkshire Terrier - Dog Lover