YORKSHIRE TERRIERS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

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Opening your arms to a toy-sized terrier? Striking the balance between lovable lap dogs and self-assured bundles of fun, Yorkshire Terriers are one of the most popular four-legged companions in the domestic world.

Whether it’s their button-shaped eyes (and nose), their small yet mighty stature or those enviable glossy coats, these cuties make the perfect furry family member. If you’re thinking about pet sitting a Yorkie or want to learn more about your favorite English breed, dive into their history, health needs, personality, and more here.

Yorkshire Terrier dog breed characteristics
Origin: England
Size: These cuties can grow to between seven and nine inches and weigh between two and seven pounds.
Character: Confident, self-assured, energetic.
Health needs and grooming: Groom their silky coat once per day to avoid knots and matting.
Training: Yorkies are intelligent so can pick up their house rules and even new tricks with an assertive leader who won’t give in to their cuteness.
Energy levels: They’re energetic, playful fluffies who need around 30 minutes of exercise per day.
Intelligence: These toy-sized terriers were once working dogs so are not only cute but also clever and respond well to training.
Lifespan: 11-15 years.
Barking/howling: As bold bundles of fluff, Yorkies want to be heard, so they’re prone to barking. But with consistent training from a young age, you can keep it under control.

Yorkshire Terrier breed appearance
Weighing in at between two and seven pounds, Yorkshire Terriers have truly earned their ‘toy dog’ status. Along with their button-like eyes, pointed ears and unassuming stature, these tiny lap dogs are known for their single coat of (sometimes) luscious hair. In fact, it’s a key feature for show-Yorkshire Terriers.

While these long-haired beauties are revered for their human-like locks, we can also find wiry and soft Yorkshire Terriers, along with their silk-coated cousins. Just as cute by far, but often not strutting their stuff at a show, it’s pretty easy to decide whether your Yorkie is wiry-haired. What’s slightly harder to work out though, is whether they’re silk or soft-haired. So if you’re wondering whether your pooch is show quality (i.e. silk-haired), follow the American Kennel Club’s fur color guidelines. These include a golden color from head to front limbs and a steal blue color across the body. It’s worth noting that even if your Yorkie’s coat is silky smooth, it won’t qualify for a silk coat if its fur coloring deviates from the American Kennel Club’s specific coat standards.

If your four-legged cutie has passed the fur color round, up next is the hair texture. To be considered silk-haired, their glossy coat will need to grow straight and evenly with no waves. That’s right, no matter how cute those waves are, they aren’t considered silk-haired! And finally, if your buddy has an undercoat, their hair is slightly woolly or it’s almost doubling them in size, it’s considered soft, not silk.

Aside from their slightly complicated coat situation (for which many Yorkie haircut possibilities arise), these adorable lap dogs are known for their evenly proportioned body shape, stand-up tail, and small heads that are carried tall and proud. Depending on the type of Yorkshire Terrier though, their appearance can differ slightly. Let’s take a look at each of these below…