Yorkies

     According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Yorkies are members of the Toy Group, and "are terriers by nature and are brave, determined, investigative and energetic."
     Although the appearance of your Yorkie will change as s/he matures, s/he will always look like a little puppy.  A Yorkie demands a lot of attention, and proper care is very important; but it is all worth it!  

     Yorkies make wonderful, loyal pets.

They can get a lot of exercise in a small area. This means your Yorkie can get much of his/her daily exercise without going for longer outdoor walks like a larger breed requires. Having said that, Yorkies love to walk, run and play outdoors when the weather is decent. They are great companions to share your time playing, walking or relaxing. Taking your Yorkie for a walk is good for both of you!
Please, can I get dried?

     Yorkies shed little hair

. In fact, I never saw any hair in the wash tub or on our furniture. We kept our Yorkie’s hair short, not like the show dog photos that you see.  This helped keep his hair out of his eyes. Also, it helped avoid “accidents” when nature called.
     The lifespan of a healthy Yorkie is 12-15 years.  If you are researching the Yorkshire Terrier breed, you will find certain health problems that may be associated with the breed.  Your Yorkie may encounter one or more of these, have some other problem not mentioned, or perhaps the Yorkie may be lucky and not experience any difficulties.  Just like humans, many factors can contribute to health and lifespan.
     If you decide to add a Yorkie to your family, remember that this is a "full-time" job, but one that you will like.  You need to be able to provide for all of his/her needs: mental, medical, emotional, physical.  Yorkies add so much to your life, and ask very little in return.

Yorkies and Small Children

     How compatible are Yorkies and small children

?  It depends--opinions vary.  Here are a few important factors:   how the dog is trained, the individual children (e.g., age, well-behaved, rowdy) and the specific dog (e.g., age, genetics, personality). In this post, I will focus on the physical size aspect of the Yorkie.
     Yorkies are very small, and this presents a problem with small children who might be learning to walk and find their own way around in the house. The Yorkie may resemble a stuffed animal toy that the child may have, and the child may try to carry, squeeze or play rough with the dog.
     Yorkies have tiny bones that can be fragile. Even a 20 pound child could injure (maybe fatally) a 2-7 pound adult Yorkie.  As puppies, they are even smaller (my Yorkie was 1.2 pounds when we got him!) A small child may drop, tramp on, or squeeze the dog too tightly. Of course, these same things could happen accidentally with an older child or an adult, but it is more likely with a child that doesn’t understand the vulnerability of the dog.

     Puppies in general like to "follow the leader." Children like to run and play, and puppies like to run and play. Sometimes they get too close to each other, and neither are attentive to their surroundings. It sounds like a perfect storm for someone getting hurt. 
Just having fun becomes a disaster.
     Remember, these accidents can happen even if the children are well-behaved and mean no harm to the dog. I would caution any parent with small children to consider these things when thinking about buying or adopting a Yorkie. Some would even suggest a slightly larger breed if you have very young children.
     Also, please choose a pet with a temperament that suits your household and lifestyle.  Even an adult Yorkie looks like a puppy because of their stature, but his/her temperament may change as s/he matures.  My Yorkie, for example, loved to be around children in his early years, but not so much as he matured.
      Yorkies, like other dogs, can be territorial and can be protective of certain family members, even with other family members.  Having said that, some owners maintain that their Yorkie is great around children when the children are taught to respect and care for the dog.
These are some factors that you need to consider when deciding on whether to get a Yorkie.

How about a collar on a Yorkie

?
     How about just for training, a little tug now and then?  Putting a collar on a Yorkie, even for training, isn’t a good idea.
     Try a harness vest.  As a matter of fact, it makes sense to use a well-fitted harness vest on any dog rather than a collar. 
     Of course, this is only my opinion.  I know, there are some trainers that may say “this is the only way to maintain control, especially with a big dog."  Yorkies aren't that big, even if you believe in this philosophy.
Some regular harnesses can be just as bad as a collar because of the strap around the neckline.  Try to find a harness vest type that is wide, comfortable and safe.  Just like a collar or regular harness, it can be easily removed whenever you want, like right after that morning walk!
Mesh Harness Vests
Fence Collar
     Yorkies like to bark!  “Maybe I should get one of those bark collars?” "It just buzzes."  "The fence perimeter ones don't shock that much, do they?"
     Please don’t.  This training technique, I suspect, is from the Neanderthal school of dog training.  You don’t want your dog to be afraid to bark for fear of getting zapped.  Also, how would you like your dog to have a seizure brought on by the electrical shock?
     How about this thought:  Don’t use any behavioral management techniques on your Yorkie that you wouldn’t use on a human.  I know I have to be careful here, because we all know some "creative" people.
YORKIES 
www.EducationDx.com
This is a FREE information site!
>Not a sales site
Other pages of interest:
A collar of obedience for a human?
EducationDx
©2017,2023
EDDY©2010
>>>They're So Cute!
Puppy
     Some sources proffer that Yorkies may encounter problems with eye infections, tooth decay, digestive problems, and *

tracheal collapse

.  Others claim that fragile bones/joints and back problems are a concern.  Some of these problems are also present in other breeds.  *(Read more about tracheal collapse below.)

     Before buying or adopting a Yorkie, do your homework

.  Read a few articles on the care and training of Yorkshire Terriers.   Every Yorkie has its own personality, and the things you do or do not do will impact his/her character and development. 
Collar on a Yorkie?   I hope not!
Should I train with electricity?
If it sounds stupid, it just might be...
     There are different types of "training" collars:  some shock, some simulate shock, some release scents.  It is up to you to investigate whether this device is "right" for you and your pet.  Some devices may appear  to work on larger dogs, while carrying that extra weight for a Yorkie may be physically damaging to an already sensitive area.

     Your Yorkie can be taught to reduce his barking with humane behavioral modification techniques.  Isn’t attention what s/he is after?  With patience, there is nothing that you can do with a collar, that you cannot do with behavioral modification and with a well-fitted harness vest (except maybe damage the dogs trachea).
No Collars
TIP: Check the breeder out thoroughly before buying!
     How about a nice soft cloth one?  No, the texture isn’t the only the problematic part! A Yorkie has a very delicate trachea (windpipe).  Tracheal collapse is caused by a progressive weakening of the tracheal rings, and might be aggravated by a collar.  Tracheal collapse may also affect other toy breed dogs.
More about harness vests!
Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
     If you are thinking about getting a Yorkie, you should find out as much as you can about the breed besides them being so cute! Your Yorkie will give you continuous love and affection and expects the same in return. Lots of puppy kisses will be coming your way!
Take me to Milk Bones
>>
*Disclosure: Some links on this website are associate links and are used to help illustrate what an item looks like, and you can decide if you want to just look or purchase the item.  "As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases."  We receive a small commission (that helps support this website) if you actually purchase from this company, but the price to you remains the same.

You can hover over any link to see if it is an Amazon link, if this matters, or a link to a page on this website or to a reference page, e.g., Smithsonian Institution, bookmark on this website, etc.
Amazon Link
Disclosure
Disclosure:
Some links on this website are associate links and are used to help illustrate what an item looks like, and you can decide if you want to just look or purchase the item.  "As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases."  We receive a small commission (that helps support this website) if you actually purchase from this company, but the price to you remains the same.

You can hover over any link to see if it is an Amazon link, if this matters, or a link to a page on this website or to a reference page, e.g., Smithsonian Institution, bookmark on this website, etc.
Amazon Link