Yorkshire Terriers: The Smart Little Dog

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Yorkshire Terriers, commonly known as ‘Yorkies’ are affectionate and smart dogs that are also well known for being wonderful canine companions. This breed is very popular in the UK, so spend time researching reputable breeders before you make a commitment. Rehoming centres such as The Dogs Trust may also be a good place to look for your new best friend.

Sadly, there’s no NHS for pets, so it’s always a good idea to look into pet insurance for your Yorkshire Terrier.

Yorkies are well suited to families with older children once they’ve been well socialised and they’re generally very welcome to being homed with other household pets. In terms of physical activity, they’re not overly demanding when it comes to exercise but 30 minutes of walking daily will help them to let off steam, as will a run around in a good-sized garden.

Personality-wise, Yorkshire Terriers are eager to please, so it’s always best to commence training during the puppy stage so they start to understand rules and boundaries early on. Yorkshire Terriers are intelligent and alert little dogs that need plenty of mental stimulation. Without the right level of stimulation, Yorkies can become destructive and bark excessively. They also tend to suffer from separation anxiety, so would need owners who are often around for them.

The Yorkie’s appearance is a silky coat which will require a daily grooming regime to keep it in tip top condition. Their average weight is around 3.2kg meaning they are one of the smallest breeds of dog.

Extra care should be taken around younger children considering the Yorkie has smaller, fragile bones which can sometimes be easily broken. This is ever more so the case with Yorkshire Terrier puppies.

Yorkshire Terriers often live between 13-16 years. Health issues that affect this breed are: Hypoglycemia; Legg-Perthes Disease; Retinal Dysplasia; Luxating Patella – Kneecap Dislocation; Collapsed Trachea; Portosystemic Shunt; Dental issues; Hereditary cataracts (HC); Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA); Primary lens luxation (PLL); Chiari malformation Syringomyelia (CMSM); Eye infections. Yorkies can sometimes experience problems when it comes to their coats too.

Pet insurance for your Yorkshire Terrier

As with any pedigree or cross-breed, it’s always a good idea to have a dog insurance policy in place to help with unexpected vet fees.

If you’re introducing a Yorkshire Terrier puppy to your home, now’s a great time to take a look at our four weeks’ free WalkawayCover* insurance created especially for new pups aged 8 weeks to one year.

*Puppy must be between 8 weeks and 1 year old and is subject to a CVS health check. WalkawayCover covers illness and accidents instantly. Not all breeds of dog are eligible.