What Is a Toy Yorkie?

The Yorkshire terrier, also known as Yorkie or "teacup" Yorkie, is part of the terrier family and is included in the toy dog group. The name derives from the English town of Yorkshire, where the breed has its origins. Yorkies are energetic and active, and make great companions. Two hundred years ago, Yorkshire terriers were used for catching rats and were mostly owned by the working class. Presently, the Yorkie is one of the most popular dog breeds, according to AKC registration statistics.

  1. Standard Appearance

    • The teacup Yorkie has a small, compact body covered with long hair and should not weigh more than 7 pounds. The body is well proportioned. This toy dog carries its head high, which makes it look very elegant and classy. The head is small, a bit flat on top and the muzzle is short, with a small black nose. Yorkies have dark eyes and eye rims. The ears are small and held up. The tail is small to medium and carried slightly higher than the line of the back. Both the forelegs and the hind legs are straight. Hind stifles are slightly bent when the dog is seen from the sides.

    Coat and Color

    • The Yorkie is a longhaired breed. The hair is straight, parted down the middle of the head and back, and hangs on each side of their body. The coat is silky, shiny and smooth. Certain Yorkie owners choose to tie the hair on the head with a bow, in the center or slightly on the side. The color of the coat is blue from neck to tail and tan on the head and legs. The tail is covered with a darker shade of blue than the body. Puppies have black and tan coat. Sometimes the two colors intermingle, but the coat turns blue and tan as the dogs mature. In adult dogs, the standard dictates that the tan part of the coat should not contain any blue or black hair. The tan hair is darker near the roots and gets lighter towards the end of the hairs. The standard for the breed also allows a small white marking (no larger than 1 inch) on the fore-chest.

    Care and Grooming

    • Yorkshire terriers are courageous, lively and friendly. They like and need to interact with people and are highly adaptable. Given their toy size, Yorkies can live indoors and are suitable for apartment living. They do not require much exercise. The long coat needs regular brushing. It should be trimmed to allow better movement. Certain owners choose to trim the coat to floor length. The muzzle is also covered with long hair, which requires trimming.

    Yorkshire Terrier Health Issues

    • Teacup Yorkies live up to15 years. They are sensitive to cold and medication. Anesthesia may be lethal, given the size of the dog. Yorkies may develop hereditary problems, such as the legg-calve-perthes disease, which manifests in lameness and joint pain. Due to their size, they can easily get hurt from falls or fights with other dogs. Teacup Yorkies are prone to developing other diseases, such asretinal dysplasia, patellar luxation, portosystemic shunt and tracheal collapse.