What Are the Differences in Male vs. Female Yorkie Puppies?

Yorkshire terriers ("Yorkies") have a reputation as an extremely small dog with a huge personality. These confident terriers are popular pets, and their small size means that they are suitable for apartment living, and they are also suitable for people with dog allergies. While male and female Yorkshire terriers have few physical differences, the dogs can differ in their personality traits.

  1. Affection

    • Male Yorkies can often be more affectionate that females of the breed. According to the Official Yorkie Guide website, females do enjoy attention from the owner although they tend to walk away once they have had enough and they are also prone to mood swings of moodiness and grouchiness, whereas males are more attentive to their owner.

    Training

    • Yorkshire terrier puppies are highly intelligent. Males can be easier to train than females of the breed due to the female's independent character. Male Yorkies work well when they are motivated by lots of praise and generally like to please their owner.

    Marking Territory

    • Males have a reputation for being territorial and dominant especially between the ages of six months and two years old. This includes marking territory or urinating around the house and it can mean that the puppy will try to dominate the owner and other people it comes into contact with. Females have also been known to show territorial behavior although this is less common. For this reason the Yorkshire Terrier is not recommended for families with young children and can be snappy. Neutering can help to reduce territorial behavior in both males and females.

    Energy Level

    • Male Yorkshire Terrier puppies are generally more active than the female puppies as they have higher energy levels and can also be clumsy.