Yorkshire terriers are affectionate, small, tough dogs. They are normally very friendly and keen to socialise and interact with people. With the correct upbringing and tender loving care, they make a lovely family pet. Below we will discuss the pros and cons of adding a Yorkshire terrier to your family.
Table of contents
Life Expectancy
Yorkshire terriers, also known as ‘yorkies’ can be very loving making them a very good companion. They generally live for a long time. In the canine world, smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger dogs. Their average life expectancy is 13-15 years. Please remember, when purchasing a dog, you are taking them on for their whole life, which is a big commitment. The number of dogs needing to be rehomed is rapidly increasing and most rescues are too full to take on new pets.
Exercise
Whilst Yorkshire Terriers enjoy going outside and having daily walks, they are not demanding of exercise and can tolerate varied exercise levels. All dogs should have the opportunity to go outdoors and explore for at least 30 minutes a day. The outdoors boosts their mental well-being, providing stimulation with sights, sounds, and smells, and encourages normal toileting habits.
Costs
Smaller pets are routinely cheaper to keep than larger pets. This is because they eat less food, need less preventative health medication, for example, smaller volumes of flea and worming products and, should they become ill, the dose of medication they would need compared to a larger dog would be smaller and therefore cheaper. They may, of course, need long-term hospitalisation or ongoing medication for a specific condition, which may not be very cheap. We strongly recommend any new pet owner to take out thorough pet insurance to protect their pet should they become ill and need medical treatment that results in a sudden, large veterinary bill.
Temperament
Yorkshire terriers can bark a lot, so being aware of this trait before purchasing a Yorkshire terrier is important. Some terriers can be reactive, so having young children around them can be risky. Ensure children who spend time with your dog know how to behave around them. This includes no sudden, sharp movements or shouting, and, obviously, no physical abuse to the dog. All animals can be unpredictable at times, so ensuring a child is never left alone with your dog is important. If you can purchase or rescue a puppy, you may find it easier to train them to have positive behaviour traits around children. If you are struggling, we recommend attending training classes.
Dental Health
Yorkshire terriers tend to suffer from dental disease. Because of this, we highly recommend that you begin dental hygiene protocols from a young age. This should include brushing their teeth with doggy toothpaste, using specific dental food or treats, and regularly having your pet’s teeth checked by veterinary professionals so advice can be given regarding the most suitable products and action plan. In many cases, this breed ends up with no teeth left due to having to have full mouth extractions.
Medical issues
Yorkshire terriers are prone to a number of disease, including:
- Heart disease, especially leaky heart valves and abnormal heart beats.
- Skin allergies – with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis compared to many other breeds.
- Endocrine problems – sugar diabetes and Cushing’s Disease are also more common in these small dogs.
- Liver problems – especially liver shunts in puppies, and chronic hepatitis in adults and older dogs.
- Joint problems – especially Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, cruciate injuries, and patella luxation.
- Kidney problems, including chronic renal disease, and urinary stones.
- Tracheal Collapse Disorder, as with many other small and toy breeds.
Grooming
Yorkshire terriers have long, silky or wavy coats, which means you should groom them once daily. Keeping their fur out of their eyes is important as it can lead to eye ulcers. As their hair coat grows long, they will need periodical trims at a groomer’s. Their coat type also means they don’t shed much, making them a good option if a family member has a low-grade allergy, but be sure to check that their coat does not stimulate the allergies too much – Allergies are one of the most common reasons why pets go to the rehoming centre. Once per week, be sure to check the length of all their nails, including their dew claw which is prone to growing too long and curling around into their skin.
To conclude, Yorkshire Terriers make great pets. They can easily adapt to different day-to-day lifestyles and can very much be a strong, supportive member of the family.
Discussion
Yorkies make some of the best family pets! They get along great with people and typically do great with other dogs. We see plenty of yorkies at our pup’s day care and boarding place! They’re the cutest!