What's So Special About A Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is truly a remarkable dog.

Yorkshire Terriers are unique in both their small size and their big personalities. They are a toy breed, and a full-grown Yorkie will not weigh more than seven pounds.

This makes them a great pet for those people that want a dog, but don't have space to take care of a larger breed.

Don't let the small size of a Yorkshire Terrier mislead you; they are a terrific watchdog and have the attitude of a full sized dog when it comes to protecting their territory.

TEMPERAMENT

The Yorkshire Terrier is a true terrier, and with this it has some natural hunting instincts. They are known for the intelligence and ability to figure things out. This comes from their hunting ability, where they were required to decide how to get to rats and other vermin that they were tracking.

In addition to being very intelligent dogs, they are also very loving and loyal pets. They bond quickly to caring and loving people, and enjoy being a part of the family. Yorkies love to be petted and enjoy spending time with humans.

They tend to bond more strongly with mature people or older children, and are a bit nervous of younger children. If the younger kids are taught not to tease or scare the Yorkie they can get along very nicely. As with any small dog, young children want to constantly pick-up and carry the Yorkie, and the Yorkie may find this handling stressful if the children are not taught to hold them properly.

Yorkies are excellent watchdogs. They are terrific at protecting the house, yard and other possessions, and will bark loudly if any strangers approach their territory. Due to their small size they are not too intimidating, but they are great at letting owners know if strangers or strange animals are around.

TRAINING

Yorkies are very eager to please and love to receive praise and attention. They are relatively easy to train but require consistency or they will quickly learn bad habits. Their natural intelligence allows them to figure out ways to get around following commands if not consistently trained.

It is important to socialize your Yorkie as early as possible, to prevent them from becoming anxious in new places. Socialization also helps your dog understand that not all strangers or strange animals are dangerous.

Yorkies benefit from crate training as it gives them a safe place to go that is similar to a den. This is a good idea if you have lots of visitors and the Yorkie is upset or requires a bit of relaxation. It is also an excellent way to travel with your dog, as they become accustomed to the crate while in the car, train or airplane.

EXERCISE

The Yorkshire Terrier will naturally keep itself exercised even in a small apartment. They love to go for walks, but the distance traveled is not as important as the time out investigating a new area. They enjoy playing and running, and are very athletic. They don't require a large yard, provided they have some opportunity to exercise daily. Yorkies do not do well in cold or damp weather, and should be kept dry and warm as much as possible.

FEEDING

Yorkshire Terriers benefit from a premium quality dry dog food for toy breeds. They do not require any additional supplements, and should not be fed wet food on a regular basis. They usually do well fed the same food without frequent changes in food or scheduling.

LIFESPAN

Yorkies are a long-lived dog, with a life expectancy of fifteen or more years. They are a very healthy breed, and have few serious conditions. Yorkshire Terriers are able to adjust to new environments relatively easily. They do need lots of love and human attention, and they enjoy interacting with people on a continual basis.

GROOMING

The beautiful long and silky coat of the Yorkshire Terrier takes less care than may be expected. Weekly grooming and occasional trimming of the coat is all that is needed to keep your Yorkie looking neat and trim. Professional grooming is not necessary, but may be beneficial for clipping and shaping of the coat.

One of the benefits to the Yorkies silky coat is that it is true hair, not fur like many other dogs. Because the coat is hair, not fur, there is little shedding and may be less problematic for people with allergies. In addition the Yorkie has no undercoat, so is less difficult to bath and groom than other breeds of dogs.

Since they are not as active as some of the breeds, the hair tends to be less knotted and tangled as long as there is regular grooming. Since this breed loves attention, grooming soon becomes a very positive event, and the dogs learn to enjoy this time with their owners and caregivers.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a good family dog. Despite its small size it is an excellent watchdog, and can be taught to bark and then stop on command. The Yorkie loves to interact with the family, and will quickly find a favorite spot on the coach or a lap to sit on. A very affectionate dog, the Yorkie needs to be with people, and responds very well to praise.

Sharda Baker is a respected dog book publisher. Her many books and audios have helped many Yorkshire Terrier owners gain immense pleasure from owning and best caring for their dogs.

For more information, visit Sharda's Yorkshire Terrier 
website that offers a special free Yorkshire Terrier report.