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Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know

Josie F. Turner
By Josie F. Turner, Journalist specialized in Animal Welfare. Updated: April 23, 2018
Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know
Dogs

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The Yorkshire Terrier is not only one of the world's smallest dogs but also one of the most appreciated for its size and tenderness. It is a very popular pet and if you are looking for all the information regarding Yorkshire Terriers then you are in the right place.

Adopting any puppy or adult dog as a pet implies a number of responsibilities, including feeding it, caring for its hygiene and safety, exercising it, training... However, there are cases where certain breeds have a series of peculiarities. Today in AnimalWised we want to explain all the things you need to know regarding Yorkshire Terrier care.

You may also be interested in: Caring for a Bull Terrier

Contents

  1. Feeding a Yorkshire Terrier
  2. Yorkshire Terrier training
  3. Regular hygiene practices for a Yorkshire Terrier
  4. Yorkshire Terrier ears
  5. Health problems

Feeding a Yorkshire Terrier

A common question regarding its care is how much food should a Yorkshire Terrier eat, as they are so small it is common fear that they may be overfed. We know that obesity can be a serious problem with any dog.

As with any breed of dog, the amounts are determined by its age, weight and physical activity. If you are not sure you should refer to the instructions on the feed or consult your usual veterinarian. He or she is best placed to determine the amount of food required, no matter the dog's life stage.

Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know - Feeding a Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier training

Contrary to its appearance and despite its small size, the Yorkie is a brave dog that is full of energy. In fact, whenever I picture a Yorkshire Terrier it is always running and jumping around. Unfortunately, the tender appearance combined with its tiny size leads to many owners not properly training their puppies. As they are so small owners do not attach much importance to their training as they will be unable to cause much damage.

What we must never forget and is a point that we never tire in bringing up at AnimalWised is that good training is part of our dog's happiness.

Therefore, do not forget that a very important part of puppy training a puppy is its socialization. Teach your pet from day one to interact with other dogs and people. Also, a good socialization will make your dog less likely to develop fears of bicycles, skateboards, etc. Another very important point in a dog's life is exercise. Yorkshire Terriers are full of vitality. Make the puppy release all its energy with long walks and by actively playing with it.

A Yorkshire Terrier's bark

Another element which characterizes a Yorkshire Terrier is its bark. There are many reasons why a dog may bark excessively. One of them is what we have just discussed: poor socialization. But there are many others:

  • Stress
  • Loneliness and boredom
  • Enthusiasm
  • Frustration
  • Health problems
  • Hereditary factors
  • Unconscious training
  • Guard dog

Also useful to know...

An extra tip for families with children: as we have seen, one of the main features of Yorkshire Terrier is its small size. This means that we must be extra careful when playing with them. From the start we must educate children so they understand that dogs are not toys and that they should treat them with love and respect.

Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know - Yorkshire Terrier training

Regular hygiene practices for a Yorkshire Terrier

To keep a Yorkshire Terrier in proper hygienic conditions we can set out a routine of bathing the animal every fortnight. However, we must not forget that this is a recommendation. The frequency with which you should bathe your pet also depends on the lifestyle it lead (whether it is walked through the city or gardens, whether it rains...).

  • Advice: use special dog shampoos, other shampoos can cause allergic reactions.

As you can see, caring for a Yorkie's fur is very important. Furthermore, another area we can not neglect is the perianal area. We must cut the fur around this area, if not the dogs feces could become stuck to it.

Knots in the fur

Yorkshire Terriers have long hair so it is advisable to use a conditioner after shampooing to avoid knots. Also, it is essential to dry our pet's fur with a hair dryer. We must go brushing the hair as we do this. Do not forget that you must brush the Yorkshire Terrier's coat at least twice a week. If its hair gets knots very often you can consider alternative cuts for a Yorkshire Terrier's fur and find coat options to avoid tangles.

Eye discharge

These animals are very likely to have eye discharge. Care must be taken when removing this. Never pull on the mucous, you must soften it first by moistening it and then you remove it without difficulty. In addition, in AnimalWised you can discover tricks to remove stains around a dog's lacrimal.

Dental hygiene

These dogs generate a lot of tartar, so it is very important that from an early stage we be vigilant with this.

There are many ways to clean your pet's teeth. If you plan to brush its teeth it is essential that you begin to accustom it as a puppy and always do so gradually.

  • Attention: only use special toothpaste for dogs. Human toothpaste is toxic for animals.
Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know - Regular hygiene practices for a Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier ears

Yorkies struggle to have standing ears and in some cases the ears never stand. One trick to help them stand is to shave off the fur on the back of the ear so that these weigh less. Need more tricks? You will find all the information you need to make a Yorkshire Terrier's ears stand in AnimalWised.

Another issue that has to do with fur and is notable in the case of this dog breed is the hair in the inner ear. It is important that this hair is not cut, instead it should be plucked out to promote good health in the Yorkshire Terrier's ears. Visit your vet to have him or her show you how to do it, do not do it yourself if you have no experience as you could hurt your pet.

Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know - Yorkshire Terrier ears

Health problems

A bad fall or a sudden blow can have greater and more serious consequences in this breed. As a result, Yorkshire Terriers are very likely to develop illnesses or injuries in bones and muscles (for example, it is very common to see Yorkshire Terrier's with herniated discs). Keep an eye on the situation when playing with children so they do not get hurt.

It is common to see on the streets Yorkshire Terriers wearing clothing for small dogs. Do not think that this is simply a question of fashion, this breed has a tendency towards diseases such as bronchitis. They do not take to cold climates.

Other common ailments are the early loss of teeth (remember what we said before about tartar), stomach problems or difficulties giving birth. Should you detect any unusual symptoms in your dog it is essential that you go to the vet. Keep in mind that the sooner you detect an anomaly the more likely it is that it will make a good recovery.

Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know - Health problems

If you want to read similar articles to Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know, we recommend you visit our Basic care category.

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Pam
Very good information. I just wonder how to clean my dogs ears.
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Caring for a Yorkshire Terrier - Things you Should Know