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“Yorkshire Terrier - I share my life with two of these...”

written by BadDog on 25/10/2004

Good Points
Feisty, courageous, self-willed, loyal, protective, easy to excercise, good fun to be with, small dog = small food & vet bills.

Bad Points
Very feisty, sometimes too loyal, dogs can be over-aggressive, Bitches can be hard to keep off your heels, can be over-protective, larger breeds are not easy to housetrain.

General Comments
Yorkshire Terrier - I share my life with two of these magnificent dogs and wouldn't change anything about them (apart from their toilet routine).



There are many sizes of Yorkie - my two are the largest of the lot and really are two huge aggressive, fearless dogs inside a smaller frame. Don't be fooled by their size, these dogs will fight to the death and savage any rodents, birds or similar animals if caught. The larger ones more resemble the original breed than the tiny, delicate, show specimens. This was originally a tough dog bred for catching rats in the Yorkshire mines. Train them hard and give them plenty to do to occupy their minds and they become easier to live with. Treat them like little mice and they'll become spoiled and demanding.



Contrary to a previous review - I believe that all dogs and especially Yorkies - should be excercised outside in a field preferably where they can sniff around for hours on end - that is where most Yorkies are happiest. Hide food around your garden - even bury it and allow them to do what they enjoy, like digging and nosing in the muck.



You must allow your Yorkie to 'socialise' with other dogs too, whatever size. My two play with a 200 pound St.Bernard, a cross Labrador/Alsatian and an English Bulldog and they respect each other (no one is boss). My dogs are good with adults (this is down to socialising and training) and are great with kids too.



Health care: - watch for mouth problems: Teeth and gums are susceptible to inflammation and disease and so be very selective about feeding. I give my dogs a dry food with some real meat and raw vegetables added so that they get both taste and something to scrape their teeth every day. I also add a tablespoon of Olive Oil to their food every week and feed them oily fish once a month (again mixed with a dry feed) their coats and skin remain healthy and glossy. Don't overfeed the greedy little pooches either - they can be very greedy and eat for the sake of it. DO NOT FEED WITH HUMAN-CONSUMPTION CHOCOLATE... this is bad for any dog but very bad for smaller breeds such as Yorkies. Do not allow friends and family to feed your dog treats unless you know exactly what they are being fed. Yorkies should be given dental chews recommended by your veterinarian.



Grooming: Regular grooming of the long-haired types is a must - it is so much easier to do for 3-4 minutes per day than it is to spend an hour each weekend pulling the knots out of their hair. Shorter haired (often Grey Colored) are so much easier to groom if you keep their hair short. Professional cutting is required if you want the show-dog look (yeuch!) or you can trim with clippers yourself if you're adventurous and don't mind some 'punk' hairstyles until you get more practised!



The Yorkshire Terrier is a wonderful pet, guard or working dog and it is only when you spend time with them that you realise this is not a frail and tiny lap-dog but a fully fledged DOG with a pedigree and a history behind the breed.