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Animal register · DogIn the app

Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkie

The Yorkshire Terrier is a toy terrier from Great Britain that weighs up to 3.2 kg under its breed standard, with a long, perfectly straight, glossy and silky coat hanging evenly down each side from a parting along the back. The standard allows one colour: dark steel blue from the back of the head to the tail, with rich, bright tan on the head, chest and legs; the small V-shaped ears are carried erect. The standard describes both a docked and an undocked tail — PetPrep always shows the dog with its natural tail.

Its standard calls it alert, intelligent and spirited, with an even disposition. The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 30 minutes of exercise a day and grooming every day; the PDSA adds that it enjoys running, fetching and playing games, can be quite stubborn to train, and is better suited to families with older children because its bones are very fragile. A large UK study found dental disease to be the most common problem in the breed, encourages daily care of the teeth such as tooth brushing, and found a median age at death of 13.56 years.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Yorkshire Terrier — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S192
Adult weight
up to 3.2 kg — FCI S190
Daily exercise
up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S192
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S192
Shedding
does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S192
Lifespan
median 13.56 years — Companion Animal Health and Genetics 12:6 S195; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S192

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • apartment livingS192
  • homes that prefer less sheddingS192

Keep in mind:

  • fragile bones — better with older childrenS194
  • needs brushing several times a weekS192S194

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S192

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: long — The Royal Kennel Club S192
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S192
  • Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S192

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 13.56 years — Companion Animal Health and Genetics 12:6 S195
  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S192

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 8–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S192
  • Height at the withers: 20 cm — PDSA S194
  • Adult weight: up to 3.2 kg — FCI S190

Training

  • No. 27 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 86, group 3 (terriers); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S191

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Yorkshire Terrier need?

According to our sources, the Yorkshire Terrier needs this much exercise: up to 30 minutes a day — The Royal Kennel Club S192.

How long does a Yorkshire Terrier live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Yorkshire Terrier is: median 13.56 years — Companion Animal Health and Genetics 12:6 S195; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S192. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a Yorkshire Terrier get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Yorkshire Terrier, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S192; Adult weight: up to 3.2 kg — FCI S190.

How much grooming does a Yorkshire Terrier need?

Coat and grooming of the Yorkshire Terrier, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S192; Shedding: does not shed (not the same as hypoallergenic) — The Royal Kennel Club S192; Coat: long — The Royal Kennel Club S192.

Who is the Yorkshire Terrier a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Yorkshire Terrier as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S192; homes that prefer less shedding — The Royal Kennel Club S192. Keep in mind: fragile bones — better with older children — PDSA S194; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S192S194.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 3,000 from month 3
Young dogmonth 923,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)23,000 steps
Seniormonth 122 (10.2 years)22,300 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 30 minutes, so 3,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.2× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 122 (10.2 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.
  • Care: brushing the teeth every day — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Companion Animal Health and Genetics 12:6, Royal Veterinary College S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S192S195S196

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • A large UK study names dental disease as by far the most common problem in the breed, and puppy teeth that do not fall out are also common, so owners are encouraged to care for the dog's teeth every day, for example by brushing them. — Royal Veterinary College S196
  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S194
  • Tracheal collapse, where the windpipe loses its stiffness and can cause weakness and collapse, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S194
  • Eye problems occur in the breed, such as progressive retinal atrophy, which can slowly lead to blindness, a dislocated lens (lens luxation) and dry eye. — PDSA S194
  • A portosystemic (liver) shunt, where blood bypasses the liver, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S194

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

  • The Royal Kennel Club currently lists no recommended pre-breeding health screening for this breed. Still ask the breeder about the parents' health. — The Royal Kennel Club S192

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S190FCI — FCI-Standard N° 86 — Yorkshire Terrier (EN PDF; date of publication of the valid standard 10.11.2011)https://dev.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/086g03-en.pdf
  11. S191FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Yorkshire Terrier (86)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/YORKSHIRE-TERRIER-86.html
  12. S192The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Yorkshire Terrier — breed information page (Breeds A to Z, older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=6165
  13. S194PDSA — Yorkshire Terrier breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/yorkshire-terrier
  14. S195Companion Animal Health and Genetics 12:6 (2025) (SLU research portal record) — O'Neill D. G., Witkowska S. D., Brodbelt D. C., Church D. B., Engdahl K. S. Yorkshire Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK – demography and disorders. doi:10.1186/s40575-025-00145-yhttps://research.slu.se/en/publications/yorkshire-terriers-under-primary-veterinary-care-in-the-uk-demogr/
  15. S196Royal Veterinary College — VetCompass — Yorkshire Terrier infographic (summary of S195, 15.08.2025) (PDF)https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/VetCompass/250815%20Yorkshire%20Terrier%20infographic%20%284%29.pdf
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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