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Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier was developed in 19th-century Yorkshire by Scottish weavers who migrated south with small working terriers for rat control in mills.

Calculate Yorkshire Terrier age
Lifespan13.3 yrrange 13–14
SizeToyToy Group
Weight7–7 lb3.2–3.2 kg
Senior at9 yrgeriatric at 13

Gallery (3)

About

About the Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier was developed in 19th-century Yorkshire by Scottish weavers who migrated south with small working terriers for rat control in mills. AKC rank 13; the second-most-represented Toy breed in UK VetCompass records.

Aging

How Yorkshire Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.3 years (n=24,088). Portosystemic shunt is the defining breed inherited concern — incidence far above the canine average — with tracheal collapse, patellar luxation, and dental disease secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.3 yr · range 13–14Senior careSenior at 9 · geriatric at 13Common health issues8 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
7–7 lb(3.2–3.2 kg)
Height
7–8 in(17.8–20.3 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
Blue & GoldBlue & TanBlack & TanBlack & Gold
Temperament

Temperament

How Yorkshire Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

affectionatesprightlytomboyishbold
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Cardiac Defect

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Yorkshire Terrier physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.