Yorkshire terriers owe their incredible popularity among dog breeders around the world not only for their:
- cute looks,
- beautiful hair,
- cheerful
- disposition,
- and friendliness but also for their compact size.
Like other breeds, Yorkshire terriers have an official standard to which dogs, especially those applying for a dog show, must conform.
This article will talk about how big the Yorkshire terrier can be.
How much it weighs and what is considered TO BE, and how old these dogs grow to.
Standard sizes
The official breed standard provides a list of basic criteria. In addition to the general appearance of the dog, its temperament, coat structure, color, etc., it specifies the size. The standard does not contain any regulations on the minimum height of a Yorkshire terrier, but there is a maximum allowed growth of a standard Yorkshire terrier in the crest, which should not exceed 25 cm. Most males grow to 23 cm in the crest, while bitches grow to 20 cm. The height of a dog in the crest should be the same as the height of a grit.
Also important for Yorkshire is the length of the body, which must be measured from the crest to the base of the tail.
By standard, the body of a Yorkshire terrier should be square, which means that :
- the length and height of the dog should be approximately the same.
- the length of the body should not exceed the height of the front legs (an excess of even 2 cm is noticeable and unacceptable), ideally, it should be 1-1.5 cm less, then the dog’s figure is considered well balanced.
Important
Even before you buy a puppy, you need to decide whether you want to buy it for a show or just as a pet. If you’re planning a show career for your puppy, you’ll need to choose your puppy responsibly as a pet puppy is unlikely to meet all the criteria of the breed standard. However, the boundaries of the standard are now quite blurred and the Yorkshire terrier, which is much bigger and weighs more than the recommended, is not uncommon. All of the indicators prescribed in the standard, by and large, only help the judges at the competitions to decide which dog to give preference to.
How old is Yorkie growing up to?
The active growth period of Yorkshire Terrier puppies continues until puberty. This means that by 8-9 months the dog will have reached its maximum height and length but will continue to gain weight, albeit less intensely, and form – the chest area will be a little wider and muscular. At the same time, it is important to understand that the age range of development is a rough guide. The growth and development of the Yorkshire Terrier depend on a number of factors: genetics; health; balanced diet; maintenance conditions, etc.
Yorkie weight calculator
The minimum weight of Yorkie, like height, is not regulated by the standard. The standard concerns only the maximum weight – it may not exceed 3.2 kg. As a rule, an adult Yorkshire terrier weighs 2.7 kg if it is a bitch, and 3.1-3.2 kg if it is a dog.
As for pets not participating in the shows, exceeding the established norms of growth and weight is not terrible if we are not talking about diseases or obesity.
Yorkie growth chart calculating
It is not possible to determine the exact weight of an adult dog beforehand, but a fairly accurate estimate can be made by multiplying the weight of a puppy at 8 weeks by 3 – the result is the probable weight of an adult Yorkie.
The size of a Yorkshire Terrier at the puppy’s age can’t be measured, as a puppy may not grow proportionally, but at the end of the growth period, it is possible to acquire the proportions required. For normal growth and development, a dog needs vitamins to maintain his calcium levels in the body.
Near below you can see how a Yorkshire terrier puppy should gain weight by every month:
The weight and size of the Yorkshire terrier depend on primary genetics.
Often, to get small puppies, we should take a small male dog to tie up with a standard bitch as mini Yorkshire bitches are not allowed to breed because of their inability to bear and give birth to healthy offspring on their own.
So before buying a puppy, ask the breeder about the size of both parents and, if possible, grandparents. However, even if you know this, neither the future puppy owner nor the breeder will be able to predict the weight of the dog – both small and large puppies can be born in the same litter.
Also, the weight of puppies on the Yorkshire Terrier depends on diet and activity. If they move around a little and eat quite a lot or if their diet is unbalanced, their weight will increase, leading to obesity and health problems over time. On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for unscrupulous breeders to intentionally underfeed standard puppies in an effort to reduce their size and increase their value by giving them a mini Yorkie.
Puppy growth chart
All puppies gain weight individually, according to their genetic line:
- some will reach their maximum weight by half a year, others only by 8-9 months,
- while others will grow gradually, evenly gaining weight and only reaching their maximum by 1-1.5 years.
In addition, you should pay attention to your puppy’s diet. If a Yorkie’s menu isn’t full of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, he simply has nowhere to get the elements he needs for normal development, which, like obesity, can have a negative impact on his health.
If your puppy’s weight loss is critical and there is a suspicion that he is suffering from an illness, you should immediately contact your vet who will determine the next steps and prescribe treatment based on the results of the tests.
How much weight should a Yorkie puppy gain each week?
The official breed standard does not provide for the division of Yorks by species according to appearance or weight. However, conditionally, among dog breeders, such a division exists, and in addition to the standard representatives of the breed stand out and mini Yorkshire terriers.
Table of weights of mini Yorkshires by every month:
In adulthood, mini Yorkies reaches a height of 10-18 cm in the crest and a weight of 1.5-2 kg. The first mini Yorkshire terriers were considered a marriage in the breed and were of no value to breeders, but gradually tiny dogs gained popularity and wide circulation.
IMPORTANT: It should be noted that Yorkshire terriers, which are not of a standard breed, have many health problems such as hypoglycemia, high probability of injuries and fractures, joint diseases, cryptorchidism, and others. In addition, their life expectancy is much lower than that of a standard breed and is only 9-11 years.
