Black and Tan…Not For Long

A Yorkshire Terrier puppy is born with a black and tan coat.  As they begin to grow the color of their coat will change drastically.  An adult Yorkshire Terrier should not resemble the color which it was as a puppy.

The ideal coat color for a Yorkshire Terrier is blue and tan.  “Blue,” in this case, is really a steel gray color.  The AKC will also recognize black (although rare) instead of blue and gold instead of tan.  The optimal color combination of a Yorkshire Terrier is:

• Blue and gold
• Blue and tan
• Black and gold
• Black and tan.

These color combinations should appear on a particular part of the Yorkie.  Their body should be blue or black from the back of the neck to their tail.  Their head should be a combination of tan and gold with their ears and muzzle being slightly darker.  The chest should be gold or tan and the legs also gold or tan.

Although you may love the look of a black and tan Yorkshire Terrier puppy I promise that you will love them just as much when they mature into their adult coat color!

Dog Introductions

If you live in an area where there are other dogs you will have to deal with dog introductions.  Dog introductions can have many different outcomes.  It can be a pleasant, embarrassing, aggressive or uncomfortable experience.

My terrier, Lizzie, is very good with small dogs but will bark at a large dog even if it is a few blocks away.  We all like to call this the “Napoleon complex.”  Although our small dogs appear aggressive when they are barking at larger dogs it is really a reaction to fear.  They think that if they bark and appear aggressive that the larger dog may not feel as powerful.  This can be a very embarrassing experience when the larger dog is walking by nice and calm while your terrier is barking away.

Most Yorkshire Terriers, Cavachons and Yorkie mixes behave well with other small dogs, but there is always the exception.  The most important thing that you can do to protect your dog and other dogs is to ask the owner of the other dog if it is okay if both of your dogs interact.  Most owners will say, “Oh yes, my dog is friendly” or “Oh no, my dog doesn’t do well with others.”  Once you have permission to have your dog interact with another make sure that you keep your leash taught and are able to react quickly if there is a problem.  You never want to get into a situation where the leashes become crossed or you have to yank on your dog’s neck.  If you have to yank on your dog’s neck an injury could occur.

Whenever you dog is interacting with another dog you want to remain vigilant.  Your dogs may be getting along one minute and be in a serious fight the next minute.  Dogs can have very good friends; you just want to make sure that they have time to get to know each other!

Yorkshire Terrier Ears

The ears of most Yorkshire Terrier puppies will stand up by the age of 6 to 8 weeks.  Although this is the average age, some Yorkie ears may take longer to stand up, especially if they are rather large.

If the ears of your Yorkshire Terrier are not standing up on their own by the age of 6 months you may have to help them stand up or you could just not worry about it if you like floppy ears like I do!

If you would like the ears of your Yorkie to stand up, which is the breed standard, it is best to keep the hair of the ears trimmed.  This is especially important when they are puppies because the weight of their hair can prevent their ears from standing on their own.  The trick to trimming their ears is to use clippers and trim the front and back of their ears from the tip to half way down the ear, and always trim in the direction of hair growth.  Make sure that your Yorkshire Terrier is secure and comfortable before you do this.  A trick that I learned with my dog is to let her smell and listen to the tool that I am using before I touch her with it.  This helps to increase the comfort level of your dog.

Make sure that you are very careful when trimming your Yorkies ears.  Ears do bleed a lot and if there is bleeding you can apply styptic powder to help with the bleeding.  If you are not comfortable with this process be sure to take your dog to a professional groomer. 

You also want to make sure that you keep your Yorkies ears clean.  The supplies that you need to clean their ears are an ear cleaning solution, which you can purchase at the pet store, and cotton balls or q-tips.  You do not need to reach deeply into your dogs ears; just keep clean the areas that are easily accessible and you will decrease the risk of injuring their internal ear when cleaning.

Yorkshire Terriers, like all dogs, are able to show lots of expression through their ears and it is important to keep them clean and healthy!

Yorkshire Terrier: Large Personality in a Small Package

If you have ever been interested in having a small dog as your companion the Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, may be the perfect pet for you.

A Yorkshire Terrier ranges in size from about 4-7 pounds and is part of the Toy Group.  There is actually no such thing as a “Teacup Yorkie” or “Miniature Yorkie.”  Of course you may end up with a Yorkie who is a little bit less than 4 pounds or a little bit more than 7 pounds, but it is just a variation in size, not a “teacup” or “mini.”

Since a Yorkshire Terrier is such a small dog they make great companions for people who live in apartments or small dwellings.  A Yorkie does not need much outdoor exercise because they can release most of their energy romping around indoors.  You do want to make sure that you give your Yorkie lots of love and human interaction though!

If you are introducing a Yorkie puppy into a home with small children you want to make sure that you show your children early on how to handle their new friend.  Although Yorkies are very resilient, you have to make sure that they are handled properly or they can be injured.

Even though a Yorkshire Terrier is so small, they are very good watch dogs.  Their terrier spirit will shine through when someone that they are not familiar with is around.

Yorkshire Terriers have lots of energy, spirit, and affection to give and may just be the perfect pet for you!