When someone mentions a Yorkie, the image that comes to most people’s minds is that of a bouncy, sweet, little dog. What many do not realize is that Yorkies come in a few different sizes all of which have important considerations to think about.
If you are looking at the possibility of adding a Yorkie to your family, you will find that you need to do your homework and learn everything you can about the breed. For this reason, we are going to take a look at the various sizes and life expectancies of the Yorkie breed.
What’s In A Size?
The Yorkshire Terrier, as a registered purebred, is classified by the American Kennel Club as belonging to the Toy Group of canines. However, they are also often referred to by other sizes, such as Mini or Teacups, as well. These two classifications, obviously, refer to them being even smaller than the already recognized small size of the toy breed that is standard.
Toy, mini, and teacup differ in more than their size. They will also have differences present in their relative expected lifespans as well.
Toy Yorkies
The toy size of the Yorkie breed standardly weighs in at 4-7 pounds. They will also measure between eight and nine inches to their shoulders in height. Toy Yorkies are also known to have an expected life span of anywhere from 13-16 years.
The toy breed is the accepted standard by the AKC. When you see a Yorkie in competition, it will standardly be placed in the Toy Breed lineup, as they are a much smaller breed of the terrier group.
Mini Yorkies
The mini size of the Yorkie breed will fall somewhere between the weight and height of a toy and a teacup Yorkie. Standardly, the breed will weigh in around 3-7 pounds, with a measurement of between six and eight inches in height to their shoulders. When someone is referring to a mini Yorkie, they are more likely to be referring to a teacup, that presents a slight bit bigger than the acceptable standard for a teacup. The two sizes are, more often than not, confused.
The mini Yorkie has a little less of an expected life span than that of the Toy, but also almost twice that of a teacup, coming in at an estimated 10-13 years. This significant difference in the lifespans is what distinguishes a mini Yorkie from a teacup.
Teacup Yorkies
When fully grown to adulthood, teacup Yorkies will usually weigh no more than three pounds. They will also stand at a measurement of no more than five or six inches to the shoulder. Keep in mind this is not the accepted standard as laid out by the AKC, and as such, a Yorkie this size would not be accepted for registration or competition.
The teacup breed of Yorkies has a significantly lesser life span than its Toy counterpart as well, being that of 7-9 years. It is pretty much known that, in most cases, when the Yorkie is listed as a “teacup,” it is an attempt to charge a larger price for a smaller puppy. Be careful when planning to purchase a teacup Yorkie. In general they have a lot of health problems and it’s against nature for a dog to be that small.
When deciding on purchasing or adopting a Yorkie, know that you will have a choice in which size you want. In the interest of making a more informed decision, it is best to know just how big the puppy will grow to be, as well as how long they will be a part of your life. With this information in hand, you and your family will be able to make a more informed decision.
