Good care starts with getting to know your dog.

Know your dog · Pedigree breed

Yorkshire Terrier care guide.

A small terrier with a silky coat and practical care needs that go well beyond appearance.

General education · See individual source dates below

Original editorial illustration of an adult Yorkshire Terrier
Original editorial illustration. An illustrative example. Not a breed identification or health assessment.

A terrier beneath the silk

The Royal Kennel Club traces the Yorkshire Terrier to working terriers associated with northern England. Its account links the breed’s development with Scottish workers bringing dogs into Yorkshire. The polished show coat belongs to a dog with terrier ancestry.

Read the evidence: Yorkshire Terrier breed background and health screening — Royal Kennel Club

Get to know the small individual

The breed standard describes an alert, spirited dog with an even disposition. Those are ideals, not promises about confidence, sociability or tolerance of handling. When meeting a dog, ask what helps them settle and what makes them uncomfortable.

Read the evidence: Yorkshire Terrier breed standard — Royal Kennel Club

Silky hair needs a plan

The standard describes straight, fine, silky hair rather than a woolly texture. A practical grooming conversation starts with the length you can maintain comfortably, not with recreating a show presentation.

Read the evidence: Yorkshire Terrier breed standard — Royal Kennel Club

Teach handling in small steps

Use rewards rather than punishment. As an everyday practice idea, reward a brief, comfortable pause for the brush, then stop before your dog becomes worried. Build the routine gradually instead of insisting on a full grooming session.

Read the evidence: Reward-based training — Australian Veterinary Association

Start with nutritional completeness

Choose complete food appropriate to the life stage. Ask your vet about a diet suited to your dog’s health, rather than choosing by breed name alone.

Read the evidence: Evaluating Pet Food — NC State Veterinary Hospital

Make room for exploring

A small dog still needs opportunities to move and investigate. Try a quiet sniffing walk or a short game, adjusting the plan to age and comfort. These are activity ideas, not a daily exercise prescription.

Read the evidence: Yorkshire Terrier breed background and health screening — Royal Kennel Club

Notice changes beyond the scales

Review portions as activity changes. Changes in appetite, weight or health deserve veterinary advice rather than assuming that an older dog simply needs less food.

Read the evidence: Nutrition — Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Keep teeth on the agenda

A study published in 2025 found periodontal disease was the most commonly recorded disorder among sampled Yorkshire Terriers in UK primary-care records from 2016. That is a population finding, not your dog’s diagnosis or future. Ask your vet to assess oral health and demonstrate appropriate home care.

Read the evidence: Yorkshire Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK — demography and disorders

Check where hair rubs

Regular gentle brushing helps prevent mats. Pay attention behind the ears and where collars or harnesses rub. If a knot is tight or painful, get professional help rather than tugging or trying to cut close to skin.

Read the evidence: Coat Care: Preventing Matted Hair — USDA APHIS

Prepare the coat first

Resolve tangles before bathing. Keep water away from eyes and ears, rinse carefully and dry the coat thoroughly.

Read the evidence: Dog Grooming Tips — ASPCA

Make the routine manageable

Before bringing a Yorkie home, decide who will handle routine coat appointments and how the dog can rest undisturbed. Ask a groomer to show the everyday checks that fit your dog’s actual coat. This is a planning prompt, not a medical checklist.

Read the evidence: Coat Care: Preventing Matted Hair — USDA APHIS

Sources & scope

Source retrieval dates are recorded individually below. Written as general owner education by Good Dog; not clinically reviewed or endorsed by the organisations linked below. Breed standards describe ideals, not guarantees. Screening advice can change. These are selected considerations, not a complete list of conditions.