Yorkies have long, silky and flowing coats which are made up of hair rather than fur like other dogs and as such they do not shed in the same way as other breeds. Their hair grows continuously throughout the year rather than in short bursts after having shed their coats. As such, they are high maintenance when it comes to keeping things tidy. Their coats need to be brushed every day to prevent any tangles and matts from forming.
Their top-knots need to be brushed every day too before being tied back up. It's also important to keep an eye on their back-ends and to make sure they are clean. Because the Yorkie is prone to suffer dental issues, it's essential for their teeth to be checked and cleaned every day so that if there is a dental problem it can be dealt with sooner rather than later.
They also need to be professional groomed on a regularly basis and if a dog is not being shown, their coats can be clipped which makes it a lot easier to keep things tidy and looking good. Unlike other breeds, as previously mentioned Yorkies do not shed their coats in the same way as other dogs because their hair grows throughout the year.
It's also important to check a dog's ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary. If too much wax is allowed to build up in a dog's ears, it can lead to a painful infection which can be hard to clear up. In short, prevention is often easier than cure when it comes to ear infections.As with any other breed, a Yorkie needs to be groomed on a regular basis to make sure their coats and skin are kept in top condition. They also need to be given regular daily exercise to ensure they remain fit and healthy. On top of this, dogs need to be fed good quality food that meets all their nutritional needs throughout their lives.
Only tiny in stature, the Yorkshire Terrier is an energetic little dog and they need to be given the correct amount of daily exercise to be happy, healthy and well-rounded dogs. A good 30-minutes exercise is ideal, but being terriers, Yorkies love running around a back garden as often as possible to really let off steam bearing in mind that the fencing has to be extremely good to keep these little dogs in. The other thing to bear in mind is that Yorkies do feel the cold and would need to wear a coat when outside during the colder winter months whether they are out on a walk or running around a back garden.
They are highly intelligent and as such Yorkies have to be given a lot of mental stimulation to be truly happy. If these little dogs are not given enough "to do", they will find their own ways of amusing themselves which can include being destructive around the home, excessive barking and they are prone to suffer from separation anxiety too.
With this said, young Yorkie puppies should not be given too much exercise and this includes being allowed to jump up or down from furniture, running up and down stairs because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives.
If you get a Yorkie puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy's diet, but this needs to be done very gradually always making sure they don't develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it's best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with the vet before attempting to change it again.
Older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters, but this does not mean you can feed them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. It's also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues. Obesity can shorten a dog's life by several years so it's important to keep an eye on their waistline from the word go.
