Yorkie Information!

Message from a Yorkie to the Owner!

1. My expected life span is only 10-15 years and I want to spend as much time as possible with you. Before you adopt me, please remember to make sure you can spend time with me.

2. Please remember to be patient with me. It will take time for me to understand what you expect and want from me.

3. Please don’t give me away to someone else. I will not be able to understand why you left me.

4. Please don’t scold me or punish me for too long; like leaving me in a small area. You have friends and hobbies, but all I have is you.

5. Please talk to me sometimes. I may not understand what you are saying, but I can feel your warmth and love through your voice.

6. Please remember to handle me with care and I will promise to give you unconditional love.

7. Before you think about ever hitting me, please remember that even though I have sharp teeth, I will never bite you.

8. Before you think that I am a bad dog and scold me, please think and try to understand why I would do bad things to make you upset. Maybe you left me home for too long, maybe I don’t feel too good, maybe I am getting old, etc.

9. Please don’t leave me when I get old and weary. I want to be with you till my last breath.

10. When I die, please don’t be sad or cry. My time with you has been wonderful. Just don’t forget me your best friend .

YORKIE PUPPIES

There is nothing more adorable than a Yorkshire Terrier puppy. You should never

buy from someone trying to place a puppy younger than 12 weeks old. You should always buy a Yorkshire Terrier puppy that is AKC registered if bred in the U.S.

As the American Kennel is the only registry that will assure you are getting a purebred dog.

Yorkie puppies should be alert, curious, confident, and spunky. You want to choose a puppy that is outgoing instead of shy and reserved.

QUALITIES OF THE YORKSHIRE TERRIER

Yorkies form deep attachments to their families. They are little protector's that make a wonderful companion even making the most ordinary day more special.

They love to sit on your lap quietly for hours as you watch television or bounce

across the room to fetch a ball you threw for them. They love a car trips to town or to go for a walk on a long country stroll. What ever the case may be, the Yorkshire Terrier is a breed that loves to please and connect with their owner.

YORKIE FAQ

SIZE:Yorkies correct weight is to six to eight pounds.

APARTMENT LIVING:

Yorkies are a great choice for apartment dwellers. Especially those living in apartments in large cities. Yorkies are easily trained to go on pee pee pads.

which would eliminate the need to take them out on busy streets in the middle of the night to go potty. They can be potty trained to go outside and/or on pee pee pads.

BARKING:Yorkies are a small toy companion breed, but because of their true terrier heritage, they do make great family watch dogs. But I do not find that Yorkies bark excessively or for no reason. Yorkies are easily trained to curtail their barking if you find it necessary to do so.

GROOMING:For your Yorkie to have a long beautiful flowing coat, its upkeep does require some weekly grooming. Many owners of pet Yorkies trim their dogs for much easier maintenance. See Yorkie grooming for more grooming tips.

TRAINING ABILITY:Yorkies are easily trained and adapt well to their surroundings. I use positive reinforced training methods for all of our show Yorkies. This works extremely well with the breed. They are very quick to repeat behaviors that are positively reinforced and discontinue those behaviors that are not positively reinforced.

SHEDDING:A Yorkies coat is very similar to human hair. They do not have an undercoat.

They will lose some hair during bathing and brushing, but do not "shed" like so many of the other dog breeds. There is no need for increased vacuuming due to pet hair. Yorkies do not have an undercoat.

FEEDING:Feeding a Yorkie is inexpensive due to their small size. Yorkies can be sensitive to sudden changes in diet. When changing brands of dog food, you should do this gradually by mixing the new food with what they are use to eating. Slowly eliminating the amount of old brand of dog food all together. As far as proportion, that is dependent on the Yorkie. Each Yorkie requires a

different amount of food a day to maintain proper weight, just as in people. For more information on Yorkie diets and what is the proper weight, see yorkie nutrition.

TRAVELING WITH A YORKIE:Their size makes traveling convenient. Yorkshire Terriers are a great choice if you are looking for a pet to travel with as they make a great travel companion,weather it is just a quick trip to town or an extended road trip. They are the perfect size to travel with, and often love a doggies travel bag to go along into stores in. When buying a Yorkie puppy, you should start to take them at a fairly young age for short car rides to get them acclimated to the motion of the car.

CHILDREN:Yorkies are great with kids. Children must be taught to be careful as they would with any other small breed dog.

OTHER DOGS:Most Yorkies get along well with other dogs. Caution should be taken with larger breeds, as dogs rough house and play, your Yorkie will not keep in mind his smaller stature. A Yorkie is a small dog with a big dog attitude.

HOW BIG WILL MY YORKIE GET:Taking your Yorkies weight and height at 12 to 13 weeks of age and doubling it, then adding a 1/2 pound will give you a pretty good indication at what size your Yorke will be as an adult.

POTTY TRAINING:Yorkies are NOT hard to potty train as you might have read other places. The problem is "how" your Yorkie is being potty trained if you are having problems.

As a rule of thumb, your puppy can only be expected at most hold its bladder for as many hours as the puppy is months old. The great thing about Yorkies is they can be taught to go both outside and inside on a pee pee pad or doggie litter box.

Yorkshire Terriers Nutritional Information

Do You Feed Your Yorkies and Yorkie Puppies A Commercial Dog Food?

What you are feeding your YORKSHIRE TERRIERS may be HURTING THEM!

Advocates of a holistic lifestyle take it even further. In his book, The Natural

Vet's Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs , Shawn Messionnier,

D.V.M. notes that 50% of dogs will develop cancer in their advanced years. In outlining his general strategy for both minimizing the chances of cancer and treating cancer, he lists providing a proper diet among his recommendations. He asserts,All dogs, though, require minimum quantities of six basic nutrients: Proteins ,Fats, Carbohydrates , Minerals , Vitamins and Water .

PROTEINS AND AMINO ACIDS: Dogs cannot survive without protein in their diets.

Dietary protein contains 10 specific amino acids that dogs cannot make on their own. Known as essential amino acids, they provide the building blocks for many important biologically active compounds and proteins. In addition, they donate the carbon chains needed to make glucose for energy.

High-quality proteins have

a good balance of all of the essential amino acids. Studies show that dogs can

tell when their food lacks a single amino acid and will avoid such a meal.

FATS AND FATTY ACIDS: Dietary fats, mainly derived from animal fats and the seed oils of various plants, provide the most concentrated source of energy in the diet. They supply essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized in the body and serve as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins. Fatty acids play a

role in cell structure and function. Food fats tend to enhance the taste and

Deficiencies in the so-called omega-3 family of essential fatty acids may

be associated with vision problems and impaired learning ability. Another family of essential fatty acids called omega-6 has been shown to have important physiologic effects in the body.

MINERALS: Some minerals are found in all foods, but no single food contains

everything needed in the proper balance for good nutrition. Mineral needs for dogs include calcium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium, magnesium. sulphur and in

trace elements, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, cobalt, and selenium.

These make up less than 2% of any formulated diet, and yet they are the most critical of nutrients. A dog can manufacture some vitamins on its own, but he cannot make minerals. "Minimize animal and plant by-products and chemical preservatives in your pet's diet. When possible, a homemade diet using quality ingredients is best; a holistic, organic processed food would be a second option."Artificial preservatives in dog food. Chemical additives such as BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin have known some controversy over the years. Under scrutiny, many manufacturers moving to the use of natural preservatives, such as Vitamin C (ascorbate) and Vitamin E (tocopherals). These are generally considered to be

much safer, but the result is a much shorter shelf life for these products. BHA is short for Butylated Hydroxyanisole, and BHT is Butylated Hydroxytoluene and these are antioxidants. As such, oxygen reacts preferentially with BHA or BHT,

rather than oxidizing fats or oils, thereby protecting them from spoilage. In addition to preserving foods, BHA and BHT are used to preserve fats and oils in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Both have been banned from human use in many countries. In the US, though, they are still permitted in pet foods. While for us, this would be enough said, studies actually have linked BHA and BHT with liver and kidney dysfunction. Ethoxyquin is a chemical preservative and

suspected carcinogenic “ regulated by the FDA as a pesticide . While

ethoxyquin cannot be used in human foods, it, too, continues to be used in many pet food brands. Ethoxyquin has been found to promote kidney carcinogenesis and significantly increase the incidence of stomach tumors and enhanced bladder

carcinogens, according to several studies. Carcinogenesis

(KAR-sin-oh-JEN-eh-sis) is, quite simply, the process by which normal cells turn

into cancer cells.Â There are also reports linking ethoxyquin with allergic

reactions, skin problems, major organ failure and behavior problems. In 1997,

the CVM made a request to manufacturers of ethoxyquin and the pet food industry

to voluntarily lower ethoxyquin residue in pet foods to 75 parts per million

(ppm), from the currently allowed amount of 150 ppm. To date, there is still no

mandatory requirement to meet the voluntary request.MEAT BY-PRODUCTS - READ YOUR YORKIES DOG FOOD labels experts agree, when reading dog food labels, meat should be the first ingredient

(per the CVM requirement that all ingredients are to be listed in order of

predominance by weight). An absorb able grain, such as rice, should be the next ingredient. "By-product" is an oft-used term in ingredients lists. By-products are generally defined as animal parts that are not used for human consumption,such as bones, organs, blood, fatty tissue and intestines. Some say the use of by-products in dog food is perfectly okay. Per reviews, what you don't want is, "unidentifiable by-products," such as the very vague, "meat by-products." The "meat" umbrella encompasses some very shocking members: zoo

animals, road kill, so-called, "4-D livestock" (dead, diseased, disabled and dying), and even (yikes! ) euthanized dogs and cats. This last was confirmed by the American Veterinary Association and the FDA in 1990. We take some comfort in learning this practice was never widespread, but limited to, "small rural rendering plants and a few other assorted links in the pet food manufacturing chain," per www.consumersearch.com . Pet owners are thus encouraged to look for

specific origin of by products in ingredients lists, such as "chicken

by-product." If a label says "chicken byproduct," all the parts must come from chicken; the same goes for lamb, beef, and so on. Others insist that foods that list by-products in their ingredients should be avoided altogether, considering the vagueness of the term itself.

THE BENEFITS OF MAKING YOUR YORKIE A HOMEMADE DIET

Wendy and Jack Volhard are 30-year dog training veterans who developed their own "Motivational Method" and are strong proponents of the holistic approach. On their website http://www.volhard.com/holistic/artbywv.htm , Wendy writes, We have made our own food for well over 30 years now, and our dogs are living

longer and longer each generation. Whereas the normal lifespan of a Newfoundland in 1998 was 6.2 -6.7 years according to a national survey done by the Newfoundland Club of America, our dogs, and other dogs following the Natural Diet, live up until 15 years of age. Those results are hard to argue or find fault with. The empirical data backing up such claims is limited, to be sure.

But it is here where we find ourselves (out of sheer love for our pet, and the

desire to do anything we can in his best interest) thinking, "Why not just give

it a try?"

WHAT DOES MY YORKIE NEED TO GET A COMPLETE BALANCED DIET?

All dogs, though, require minimum quantities of six basic nutrients: Proteins , Fats, Carbohydrates , Minerals , Vitamins and Water

AMINO ACIDS: All dogs, including Yorkshire Terriers cannot survive

without protein in their diets. Dietary protein contains 10 specific amino acids that dogs cannot make on their own. Known as essential amino acids, they provide the building blocks for many important biologically active compounds and proteins. In addition, they donate the carbon chains needed to make glucose for energy. High-quality proteins have a good balance of all of the essential amino acids. Studies show that dogs can tell when their food lacks a single amino acid

and will avoid such a meal.

FATS AND FATTY ACIDS: Dietary fats, mainly derived from animal fats and the seed

oils of various plants, provide the most concentrated source of energy in the

diet. They supply essential fatty acids that cannot be synthesized in the body

and serve as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins. Fatty acids play a

role in cell structure and function. Food fats tend to enhance the taste and

texture of the dog's food as well. Essential fatty acids are necessary to keep your dog's skin and coat healthy. Puppies fed ultra low-fat diets develop dry, coarse hair and skin lesions that become increasingly vulnerable to infections. Deficiencies in the so-called omega-3 family of essential fatty acids may be associated with vision problems and impaired learning ability. Another family of essential fatty acids called omega-6 has been shown to have important physiologic effects in the body.

MINERALS: Some minerals are found in all foods, but no single food contains

everything needed in the proper balance for good nutrition. Mineral needs for dogs include calcium, potassium, phosphorous, sodium, magnesium. sulphur and in

trace elements, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, cobalt, and selenium.

These make up less than 2% of any formulated diet, and yet they are the most critical of nutrients. A dog can manufacture some vitamins on its own, but he cannot make minerals.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I FEED MY YORKIE EACH DAY?CALORIC REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR YORKSHIRE TERRIER: The chart below is a general

guideline for your dog's calorie requirements. Dogs, on average, need about 30 calories per pound of body weight per day to maintain their current weight.

Small active dogs, weighing less than 20 lbs. can use up to 40 calories per

pound per day. Large dogs, over 50 lbs., can use as little as 20 calories per

pound per day. Daily calorie requirements may be less for inactive or neutered dogs in hot climates. Conversely, and as you might expect, the requirements will increase for a working dog, a herding dog, and a dog that spends most of his time outdoors. Individual metabolism, exercise, age, environment and overall health will determine what your dog really needs to remain lean and healthy. If

your Yorkie is overweight, increase his exercise, and feed him smaller meals,

totaling about 60% of the typical calories required for its ideal weight. Since

your dog can only have so many calories every day, it is important to pack lots of nutrition, bulk and appeal into those calories. If you make your Yorkies food at home, you will have to do some calculating to determine the caloric content of meals. You can feed those calories in several meals rather than in one large daily meal. It can be much easier on a hungry Yorkie to have 2-3 meals a day rather than waiting 24 hours in between meals. You can always add low-calorie

vegetables or treats in between meals. Remember, a healthy dog is ready to eat at any time. Some dogs can eat while flat on their side and more or less asleep.

Therefore, it is pointless to use your dog's begging behavior as any indicator of how much to feed him. Knowing how many calories your Yorkie needs and how that translates into food will help keep him trim and healthy.

Target Weight Requirements

Normal

5.5 lb (2.5 kg)

250 calories

11 lb (5 kg)

450 calories

22 lb (10 kg)

750 calories

33 lb (15 kg)

1000 calories

44 lb (20 kg)

1250 calories

55 lb (25 kg)

1500 calories

66 lb (30 kg)

1700 calories

77 lb (35 kg)

1880 calories

88 lb (40 kg)

2100 calories

(for an example of a few homemade yorkie food recipe see yorkies recipes page). Energy needs for the dog change throughout his life, increasing the more active

he becomes, and obviously decreasing as the dog reaches his senior years.

Factors That Affect Your Yorkies nutritional needs, male and female sex hormones

affect metabolism. When these hormones are reduced, through neutering, for

example, many dogs develop a tendency to become overweight. After a dog is

neutered, you will need to reduce his intake by perhaps as much as 20%. The goal

is to maintain the pre-surgical weight. If he starts to lose weight, gradually

increase the amount until you meet his needs. Pregnant dogs require very little

increase in food until late in their pregnancy. Increase her food by 10% only

during the last four weeks of the nine week pregnancy. Post-birth and while

lactating, she may need up to three times her normal daily food consumption.

Lactation needs are greatest by the third week after birth, and increase with the size of the litter. Dogs that are confined to small areas and get little exercise need fewer calories than those that are exercised regularly or allowed

access to large yards. On the other hand, energy requirements increase by as much as 300% over a typical maintenance diet for hard-working dogs, such as those that hunt, race or herd. Variations in temperature influence a dog's diet.

The colder the temperature, the more energy a dog requires to maintain his body temperature. If your dog spends at least half his time outdoors during the cold winter months, for example, the amount of food he needs may double compared to what he normally eats during the summer. As dogs mature, their metabolism and

physical activity slow down. To help prevent your older dog from becoming obese, you will want to decrease the amount of food offered.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY YORKIE IS AT THE CORRECT WEIGHT?Underweight:

Your Yorkie is not getting enough to eat if you can easily see its ribs,

vertebrae, and pelvic bones, feel no fat on the bones, and possibly notice some

loss of muscle mass. If chronically underfed, adult Yorkies may experience

impaired ability to nurse young and perform work, and increased susceptibility

to bacterial infections and parasites; Yorkie puppies may be stunted in their

growth; adult Yorkies may develop osteoporosis. Ideal weight:

Your Yorkie is at an ideal weight if you can easily feel its ribs. The waist

should be easily observed behind the ribs when viewed from above. An abdominal tuck is evident when viewed from the side. Overweight: Your Yorkie is overweight if you cannot feel its ribs, see fat deposits over its

back and the base of its tail, discern no waist behind the ribs when viewed from

above, and see no abdominal tuck in profile. Obesity occurs in one out of four dogs in western societies. Its incidence increases with age and is more common in neutered animals. Health risks include diabetes and osteoarthritis.

What Is The Yorkshire Terrier Breed Standard

A descriptive standard is written for all breeds of dogs recognized by the

American Kennel Club. This standard is used to gain knowledge on how these

breeds should be for look and type . Below is the standard for Yorkies and how the ideal Yorkshire Terrier should look. All breeders of Yorkshire Terriers

should use this standard to strive for perfection towards breeding Yorkies that conform to this standard. Anything else is not being responsible or true to this wonderful little breed. Yorkshire Terrier Breed Standard

general appearance that of a long-haired toy terrier whose blue and tan coat is parted on the face

and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail and hangs evenly and quite straight down each side of body. The body is neat, compact and well

proportioned. The dog's high head carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self importance.

Head small and rather flat on top, the skull not too prominent or round, the muzzle not too long, with the bite neither undershot nor overshot and teeth sound.

Either scissors bite or level bite is acceptable. The nose is black. Eyes are

medium in size and not too prominent; dark in color and sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression. Eye rims are dark. Ears are small, V-shaped, carried erect and set not too far apart.

body well proportioned and very compact. The back is rather short, the back line

level, with height at shoulder the same as at the rump.

Legs and feet forelegs should be straight, elbows neither in nor out. Hind legs straight when viewed from behind, but stifles are moderately bent when viewed from the sides.

Feet are round with black toenails. Dew claws, if any, are generally removed from the hind legs dew claws on the forelegs may be removed

tail docked to a medium length and carried slightly higher than the level of the back.

coat quality, texture and quantity of coat are of prime importance. Hair is glossy,

fine and silky in texture. Coat on the body is moderately long and perfectly straight (not wavy). It may be trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance, if desired. The fall on the head is long, tied with one bow in center of head or parted in the middle and tied with two bows. Hair on

muzzle is very long. Hair should be trimmed short on tips of ears and may be

trimmed on feet to give them a neat appearance.

colors puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured. Color of hair on body and richness of tan on head and legs are of prime importance in adult dogs, to which the following color requirements apply: BLUE: Is a dark steel blue, not a silver blue and not mingled with fawn, bronze or black hairs.

TAN: All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to still lighter tan at the tips. There should be no sooty or black hair intermingled with any of the tan.

COLOR ON THE BODY

blue extends over the body from back of neck to root of tail. Hair on tail

is a darker blue, especially at end of tail.

HEAD FALL

A rich golden tan, deeper in color at sides of head, at ear roots and on the

muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan. Tan color should not extend down on back of neck.

CHEST AND LEGS

bright, rich tan, not extending above the elbow on the forelegs nor above the

stifle on the hind legs.

WEIGHT

Must not exceed seven pounds.

Yorkie Fast Facts

Yorkshire Terriers in the mid-nineteenth century were not the same as they are

today, they were larger in size, weighing approximately 12 pounds and their coat

texture even though silky compared to other terriers, were still coarser than

modern-day Yorkies.

Hudderfield Ben not only was one of the early stars of the dog show scene, but was also one of the first sires to have consistently produced offspring who weighed less than 5 pounds.

It will never be known exactly what intermingling of dogs that created the early Yorkshire Terrier as meticulous breeding records were not kept.

Poor people in Scotland were only allowed to have small dogs, as rich land owners were afraid that the working class people would poach on their property if they owned large hunting dogs. These small dogs hunted rabbits, rats, squirrels and other small game. Scots then came to Yorkshire county in northern England in the 1800's to work the mills and mines, bringing with them their

dogs.

THE HISTORY OF THE AKC YORKSHIRE TERRIER

With their long flowing silky coats, and graceful gait, head and tail proudly held high, the Yorkshire Terrier is probably the most glamorous of the Toy terrier breeds.The legacy of the Yorkshire Terrier originated from Yorkshire, a northern region of England. Originally bred for hunting vermin, they were used to control rats in coal mines and cotton mills of Yorkshire, England. It is said that there is some evidence that they were used to hunt other small game as well. The development of the Yorkshire Terrier started as settlers came from Scotland to Yorkshire in the 1800 to work in the textile mills and mines, bringing with them their little dogs that hunted rats and served as their companions living with them in their homes. It will never be known for sure, due to the lack of any record keeping what exact breeds these where, as they are now extent, evolving into other breeds, but there is no doubt they were bred for their acerbating ability

Breeding these dogs from Scotland with the dogs already in England, made up some

of the original ancestors of todays Yorkshire Terrier.

Some of these breeds are thought to have been the Clydesdale Terrier (Paisleys), the Waterside Terrier and the Old English Terrier (also known as Toy Terrier, Rough and Broken Haired) and the Broken Haired Scotch Terrier. It is thought that the Broken Haired Scotch Terrier was a descendant of the crossing of the Clydesdale and the Waterside Terrier.

Yorkshire Terriers were given their breed name by 1874, although it had been around since 1870, being known then as Broken Haired Scotch Terriers or Toy Terrier, Rough and Broken Haired.One noted fancier of the breed in England that was instrumental in its

development was Mrs. Jonas Foster. She was acknowledged as having brought the breed to its prominence in England, as well as being the first woman to judge at dogs shows there. One of her dogs that she showed, along with his descendants, was her Broken

Haired Scotch Terrier named Huddersfield Ben. He lived from 1865 to 1871. In 1870 and 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London, Huddersfield Ben won first and second prizes (respectively). Throughout his show career Ben won 74 prizes in all.

Although between 9-12 lbs himself, he regularly sired stock that competed in the less than 7 lb limit. Ben died September 23, 1871. In spite of his short life span, living until 6 years of age due to being ran over by a horse drawn carriage, he was responsible for producing most of the foundation stock of the Yorkshire Terrier at that time. After Ben's death, his body was preserved and kept under glass, which allowed many to see this famous dog well after his untimely passing. This is a picture of Ben along with his pedigree.

The Yorkshire Terrier became its own separate recognized breed around 1870, with more and more fanciers promoting them. They became a desired pet by many women in the Victorian Era. And as with many trends from the Victorian Era, they

became desired in the United States as well. The Yorkshire Terrier was first brought to the United States around 1872.

Classes for the breed have been offered at shows since 1878. Early shows divided classes by weight under 5 lbs. and 5 lbs and over. In later shows due to the size settling in at 3 to 7 lbs it went down to one class being offered. The Yorkshire Terrier breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. One of the first noted American Champion was in 1889 named Bradford Harry. He was the great-great-grandson of Hudderfield Ben. During the Eisenhower regime, when many Americans were becoming first time home owners, a number of people were buying Yorkies for the first time too. By 1960, when 1,181 new Yorkies were registered, the breed had leaped 23 spaces on the AKC's popularity list.

Today in the United State the Yorkshire Terrier is still very popular. They still hold the number two spot for popularity according to the American Kennel Club registry for 2008. But this is not surprising to me at least, just take a look at their yorkies puppies of today and it becomes totally clear why they are as popular as they are !!

I You Still don't find a answer you looking for I will be happy to help You can Call me Anytime with any Yorkie related Question !!