It is very difficult for the Yorkie novice to discover that there are no different Yorkshire Terrier types. A Yorkie is a Yorkie is a Yorkie. This is according to the breed societies and national showing bodies like the American Kennel Club (AKC) or United Kennel Club (UKC). However, if you look into any advertising for Yorkshire Terrier puppies, you will find lots of breeders insisting that there are such things as Teacup Yorkies, Standard Yorkies and Toy Yorkshire Terriers.



Names were given by breeders, pet stores and the media to describe a very small representative of a purebred dog. They are called "tiny Toys" or "Teacup". This happens in other breeds of dog, not just the Yorkshire Terrier. The name implies that their puppies are assured to grow to only half the weight of normal representatives of their breed. There are also Teacup or Tiny Toy Beagles, Keeshonds and Jack Russells.

What do you think you are getting with a Toy Yorkshire Terrier? You are expecting a dog of about four pounds when full grown - smaller than a cat, and a heck of a lot more fragile. They will look cute, but that cuteness wears off for many. Toy Yorkshire Terriers need to be brushed everyday, need at least twelve trips to a professional groomer in a year, and are considered delicacies by bigger dogs.

If you discover that the puppy you are interested in is expected to turn out to be less than five pounds, run far away. These puppies are sickly, short-lived and overly excitable. They often have problems with housetraining, separation anxiety and biting. They are also incredibly fragile and can be killed if you drop them. Breeders of these kinds of Toy Yorkshire Terriers hope you know nothing about dogs.

However, even puppies advertised as Toy Yorkshire Terriers or even Teacup Yorkshire Terriers (which come to an adult weight of two to four pounds) can suddenly grow up into hefty ten pounders. They are still purebred Yorkshire Terriers, but they just grown up bigger than expected. This happens in any breed of dog - and even in people, too.

Don't be swayed by marketing gimmicks such as Toy Yorkshire Terriers being somehow more desirable (and therefore more expensive) than plain old Yorkshire Terriers. If you want a Yorkshire Terrier, than size does not matter. In fact, most purebred Yorkshire Terriers grow far too big to be considered show animals. A Yorkshire Terrier is disqualified if he or she is over seven pounds. Quite a lot of purebred Yorkies are more than seven pounds.

Because there are no requirements for buying a dog, many people buy a dog that he shouldn't. Then, those dogs wind up in shelters. Because of the particular needs of Yorkies, many Yorkshire Terrier rescues have sprouted up all over the country. They know how domineering, needy and yet how loyal these dogs are.

In the dog world, there are no guarantees about how big or small a puppy will grow. You can avoid all of this confusion by adopting a loving, healthy dog from your local animal shelter.