
Yorkshire Terrier Dog Breed Guide
Tiny, confident, and affectionate, with a big personality and serious coat-care expectations.
- Dental disease
- Patellar luxation
- Tracheal collapse

Tiny, confident, and affectionate, with a big personality and serious coat-care expectations.
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small-sized breed known for being confident, affectionate, lively. With a typical lifespan of 13–16 years and exercise needs around 35 minutes per day, this breed suits owners who can match its energy and care requirements. Tiny, confident, and affectionate, with a big personality and serious coat-care expectations.
Yorkshire Terriers are widely described as confident, affectionate, lively. They tend to score 4/5 on intelligence and 3/5 on trainability, which means they benefit from patient, structured training and may show an independent streak.
Moderate (3/5). The Yorkshire Terrier typically needs around 35 minutes of daily exercise — usually satisfied with a daily walk and some indoor play. Under-exercising this breed often leads to destructive behavior at home.
With children: 2/5 — Yorkshire Terriers aren't a default choice for homes with young children — supervised intros, clear boundaries, and a safe retreat space are essential.
With cats and other pets: 3/5 — mixed — depends heavily on early socialization and the individual cat's confidence.
Hot weather: Good. Cold weather: Poor.
Around 35 minutes of daily activity, scaled to its moderate energy level.
Yorkshire Terriers are not the most kid-friendly breed and need careful supervision around young children.
Plan for roughly $105–$225 per month in food, grooming, and routine vet care.
13–16 years on average.
The Yorkshire Terrier is a strong fit if you're apartments and small homes or first-time dog owners, and are willing to commit to regular grooming. It's likely not the right match if you have very limited time for daily care.
Not sure? Take our free 60-second quiz for a personalized match across our full breed database.
Hand-matched gear based on this breed's size, energy, and grooming needs.
As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.