Can Yorkies Be Kept Outside?

Many Yorkie owners wonder if they are able to leave their Yorkies outside. They may not want to leave the Yorkie inside all day when they are gone or they would just like to make sure the dog is getting enough fresh air without worrying about them tearing up the home. This can lead them to ask whether Yorkies can be kept outside when they are not at home.

Your Yorkie should not be kept outside by themselves for long periods of time. They will often resort to bad behaviors when left alone and there is the potential their health will be harmed if the weather gets too severe. Yorkies can spend short bursts of time outside alone when you are home, but if you need to leave for an extended amount of time, the Yorkie should stay inside.

Let’s take a closer look at why your Yorkie should not be kept outside when you are not at home with them.

Can My Yorkie Be Kept Outside?

It is generally not a good idea to let your dog stay outside all day long. If you are just running out for an hour or so, then you will be fine having the dog outside running around. If you are at home and want the Yorkie to wear out some energy, then they can play outside for a bit of time. These short amount of times are fine for the dog.

However, you should not let your Yorkie stay outside all the time. This is not healthy for them and their barking may annoy your neighbors. If it gets hot, your dog could drink up all their water and have nothing to enjoy and keep them cooled down.

They could also run out of food. Some dogs are good at digging and will get out of your yard while you are gone, which will make them get in more danger from cars and other animals.

If you plan to be gone for a longer period of time, then you need to keep the Yorkie inside. This will keep them safe, prevents them from getting overheated or too cold in the winter, gives them a comfortable place to sleep, and will be easier to not annoy all of the neighbors if they want to start barking.

Why do Yorkie Owners Keep Them Outside All Day?

There are different reasons why a Yorkie owner may want to leave their Yorkie outside. They may want to keep the dog outside because of the shedding and the owners do not want the hair to get everywhere. This may help keep the home a little cleaner, it is not one of the best ideas.

Another issue is when the Yorkie is using destructive behavior. The owner may not want to come home to the area being destroyed while they were gone. They may assume that leaving their Yorkie outside is a better idea to keep the home picked up.

If the Yorkie is being destructive inside, then there could be an issue with them doing the same kind of bad behaviors when they are outside. It is much better to train your Yorkie how to behave when you are gone rather than just keeping them outside.

Sometimes the Yorkie owner feels bad about leaving their dog inside all the time. They know they will be gone for a long time and they do not want to feel bad when their dog is stuck inside the whole time. So they decide to leave the dog outside.

This can promote some bad behaviors for your dog and is never a good idea either. If you do need to be gone for a long time, then it is a better idea to have someone come and check on your dog and take them out, rather than just having them outside all day long.

Negatives of Keeping Your Yorkie Outside

While short bursts of letting your dog be outside is not a big deal, you do need to be careful about doing this too often. There are a lot of bad behaviors that will show up when a dog is left unattended in the backyard with no one to entertain them. Some of the issues that you will need to watch out for include:

• The dog gets too hot or too cold: Weather extremes can be hard on your dog, especially if they are outside for a long time.
• The dog may not get the food and water they need: Your Yorkie could tip over their food or water bowl and then they have to go a long time without getting a refill.
• The dog may start to dig and try to escape: Many Yorkies will spend their time outside digging in the ground and trying to get out of the fence.
• There is no mental stimulation: Your backyard is going to get very boring for the dog pretty quickly unless you keep a ton of toys back there.
• The dog may bark: Many Yorkies who are left outside on their own will turn to barking to try and get attention. This is going to turn some of your neighbors into your enemies pretty quickly so it is best if you can find a way to keep them quiet.

A better option is to leave your dog inside if you need to be gone for an extended amount of time. When you come home, take them outside and play with them for a little bit to wear out that energy and help them feel better.

Safety Tips for Keeping Your Dog Outside

If you do need to keep your Yorkie outside for a little bit, there are a few things that you should consider ahead of time. If it is warm outside, make sure that the Yorkie is going to have access to water the whole time.

Do not use a lightweight water bowl because your dog can easily knock these over. Find an area that will get some good shade for the dog so they don’t feel overwhelmed by all of the sun and the heat. And keep in mind that the pavement and sand will be very hot and your dog will not have shoes.

Allow them a cooler place to sit, such as the grass, during the heat.

If you are in an area with cold weather, you need to use different precautions when it is this time of year. An insulated dog house can help keep them warm if you have to leave them outside for too long. Give them a winter jacket or a sweater for when they need to use the bathroom.

It is best to not keep your Yorkie outside for longer than using the bathroom when it is cold. The snow can easily get higher than the dog, their fur is not going to keep them warm, and it can easily get too cold for the dog.

In the summer, you need to watch out for heatstroke. This can make your dog very sick and is easy to happen with the small Yorkie if you leave them outside for too long. You may notice that they have a rapid heart rate, drooling, bright red gums or tongue, diarrhea, and vomiting.

It is best to be outside with your dog and limit their exposure to the really hot weather when it is summer time.

In the winter, you will need to worry about the small Yorkie getting hypothermia. This is a sign that the dog is too cold. If you notice their heart rate is decreased, they are shivering quite a bit and their body temperature is below 95 degrees, then this is a bad sign that hypothermia is a problem.

Since it is hard to know how your dog is doing outside when you are not home, it is best to keep them inside. If you are worried about them destroying the home, then confine them to just one area and then consider whether some training is in order to help your dog learn how to behave.

Leaving them outside can be dangerous to the dog and is never a good idea.

Keeping Your Dog Safe

Overall, it is important to take good care of your dog. If they are left outside all day, they could get hurt from weather that is too hot or too cold.

They could get out and get hurt by a car or taken by another person. Or they may stay in the backyard and will start to bark and annoy all the neighbors in a bid to get attention.

It is often better to leave your dog inside when you will not be home. While there is nothing wrong with letting your Yorkie run around for a bit while you are home or when you are sitting outside with them, it can cause a whole host of issues for their behavior and their health if you try to leave them outside all the time.