How Big Do Yorkies Get?

As an owner of a Yorkie, you may have many questions about the Yorkie. One of the biggest questions that are asked about this breed is how big they will be when full grown. As a toy breed, these dogs are going to be pretty small, but there is some variance in how big the dog can get.

Yorkies will be between four to seven pounds when they are full-grown. Their height will be between six to nine inches tall at the shoulders. Yorkies with a larger breed dog mixed in can get a little bigger, up to 15 pounds, but this is not common. The Teacup Yorkie is four pounds or smaller.

Let’s take a closer look at the Yorkie to see what their average height and weight can be and some of the major factors that will determine how big your Yorkie will get.

How Big Do Yorkies Get?

Yorkies are considered one of the toy dog breeds. This means that they do not get very big in size and will stay small their whole lives. According to the American Kennel Club, the Yorkie will usually be somewhere between four and seven pounds when they are grown. If you have a full-sized Yorkie that is smaller than this size when they are an adult, they are too small and could have a variety of other health problems along the way.

You may find that some Yorkies will be bigger than the average we just mentioned. Some Yorkies will grow up to ten pounds depending on their breeding. Their bone structure can sometimes cause them to weigh a few pounds too much. If the Yorkie is overweight and has bad eating habits, they may be a little bigger.

A large Yorkie is sometimes caused because the breeder incorrectly paired the sire and dame. When one of the parents is larger, then a mixed breed Yorkie could be bigger than the standard size. Keep in mind that the average size of the Yorkie relates back to a purebred Yorkie. If one of the parents is not a Yorkie, it is possible that the puppy will be bigger too. If you have a Yorkie that is 10 to 15 pounds, for example, this is a sign that a larger breed of dog was used for breeding at some point in their bloodline.

What is the Yorkie Standard Height?

Now that we know a little bit about the weight of the standard Yorkie and how big they can get as a mixed breed, we can look at the height standard as well. There are many standards for the weight of the Yorkie, but there is currently no standard height. An adult Yorkie will fall somewhere between six to nine inches. This is going to be a measurement form the floor to the tops of their shoulders.

The exact size of the Yorkie and how tall they will get depends on the parents. If both parents are purebred Yorkies, the puppy is likely to stay small and not go above that six inches. However, if one of the parents is larger, then you can expect that the Yorkie will be taller as well.

How Big is a Yorkie Puppy?

The average sizes that we just discussed above are in relations to an adult Yorkie, but how big can the Yorkie puppy get? There is a lot of growth during the first year of a Yorkie puppy’s life. While it is not uncommon for some of the growth to get spread out over the first years, there are some growth spurts that are fast and noticeable.

When the puppy gets to 9 months old, they are going to slow down on their growth. They may grow more in the height and length to give themselves a leaner appearance than before. But their weight gain will slow down at this point. They will often run around and be active, which can help them to sleek down.

As your puppy puts on weight, it is not uncommon for them to look a little bit round. This does not mean that they are overweight. Their height and length will catch up before long. They often put on their adult weight of up to 7 or 8 pounds when they are still young, while maintaining the shorter height for longer.

Do not put your puppy on any kind of diet during this time and do not try to exercise them a lot to get the weight down. The puppy is supposed to have those few extra pounds on them for now. It will even out over time. Putting the puppy on a diet right now can place them at a severe situation with a lack of nutrients. And with such a small puppy, the overexercise can wear them out and make them sick.

If you are concerned about the weight or growth of your Yorkie, it is a good idea to bring these concerns up to their vet. The vest will be able to take a look at the dog and determine if there is any need for concern.

How Big is a Teacup Yorkie?

It is possible that you have a teacup Yorkie in your home and these dogs will be smaller than the traditional Yorkie. Miniature dogs have brought along a log of controversies through the years and the AKC does not recognize this as a type of Yorkie. A teacup Yorkie is going to be any kind of Yorkie who weighs less than four pounds full-grown.

While these dogs may be cute and adorable, it is generally not a good idea to have a dog this small. They are more likely to have poor health issues. Many of these dogs are even smaller than the four pounds, with quite a few falling closer to 2 pounds and only getting to a height of four inches.

Some of the common health issues that happen for a teacup Yorkie will include:

• Fragile bones
• An immune system that struggles
• Heart and breathing problems
• Hypoglycemia
• Live problems
• An increased chance of injuries
• A shorter lifespan

If you try to breed one of the teacup Yorkies, you will find that this can be dangerous. These puppies are so small that it is hard for them to have any babies and stay healthy and there are likely to be quite a few birthing complications.

How Can I Tell If My Yorkie is Overweight?

This is not a common problem for the yorkie due to their size. However, it is a possibility. For Yorkies that are more than 10 pounds, your vet will do an examination to help determine whether the dog should lose weight or not. If the Yorkie does not have a larger parent, then a diet may be necessary.

Keep in mind that you need to do this process slowly. Your Yorkie is small and needs to get their nutrients in a few little meals. Changing to healthier foods, limiting table scraps and snacks, and slowly implementing more exercise time will make a big difference in the health of your dog.

How Big Can My Yorkie Get?

On the other side of things, you may be concerned that your Yorkie is getting too big. The AKC has the standards for a purebred Yorkie at up to seven pounds. There are many healthy purebred Yorkies that go a little bigger than this though, with some measuring in at 8 to 9 pounds.

There is going to be variety and ranges when it comes to the size and height of the dog, even when all the dogs are purebred. You can look to the dame and sire to see what you should expect out of the puppies, but this is not going to be a guarantee either.

If the Yorkie is much bigger than 9 pounds, this is often due to an unusual pairing that happened somewhere down the line. The puppy may have grandparents or another generation back that had one dog that was bigger than the Yorkie. This can sometimes happen and will cause the new puppy to be bigger than expected.

Even with different breeds making up the Yorkie, you can still get a lot of the unique characteristics that you want out of the puppy. These new mixed breeds can be desirable to, including the Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier. The latter can average up to 14 pounds, which could result in a Yorkie who is a little larger as well.

Taking Care of Your Yorkie

A Yorkie is considered a toy dog. This means that they will stay small for their whole loves, with most never getting more than 7 pounds in weight. This lovable little dog likes to bounce around and have a lot of fun with their owners, but with the different weights and sizes that these Yorkies can come in, many owners wonder how big their Yorkie should be. Take a look at some of the suggestions above to see how big your Yorkie puppy should get.