Mini Yorkshire Terriers: Everything You Could Want to Know

My family has owned 3 Yorkshire Terriers within the past couple of years, and my wife and I both have aunts who own Mini, or Teacup, Yorkshire Terriers. They are been amazing little additions to the family, so I decided to write this guide on everything you could want to know about mini “Yorkies”.

Over the last 10 years of my life, I have turned into a very experienced Yorkie owner. As you continue reading you will learn everything you need to know about Mini Yorkshire Terriers from somebody who has had them for years.

In this guide, I will talk about both the pros, cons, and details of everything you need to know about the Mini Yorkshire Terrier Breed.

What is a Mini Yorkie?

Most people are pretty familiar with Yorkshire Terriers. They seem to be on every other TV commercial. However, not everybody knows much about the Mini Yorkies and how they relate to their regular sized relatives.

Yorkshire Terriers and Mini, or Teacup Yorkies are basically the same dog and breed in every way. The only real difference that has been made is the size of Mini Yorkies. They have been bred to be smaller than your average Yorkie.

Breeders recognized that there was a huge demand for Yorkies, but an even bigger demand for those that were smaller. Mini Yorkies are made to be cute and small like puppies their whole lives.

When my aunt got her family a Mini Yorkie I fell in love with it so quickly. It was incredibly adorable and playful.

The best part was that when I went back to my aunt’s house a year later I was shocked to see that her dog had literally not changed in size. It was the same tiny little dog that I had gotten to know before, but more mature!

Regular sized Yorkshires and Mini ones look the exact same as puppies so it can be hard to tell between the two without help. Be careful, some breeders will claim to have Mini Yorkies but they are just trying to trick you. They hide what sizes the parents of the litter were, to sell to you full-sized Yorkies.

To avoid this make sure they show you the parents of the puppy litter. If the parents are still small and teacup sized then you should be fine.

Yorkshire History – Bred to be Rodent Hunters

Many people don’t really know the history behind the Yorkshire Terrier breed. They were first bred to hunt rats and other pests in England.

They were really good at what they did, eventually started spreading to other countries in Europe. People quickly fell in love with the small, cute dogs and now they are found all around the world.

The rodent hunter gene still is still found in Yorkies and can be a pro and a con to owning one. Every once in a while you might see them with a mouse in their mouth which is pretty gross, but they will keep your yard clean of pests!

Recently, as the Yorkshire Terrier breed became more and more popular, breeders recognized that one of the reasons people loved the dogs so much was due to their small size and cute appearance. Breeders then started breeding their smallest Yorkies together and the Mini Teacup Yorkie was made!

Cute and Playful

The reason that my family caved in and bought our Yorkie puppies was quite funny. On each occasion, we just walked into a pet store with the intention of holding some little dogs and leaving.

As soon as we saw the adorable little Yorkie faces looking back at us it was over. I can still remember incredibly tiny each one was. It didn’t take long before we were leaving the pet store with a mini addition to our family.

Yorkshire terriers are one of the most popular toy dogs out there. People across the whole world find them to be immensely cute. Part of this is due to their fun and playful nature.

Even as puppies our Yorkies loved playing and spending time with the family. They love playing with balls and toys of any sort.

The women in my family love dressing up our Yorkies. You can buy all sorts of fun outfits, sweaters, and costumes for them. This never gets old, not even for me! You can find endless accessories for your Mini Yorkie all over Amazon and the internet!

Yorkies are such an adorable breed that they have been used to mix with other dogs and create all sorts of different new cute animals!

Morkies (Maltese Yorkie mix), YorkiPoos (Yorkie Poodle mix), and Yoranians (Yorkie Palmeranian mix) are three Yorkie mixes that are very common! We have owned a Morkie and we absolutely loved him. There are tons more to choose from.

Social

Some breeds are known to not get along with other people very well, but that is not the case for Yorkies.

Yorkies and Mini Yorkies are also known to be social dogs. They get quickly attached to family and friends and form a bond with them.

They develop a strong love for their owners and it seems that they would do anything for you. Even when new faces come by they are quick to trust and love all of those around.

Yorkies also are very social when it comes to other dogs. At first, there will be a lot of barking, but they quickly get used to other dogs and become friends. My family’s Yorkies are very good friends with all of the dogs that my uncles, aunts, and grandparents own.

Hypoallergenic

One of the best things about having a Yorkie is that they are a hypoallergenic dog breed. No dog is 100% hypoallergenic, but Yorkies are less allergenic than most dogs.

In the case of the Yorkie, their hypoallergenic attribute is that they don’t shed! If you have ever owned a dog that sheds then you understand just how amazing it is for a dog to be hypoallergenic.

My family owned a husky for 12 years. That dog was awesome, but his hair literally covered our house and yard throughout his whole life. It was quite the hassle to clean up, and you never could truly get it out of your clothes and furniture.

Yorkies on the other hand, whether they are normal or teacup sized, won’t shed at all. This means that owners don’t have to go around their house multiple times vacuuming all the places their dog has been to get all the hair out.

This also means that Yorkie owners have to groom and make sure their dogs get haircuts. This can become expensive.

Another reason that it is great to have a hypoallergenic dog is that people that are typically allergic to dogs won’t be allergic to those that don’t shed. My wife is very allergic to most dog breeds, but has no issues with our Yorkie-filled house!

Loyal

One thing that I have always loved about my Yorkies is that they are very loyal. They are like mini companions always at your side.

They may be silly and stubborn at times, but that doesn’t change the fact that they would go anywhere and do anything for their owners. They develop a very strong bond with their family and you can feel that they love you.

Training

Yorkies, especially mini ones, aren’t the easiest dogs to train, but it definitely can be done right if the owner is determined. As a breed, Yorkies can be stubborn, but they aren’t completely against learning new things.

We have trained our Yorkies to do super simple things like sit and stand. All it took was a couple of days of training them with hand motions, words, and treats for a reward.

Other more intricate tricks might take some more time and effort, but if you are consistent any Yorkie can pick up just about any trick.

There is definitely something extra cute about a mini Yorkie rolling over that you just can’t find in other dogs!

Low Maintenance

Yorkshire Terriers are very easy-going, relaxed dogs. Besides the necessities of life, they don’t really need much more to thrive and have a good time. Even if they are just sitting down with their owners they will be content.

Our Yorkies love playing and going on walks, but they aren’t too bummed out if we don’t go out on a super consistent basis. For the most part, they just love being with us.

It seems that their favorite part of the day is when everyone is home together watching TV. They sit down right next to us and hang out with the crew.

Therapy Dogs

In World War II a Yorkie became famous for his therapy. She visited field hospitals and comforted the injured soldiers. For 12 years this Yorkshire Terrier became a celebrity as she helped comfort those who were traumatized by the war.

To this day Yorkies, especially mini ones, make great companions for those who struggle with emotional distress. I think it is because of their cuddly nature that makes them bring so much happiness wherever they go.

Potty Training is Difficult

One huge downside to this dog bread is that Yorkies are very hard to potty train. They can be very stubborn and sneaky when it comes to this, which is why Mini Yorkies can be even harder. They can get into even the smallest of places to hide and pee.

We have had our Yorkies for years and it is sad to say that they still aren’t perfect in the potty department. When given the opportunity, they can run to a room where nobody is to do their business instead of going outside.

This isn’t always the case though. If the owner is very adamant about potty training their mini Yorkie at a very young age and is consistently on top of it, they will learn. I know people who own Yorkies that are completely potty trained, and I also know some whose Yorkies are still a disaster and mess the whole house up.

Don’t give up or slack at all because your puppies will likely not stop peeing in your house until they are 100% trained and disciplined.

Not the Best Dogs for Families with Kids

Yorkies, especially mini Yorkies, are extremely fragile, especially as puppies. They must be treated as if they were glass until they get older and stronger. This is why Yorkies, in general, are not the best for families with small kids.

Kids just don’t understand how to be gentle, and it has happened many times where a kid has hurt or even killed their Yorkie because they didn’t know any better. It is hard for them to determine just how gentle they need to be.

When we got our first Yorkie the youngest person in the family was about six years old. We never had any problems with our dogs being hurt, but we did make sure to be extra careful in making sure all the kids understood just how soft they needed to be.

Even adults need to be extremely careful with their mini Yorkie pets. There have been a few occasions where people have accidentally kicked our Yorkies while walking through the kitchen or hallway.

These dogs aren’t the smartest at times and they often walk right next to your legs. Until they learn to stay away it is important for everybody in the house to watch where they step.

One must be especially careful with Mini Yorkies because they will stay small and fragile their whole lives. They do get smarter and quicker as they get older, avoiding feet and legs, for the most part.

Picky Eaters

Yorkshire Terriers are often thought of as picky eaters. As mentioned before they can be a bit stubborn when it comes to certain things.

With food, they will often beg and beg to have what you’re having. Just don’t ever give in and they will get used to eating what dogs should eat.

When they are young it is easy to get them used to their food. Puppies of any bread will eat whatever is given to them.

It gets hard, however, when you start them off on the good stuff like wet dog food and switch to the less desirable, cheaper, dry dog food when they are older.

Watch Dog, Not Guard Dog

Barking is something that Yorkie Owners just can’t really avoid. Yorkies are barkers, they yip and yap all day long. It is just in their genes.

Out of the 3 Yorkies that we have had, two were big time barkers, while the third only barked when someone was at the door.

This makes them good watchdogs. They bark at every sound which keeps bad people away. As far as guard dogs go, Yorkies aren’t the toughest.

They often think they are bigger than they actually are, but when it comes to a fight they are usually the first to back out.

I find the barking to be cute for the most part, but there are times when it does get old. Some people can’t stand it. There is a way to de-bark your dog, but it is a procedure that costs quite a bit of money.

Expensive

Yorkies are known to be a pretty expensive breed. Mini Yorkies can be even more expensive. They are typically bought for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

In my opinion, these dogs are so amazing that they are worth the money. If one does the right research and finds a good breeder it is definitely possible to find a cheaper priced Yorkie.

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