Featured Doggy: Yorkshire Terriers

The Yorkshire Terrier AKA Yorkie is a breed of dogs belong to the Toy Group, they are one of the smallest dogs in the world. Originally from the UK, the Yorkshire Terrier was developed from a combination of Scottish and English black-and-tan terriers, Maltese, and the now extinct Clydesdale Terrier. From each litter the smallest dogs were selected for breeding, and gradually to the Yorkie we know and love today!

Yorkies are born Black and Tan/Golden and their coat will usually turn steel-blue/blue/gray (a good estimate would be the colour of their parents!) as they mature.

They are spirited, bold, adventurous and highly intelligent! Do not let their size fool you, if their human do not lead them like a pack leader does, they will start to take over! This usually leads to snappy behavior and even aggression!

Because they are so smart, they learn tricks and commands really quickly, they also quickly learn how humans react to his/her behavior. As they are pure terriers, they tend to be independent and might not like to follow commands. The trick is to use motivation, things he/she likes, to get him to do the action that you want. Then, slowly phase out instant gratification and practice delayed gratification. Your yorkie will be an angel in no time =) They definitely require us humans to be firm and disciplined. Yorkies are ideal for lively owners who appreciates their bubbly character!

Yorkies are tiny dogs which requires owners to be gentle when handling them. As a generally rule, the smaller the dog, the less sturdy the dog is, so supplements should be considered for this breed of dogs. As their bones and body parts are more fragile than larger dogs, it is not advised to walk them with a collar as it might damage their trachea.

(Putting a leash on a dog's collar is advised for other dogs as it encourages obedience and gives a better window for correction of unwanted behavior. Even though a harness encourages pulling, it is recommended for smaller dogs as it is gentler on their necks. Therefore, owners should pay EXTRA attention to your Yorkie during walks and not let them walk in front of you, pulling you, tugging you!)

The cuter the dog (yorkies are insanely cute if you haven't noticed) the more likely the owner is going to baby the furry companion. This is psychologically very unhealthy for a dog! Do not tolerate any signs of dominance and correct it at once! If you catch your dear lil' doing something he's not suppose to do, no matter how cute it looks, (of course please use compassion and logic to evaluate what is wrong or right for a dog to do) correct him/her with any humane technique to let him know that this particular behavior is unacceptable!

Here in Singapore, it is recommended that Yorkies' coats be clipped short for practical reason. That said, regular brushing is needed to prevent their coats from tangling or matting!

Yorkies are available here at PreciousPups, contact us if are interested!