It is very difficult for the Yorkie novice to discover that there are no different Yorkshire Terrier types. A Yorkie is a Yorkie is a Yorkie. This is according to the breed societies and national showing bodies like the American Kennel Club (AKC) or United Kennel Club (UKC). However, if you look into any advertising for Yorkshire Terrier puppies, you will find lots of breeders insisting that there are such things as Teacup Yorkies, Standard Yorkies and Toy Yorkshire Terriers.
If you are looking for a Yorkshire Terrier, be very clear what the individual breeder considers a Toy Yorkshire Terrier. Most will call any Yorkshire Terrier a Toy Yorkshire Terrier. The Yorkshire Terrier is in the Toy group of dogs for showing purposes after all. But there are some breeders who will insist that Toy Yorkshire Terriers are of a certain weight – four to six pounds. The average weight for a show quality Yorkshire Terrier is seven pounds.
The term “Toy Yorkshire Terrier” has come up as a marketing gimmick, and not much else. This term implies that their Yorkies are smaller than the average. Consider that Yorkshire Terriers are small dogs to begin with – but apparently, that’s not small enough for some people.
If you discover that the puppy you are interested in is expected to turn out to be less than five pounds, run far away. These puppies are sickly, short-lived and overly excitable. They often have problems with housetraining, separation anxiety and biting. They are also incredibly fragile and can be killed if you drop them. Breeders of these kinds of Toy Yorkshire Terriers hope you know nothing about dogs.
They also need constant attention, or they will destroy your house because of separation anxiety. Many have been known to attack children and other dogs. They also have difficulty when administered anesthesia because they are so small.
Don’t be swayed by marketing gimmicks such as Toy Yorkshire Terriers being somehow more desirable (and therefore more expensive) than plain old Yorkshire Terriers. If you want a Yorkshire Terrier, than size does not matter. In fact, most purebred Yorkshire Terriers grow far too big to be considered show animals. A Yorkshire Terrier is disqualified if he or she is over seven pounds. Quite a lot of purebred Yorkies are more than seven pounds.
In conclusion, there is no difference between a Toy Yorkshire Terrier and a plain old Yorkshire Terrier. Each breeder has their own name for what they breed and sell. You must be very sure what the breeder means when they talk about their Toy Yorkshire Terriers.
In the dog world, there are no guarantees about how big or small a puppy will grow. You can avoid all of this confusion by adopting a loving, healthy dog from your local animal shelter.