Can a Yorkie be over 7 pounds

How Much Should a Yorkie Weigh?

Part of keeping your dog healthy is making sure that they are the right weight. Too heavy and their joints will be sore, their heart and lungs will struggle, and they could develop diabetes. On the other hand, if theyre underweight, they will lose muscle and over time their organs could fail. So, how do you know whats the right weight for your Yorkie? And once you know what their ideal weight should be, how do you help them to reach it?

How much should a Yorkie weigh as a puppy?

The ideal weight of a Yorkie puppy will depend on their age and build. Often, a lower weight as a puppy means theyll be smaller when they reach adulthood, but this isnt always the case. You can use the following chart to help assess whether your pup is growing as they should, but if you have any concerns about your puppys growth, speak to your veterinarian.

Yorkie puppy weight chart

How Much Should a Yorkie Weigh?

Actually, it is more accurate to assess your dogs body condition score rather than their weight on its own.

As an adult, most Yorkies weigh between 4 and 7 pounds. Of course, smaller Yorkies exist, but Yorkies smaller than 4 pounds are classed as teacup Yorkies. Its also possible for a Yorkshire terrier to be larger than this weight range but still be healthy. Therefore, its more accurate to assess your dogs body condition score rather than their weight on its own. Their body condition score will give you information about their body fat and whether they are carrying extra weight or even a bit underweight. Your veterinarian can show you how to check their body condition score, but the assessment involves feeling your dogs ribs and spine and visualizing their waist.

What should you do if your Yorkie is underweight?

If your dogs weight isnt as high as the average range for a Yorkie, first check their body condition score. If their spine and ribs are prominent and visible, they are truly underweight. If they have any symptoms of being unwell you should get them checked by a veterinarian. If they are acting well, you can try changing their dog food or increasing the amount you feed them. Its crucial to choose a dog food that meets AAFCOs standards for a complete & balanced diet. Also, make sure your dog food contains human-grade protein sources and healthy fats. Its very important to make sure youre not feeding a diet thats high in carbohydrates as too many carbohydrates may contribute to inflammation. This is because the inflammatory process uses glucose, and carbohydrates are broken down to glucose in your dogs body, inadvertently fueling inflammation.

What should you do if your Yorkie is overweight?

If your Yorkie is overweight, and their body condition score shows that they have fat covering their ribs and spine and not much of a waistline, you need to cut back on their food. Some companies have customized feeding calculators on their website that have a lose weight option to help your dog lose weight gradually. Feeding a diet thats high in protein and low in carbohydrates can help dogs reach their target weight and stay lean.

How can you keep your Yorkie at a healthy weight?

Exercise alone wont help your dog lose enough weight if their diet is poor, still its a good idea to increase their activity level with playtime and walks in combination with a healthy diet.

Its not easy to keep a Yorkie at a healthy weight because theyre often fussy eaters. This means it can be easy to inadvertently fill them up on treats and tidbits, so theyre not interested in their dog food. You can find out more in our article How much food should a Yorkie eat per day? Heres what you need to know about maintaining your dog at a healthy weight:

Dog Food

If your dogs current food isnt working for them, you might need to change their diet. Choose a dog food that isnt high in carbohydrates, since this could lead to weight gain and obesity. A low carbohydrate diet will also have the added benefit that it could reduce inflammation.

Exercise

While exercise alone probably wont help your dog lose enough weight if their diet is poor, its a good idea to increase their activity level with playtime and walks in combination with a healthy diet. If your dog is underweight and very active, you might need to increase their food so that they have enough calories.

Summary

For any dog, being overweight or underweight can pose plenty of health risks. If youre struggling to keep your dog in ideal shape, its a good idea tospeak to your veterinarian for some extra advice if you need it.

FAQ

Is 12 pounds big for a Yorkie?

12 pounds is very large for a Yorkie. If your Yorkie weighs 12 pounds and they are a pure breed, theyre likely overweight. You can check this by asking your vet to perform a body condition score.

How do I know if my Yorkie is overweight?

Rather than looking at the number on the scales, you should take into account your dogs body condition score before deciding whether they are overweight. Feel their ribs and spine and look at their waist to get an idea of how much extra body fat theyre carrying.

Can a Yorkie weigh 14 pounds?

A Yorkie wouldnt usually weigh 14 pounds unless they were very overweight or mixed with another breed. However, if you think your Yorkie is 14 pounds and healthy, speak to your veterinarian and check their body condition score.

What is overweight for Yorkies?

The normal weight range for Yorkies is 4 to 7 pounds. However, many healthy Yorkies will have weights outside of this range. If youre concerned about your Yorkies weight, speak to your veterinarian.

Is Your Yorkie Overweight? How to Tell and How Can You Help

Keeping your Yorkie in good shape is crucial for keeping them healthy and mobile. After all, an overweight Yorkie could suffer from sore joints, diabetes, or breathing problems, among other health issues. But how do you know how much a Yorkie should weigh and whether your fur child is overweight? And if your Yorkie is carrying a few extra pounds, how do you help them slim down?

Is your Yorkie overweight?

Every dog is different, even if they are the same breed. Therefore, there isnt a one size fits all perfect weight that suits all Yorkshire Terriers. A healthy weight for a larger Yorkie might mean a smaller-sized Yorkie was obese! Of course, its not just Yorkies that can become podgy, you can read tips on how to help an obese chihuahua here.

Ideal weight

The breed standard weight for the Yorkshire Terrier is 7 lbs, but of course, not every dog will (or should) weigh exactly this. A broader range of 6lbs to 8lbs is more accommodating but doesnt account for the fact that there is quite a range of heights and builds when it comes to Yorkies. So, if your dog lies outside the ideal range, they might still be healthy. Using a measurement called Body Condition Score, their body fat can be more accurately assessed.

Body Condition Score

Body Condition Score (BCS) is a far more reliable indicator of whether an individual pooch is overweight, underweight, or just right. You can ask your veterinarian to show you if you are unsure, but if you want to have a go at home:

• Feel how prominent the spinous processes are (the bumps you can feel along your dogs back). You should be able to feel them, but not see them, and they shouldnt be prominent.
• Feel how prominent your dogs ribs are. You should be able to feel them, but in most breeds, you shouldnt be able to see them.
• Look at your dog from above. Their waist should curve inwards, if it is straight or bulges outwards theyre overweight.
• Check this chart to give your dog a score from 1 to 9.

What makes a Yorkie overweight?

Dog treats are often full of carbohydrates or fat, and some pet parents are surprised when they realize just how fattening human tidbits are for their pets.

If your Yorkie is overweight, what might be causing them to gain weight?

Diet

It could be that theyre eating too much food. Different dog foods have different calorie contents and nutritional values. For example, most dry dog biscuits are more calorie-dense than fresh or wet dog food. So, if your dog eats a lightly cooked human-grade dog food with whole food ingredients, theyll be able to eat more of it to get the same number of calories as dry dog food. This could keep your dog feeling more satisfied for longer.

Perhaps its not the amount of dog food that youre feeding, but what the dog food contains. For example, if a dog is fed a diet that is high in carbohydrates and fats, theyll gain weight.

Treats

Of course, if your dog gets regular treats then thats likely to be a factor in their weight gain! Dog treats are often full of carbohydrates or fat, and some pet parents are surprised when they realize just how fattening human tidbits are for their four-legged friends.

Exercise

Dogs need exercise, of course, and Yorkshire Terriers are no exception. However, even an active lifestyle is unlikely to help shift your dogs weight if their diet isnt right. On the other hand, if your dog doesnt get out for a good walk at least once or twice a day, it could be a factor in their excessive weight.

How can you help an overweight Yorkie lose weight?

Some brands have a customized feeding calculator that has an option that allows your dog to lose weight at a gradual pace.

So, now you know whether your Yorkie is overweight, and perhaps youve identified some of the reasons why they might be carrying some extra pounds. But what can you do about it?

Diet

If you want to keep your dog at a healthy weight, or even help them lose weight, its important to make sure youre feeding them the right amount. Some brands have a customized feeding calculator that has an option that allows your dog to lose weight at a gradual pace.

Now that you know youre feeding the right amount, its also important to make sure the dog food youre offering suits your dogs needs. Feeding a human-grade diet thats high in protein and low in carbohydrates should not only help keep them feeling fuller for longer, but it should also help keep your dog lean. Remember, its important to transition your dogs food gradually to help prevent a stomach upset.

Treats

If youre trying to help your Yorkie lose weight, try to cut out treats and human tidbits altogether. Dogs dont need treats, and if their dog food is tasty enough, they should be satisfied with that.

Exercise

Regular exercise keeps your Yorkies joints and muscles moving, and boosts their well-being.

Sadly, unless your dog is currently housebound, its unlikely that exercising them more will be the key to their weight loss. That being said, to keep their joints and muscles moving, and boost their well-being, its a good idea to take your dog out at least once a day.

Summary

Being a pet parent can be tricky. On the one hand, we want to spoil our fur babies, but we also want to remember to keep them as healthy as possible. If your Yorkie is overweight, cutting back on treats and making the switch to a diet thats low in carbohydrates can help keep them lean.

FAQ

How can I help my overweight Yorkie?

The key to helping any dog lose weight is choosing a low-carbohydrate diet and feeding the right amount of it. However, even if you do this if theyre also getting lots of treats they probably wont lose much weight so make sure to scale back the amount of treats youre giving your Yorkie.

What is considered overweight for a Yorkie?

Over 8 lbs could be considered overweight for the average Yorkie. However, every dog is different. Therefore, its more accurate to ask your veterinarian to help you to check their Body Condition Score.

Why is my Yorkie gaining weight?

If your Yorkie is gaining weight, its either because theyre eating too much, eating the wrong food, or theyre not active enough.