What is a giant Yorkie

What Is a Large Breed of Yorkshire Terrier?

Many Yorkie owners worry that their Yorkie is too big or small. As a result, they begin to wonder, What is a large breed of Yorkshire terrier? Yorkie size varies considerably, and this sometimes makes their owners question if their Yorkie is purebred.

Large breeds are different from standard Yorkies.

What Is a Large Breed of Yorkshire Terrier?

Large breed Yorkies, popularly known as Giant Yorkies, are over 9 inches tall and weigh more than 7 pounds (if not obese). These dogs often weigh between 8 and 10 pounds (3.62 to 4.53 kilograms). Some owners have 14-pound dogs that are physically slim and in good health.

Although this is not the breed standard, these dogs are generally healthy and may even be more nutritious than their smaller relatives.

Theres nothing amiss with a Giant Yorkie; in fact, theyre more resilient in general. The bone structure of these larger Yorkies is often more extensive.

Giant Yorkshire Terrier Overview

Like Wire Haired Yorkshire Terriers,

• Yorkshire Terriers can grow quite large, weighing up to 10 or even 15 pounds in some situations.
• Standard Yorkies, however, weigh between four to seven pounds (1.8 3.2kgs) with a height of eight to nine inches (20 23cm).

This growth is most likely owing to the presence of another large breed in the lineage. I can trace back up genes to five generations. Is this an indication that they arent purebred?

When a purebred is registered with the appropriate kennel club, they usually only go back three generations.

More than one dog may have bred the female. In that instance, the Yorkie males fertilized eggs are purebred. The mixed-breed puppies will be the other eggs.

A purebred Yorkshire Terrier may appear larger than expected. Those who weigh more than 9 pounds should be assessed for obesity.

Comparing Other Terrier Breeds by Their Size

What Can Make a Yorkshire Terrier a Large Breed?

In many circumstances, the lineage will contain a combination of breeds. If a Yorkie is a registered purebred, this may seem impossible. However, according to the American Kennel Club, a dog must have a three-generation pedigree to be classified as purebred.

This statement suggests that there could have been mixing with another breed anywhere in the past 5, 10, or more generations.

The following are other reasons a Yorkshire Terrier can be a large breed instead of the standard size and weight.

Throwback Hopping of Genes

There may be a throwback hopping of genes in certain circumstances. This hopping means that the Yorkie will inherit size characteristics from a distant cousin of a different breed.

Unintentional Pairing

Another option is an unintentional pairing, which may be ruled out by DNA testing. In many circumstances, DNA testing is optional. In some cases, though, it is required. This testing is used for commonly utilized sires, imported dogs, and random inspection visits to breeding kennels.

Breeders are on the honor system when filling out sire and dam information in this circumstance because there is no DNA testing. The sire indicated on the registration may not be the true sire, whether due to dishonesty or an honest mistake.

Breeding by Multiple Dogs

Remember that a female dog might be impregnated by two different dogs simultaneously. There have been cases where the female ties with a Yorkshire Terrier and another breed dog, with only the Yorkshire Terrier recognized as a sire.

However, some of the pups are genuinely mixed breed dogs. You might be perplexed about how a Yorkie could have another breed mixed while still appearing to be a purebred.

Large Species Similar to the Yorkie

Other larger species appear very similar to the Yorkshire Terrier, making them seen as giant breed Yorkies. The Australian Terrier, which weighs 12 to 14 pounds on average, is one of them.

You should inspect the ear set; while some purebred Yorkies have floppy ears, such Yorkies are not commonly found. If the dogs ears are drop ears with no stand and the dog is significantly larger than expected, another breed may be present in the bloodline.

Related Questions

What Sizes Do Yorkies Come In?

The majority of Yorkshire Terriers weigh between 4 and 7 pounds (1.81 kg to 3.17 kg). A fully grown dog smaller than this would be regarded as too little and may have health difficulties relating to its size.

Are There Different Types of Yorkshire Terriers?

Officially, just one type of Yorkie exists, which is the Yorkshire terrier. However, dogs with different colors and patterns than the tan coat with the blue saddle claim to be Yorkies.

What Is a Parti Yorkie?

Parti Yorkies are Yorkshire terriers that are purely bred. They are not combined with other breeds; instead, they have a single gene that gives them their distinctive tri-colored coat of brown, tan, and white.

Conclusion

The fact that you think your Yorkie is too big or too small isnt the most crucial factor. There are several Yorkshire Terriers that weigh between 8 and 9 pounds and are healthy purebreds. It doesnt matter in the end as long as your Yorkie is healthy, happy, and well-loved.

Why Is My Yorkie So Big? (A Giant Yorkie Secret)

Yorkies are supposed to be small, right? So If you have a surprisingly big Yorkie youre likely wondering why

This article explains why your Yorkie may be larger than usual, typical Yorkie sizes, and more. Lets get into it.

3 Reasons Why Some Yorkies Are Bigger Than Usual!

Mixed genetics, selective breeding, or dietary habits explains why some Yorkies grow to be bigger than usual.

Lets cover the 3 common reasons that explain most instances of XL Yorkies:

• Mixed genetics
• Selective breeding
• Dietary habits

1. Mixed genetics

Not all dogs have clearly visible mixed genetics! Its more than possible that somewhere down the bloodline of your Yorkie, some crossbreeding has happened.

If the bloodline contains any genes from larger dogs, this can certainly impact the overall size of subsequent litters for quite some time.

In some cases, genes may skip generations before showing themselves. If you arent 100% that your Yorkie is purebred, then its worth considering a doggy DNA test kit.

2. Selective breeding

Selective breeding can impact various physical attributes, including overall size, fur style, color, and even eye color.

Youve likely heard of Teacup Yorkies: Well, they arent a separate breed at all! They are the result of selective breeding: Breeding together only the smallest of Yorkies to continuously produce smaller and smaller offspring.

The same can happen the other way around too. So if your Yorkie has come from a family of only large Yorkies, then this would explain their bigger size.

3. Dietary habits

Is your Yorkie actually big, or just fat?

If your Yorkie is wider than they should be, then this is typically down to their diet (as well as their lifestyle habits).

If your Yorkie eats too many treats and table scraps in addition to their regular food, then this will, of course, lead to weight gain.

It can also happen to Yorkies that are consistently inactive.

How Big Are Yorkies Supposed To Be?

According to the AKC breed standard of the Yorkshire Terrier, their average size is 7-8 inches in height with a weight of around 4-7 pounds.

• Males may be on the upper end of the height around 6-8 inches and 5-7 pounds in weight.
• Females may be on the lower end at around 5-7 inches in height and 3-5 pounds in weight.

If your Yorkie is clearly above these averages then you can safely say they are larger than whats typical for this breed.

Yorkie Puppy Growth Timeline

Lets run through the growth timeline for Yorkie pups. Like most breeds, a rapid growth spurt typically happens during 3-6 months before gradually slowing down.

Average Yorkshire Terrier weight:

• Average Yorkie weight at 2 months is: 20-22 ounces (1.2 1.3 lbs)
• Average Yorkie weight at 4 months is: 38-42 ounces (2.3 2.6 lbs)
• Average Yorkie weight at 6 months is: 50-52 ounces (3.1 3.3 lbs)
• Average Yorkie weight at 8 months is: 57-59 ounces (3.5 3.7 lbs)
• Average Yorkie weight at 12 months is: 62-70 ounces (3.8 4.3 lbs)
• Average Yorkie weight at 24 months is: 62-110 ounces (3.8 7 lbs)

Many Yorkis will continue to add muscle mass between 1 and 2 years, which explains the potential for a bigger and heavier Yorkie by the 2 year mark.

But keep in mind not all Yorkies will reach 110 ounces (7lbs).

Should You Be Concerned If Your Yorkie Is Big & Heavy?

Assuming your Yorkie is consuming a healthy high quality diet, receiving sufficient physical exercise every day and has no existing health issues, then their size is irrelevant.

Whether your Yorkie is particularly small or large, assuming they are happy, mobile and in good health, then theres no reason to be concerned.

If your Yorkie is short (but very wide) then this may indicate they are obese. In this case, this would be an issue and both their diet, lifestyle, and current health will need to be checked.

While diet (calorie consumption) and activity levels explain most weight gain, in some cases, health issues like hypothyroidism or diabetes may be the underlying cause

This is why its crucial to keep up to date with bi-yearly health checks. Veterinarians are most qualified to spot potential problems before they become serious health issues.

Trending: My Yorkie Wont Eat (Reasons Why & What To Do)

What Are Giant Yorkies?

Giant Yorkies are those considered to be at least 9 inches in height and over 10 lbs in weight.

And yes, many Yorkies are coming in at this size!

Assuming they are not obese and are in good health, then these giant Yorkies may actually be fitter than their smaller siblings!

But as explained before, these XL Yorkies are not a separate breed, they are almost always caused by either mixed genetics or selective breeding.

Whats The Biggest Yorkie Ever?

Its likely that not all big Yorkies are officially documented, but there has been at least one documentated at 15lbs and 11 inches in height.

This is certainly considered a giant Yorkie, and as of now, we arent sure if there has been any bigger.

Fascinating Topic: Do Fully Black Yorkies Exist?

What Age Is a Yorkie Fully Grown?

While most Yorkies stop growing between 12-18 months, some Yorkies may still bulk out and add muscle mass up to 24 months, albeit rare.

When a Yorkie stops growing depends on their genetics, diet, and overall lifestyle.

Yorkies that have a high-quality diet and are very active will likely add more muscle mass for longer than other Yorkies that are more inactive.

Thanks for reading! Back to more Yorkie articles

Yorkie Size: How Big Do Yorkies Get?

Jersey Courtesy of Nadine Wallen

The AKC (American Kennel Club) had previously listed the minimum weight of a Yorkshire Terrier as 4 pounds (1.81 kg). However, breed standards have since changed, and now there is only a maximum weight of 7 pounds (3.17kg) for a Yorkshire Terrier full grown.

Regardless of this change, most Yorkshire Terriers find themselves fitting within the 4 pound to 7 pound range. Any Yorkshire Terrier full grown that is smaller than this would be considered too small, and find themselves with an increased risk of size-related health issues. These very tiny Yorkies are known as teacup Yorkies.

It is not uncommon, however, to find Yorkshire Terriers growing to weigh around 8 to 10 pounds (3.62 to 4.53 kg). This comes down to bone structure and whether the pup is overweight. A large Yorkie can also be the result of an incorrect pairing of dam and sire that were not quite able to produce standard-sized Yorkshire Terriers.

In some rarer instances, a Yorkshire Terrier can grow upward of 10 or even 15 pounds. In many cases, a very big Yorkie is simply a matter of another, larger breed of dog being introduced somewhere along the Yorkies bloodline. If your Yorkie is very large, you may not have a purebred Yorkie.

Despite all the standards introduced with regards to Yorkie weight, there has been no standardized height. You could expect an adult to reach somewhere between 6 and 9 inches, from the floor to their withers (the tops of their shoulders).

The Average Size of Yorkie Puppies

There is so much growth in the first year of a Yorkie puppys life. While for some growth will be spread out evenly over the course of the first year, others will see growth spurts with incredibly fast and noticeable growth for some months, and seemingly nothing for periods of time.

Regardless of how your puppy seems, whether it looks overweight or not, under no circumstances should a Yorkie puppy be placed on any sort of diet, nor should they be over exercised. It is absolutely and completely the norm for puppies to have puppy fat, making their appearance seem somewhat round and chubby. This is totally to be expected and nothing to worry about.

In fact, to help your Yorkie puppy reach their healthy growth potential, its important to let them eat whenever they like up until a certain age and even consider supplements like Tomlyn nutritional supplements for puppies.

Somewhere around the age of 9 months, Yorkie weight gain will start to slow. At this time, the Yorkie will continue to grow in length as well as height, resulting in a much leaner appearance. Yorkshire Terriers, as with all dogs, will start to take on a much sleeker form as the muscles are just about fully developed.

How Does a Yorkie Compare to Other Toy Breeds?

When compared to other toy dog breeds, the Yorkie isnt quite the smallest, although its a close race. The smallest four toy breeds are:

• Chihuahua: 2 6 lbs, 6 9 inches
• Pomeranian: 3 7 lbs, 8 11 inches
• Yorkshire Terrier: 4 7 lbs, 6 9 inches
• Pug: 13 20 lbs, 12 14 inches

While the Yorkie isnt the smallest, coming in third behind the Chihuahua and the Pomeranian, its very close.

The smallest dog on record in terms of height is a chihuahua Milly who is 3.8 inches tall. Dancer, a long-haired chihuahua, is the smallest dog by weight at just 18 ounces and 5 tall.

According to some reports, the smallest dog ever recorded was a Yorkshire Terrier named Sylvia who lived in England and died in 1945. Sylvia was reportedly 2.5 tall and weighed about 4 ounces.