[gemy]

This is a good question. But what I feel is more important than overall height/size/weight, is the density of the bone, and the integrity of the joints.

Now some of all this is related to each other of course.

It probably is true, if you have a taller Yorkie, that they will naturally weigh more, but are their bones dense enough? Of course as we know in humans, larger bones do not automatically equal denser bones.

But in Yorkies as in other breeds we do associate the "thickness of the bone" to approximate the density of the bone. Which of course does not answer the question at the joint (s), are they articulated well.

So I would look to the thickness of the bones as more of an indicator of fragility. Although lets face it a 3-4 lb Yorkie can have challenges irrespective of bone width/density.

"Matchstick type legs" at any age are of a concern, And puppies by definition all have growing bones, and ligaments that are soft. Their structure is very plastic in youth.

I remember picking up one Yorkie that "looked" to the eye, a "normal sized female", and then I felt her bones. Oh dear, so narrow, so tiny. And she was quite light in weight. In her case I thought she'd be weighing in at about 5 -5.5 lbs.

Then we compared her to a visually "smaller" female. And she was shorter than the first. But so lovely in bone structure. I thought I was going to be picking up a light 4lber or so. I was so surprised. A very solid lass. Not an inch of fat on her, and she weighed in at 5.5 lbs. Her bones were very solid.

But the standard doesn't and the very old "illustrated standard" doesn't talk about bone width at all.

In our breed to get an idea about "good bone" which is one of the criterias we breed for, we actually do measurements at the ankle joint, when they are pups. We also do chest measurements, for breadth of chest.