Question about size
 

I am aware that by akc standards a yorkie should weigh between 4-7lbs, correct? Now my question is for breeders who breed to the standard, not to produce the tiniest pup ever... Do tiny puppies come from standard sized Yorkies on a normal basis, or are they a rarity?

I'm no breeder but I would think that the parents are small too because the pups should weigh anywhere between the weight of the two parents

So are Yorkies under 4lbs considered to be bred poorly? I am asking because our little boy who we are picking up on Friday is charting to be between 3-3.5lbs. My female is 4-4.5.

I wouldn't think so, but then again I'm no breeder either. I am sure that someone will reply and help. Sorry I wasn't much help:(

Thanks for the info! I read somewhere that Yorkies should be between 3 and 7 lbs, so maybe I am wrong!

There are yorkies on here I believe are bigger than 7lbs. Some may even be 13lbs

When I was searching for a breeder I came across two who had Yorkies that were 13lbs and 15lbs.

There are Yorkies here on this Forum, who weigh more than 20# :eek:
In fact there are "Groups" for our hefty "Teapot" Yorkies, see...
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gro...apot-club.html
&
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gro...ers-group.html
&
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...apot-club.html

Saying that there is some consistency in the size relation between
those in a Litter and their Sire and Dame is only related to the
individual pair. I'd say that a given pair can usually throw a given
size puppy... most times ! ? :confused:

For instance, both of my Dogs are from the same Parents. Males from
them are always large. Sneakers is leveling out at just over 12# and
nearly 3 years old now.

However, My Female Becca (last time I checked) was at 6.5# and almost
a year old now. I think she'll make TeaPot within another month or
two, that being greater than 7.1# Oh, and I need to mention that both
of their parents, are in the mid-standard weight range for the Breed.

Though thee is no official "class" of Yorkie called TeaCup, we do use that
term to describe those which mature out in the lower standard or below,
weight range. Those little ones are sure cute, and most Breeders who
work their stock toward that weight range, get a LOT of money for them.

I've herd/read that there are a lot of health problems which occur with
Dogs "bread" to be very small like that. Personally, I'd give up "cute" any
day, for a healthy animal.

Is a Yorkie considered a "tea pot" if they get over seven pounds? My female is probably a tad over seven pounds and three years old. She's not going to get any taller, does this make her over weight? Sometimes she looks like a sausage with legs but when she's wet she looks small. I've had a couple of comments about her weight, not from the vet.

Even out of yorkies bred in the standard, smaller ones can happen. The breeder I got 2 of mine from is a show breeder and Lexi is only 3 1/2 pounds. Her parents were between 5 and 6 pounds.

k-y,

Yes, the Weight Minimum for TeaPot, is 7.1 pounds.
Please understand, that is a YorkieTalk standard, not
an official/national one. It is the minimum weight for
membership, in the TeaPot Club, here on this Forum.
AND, "we" would be delighted to consider your Female
for Membership ! :thumbup:

HA, I know what you mean by "sausage" ! :D

My Female Becca (when much younger) had such a tiny
waist and nice deep chest. But, after My Male taught her
to beg so well, that dimension started to increase a little
more each month. I hope that soon Becca will meet the
minimum standard for TeaPot Membership, and then both
of mine will be Members.

Though I don't expose my animals to many others outside
our Pack, comments on their size would fall on deaf ears.
I don't care if they are 2 or 20 pounds, don't we love them
just as much....:hearts6:

Yorkies come in all sizes...depending on their line....A pups size isn't based on just its parents size...AKC standard is 4 lbs but not to exceed 7 lbs, meaning they want them to weigh in between 4-7 lbs for showing and a bitch must weigh over 5 lbs to breed....but a yorkies size goes much further back than just its parents...you could research many generation back in both parents line and find that a few pups full grown weighed in at 9 lbs but for the most part all were standard...so there is still a chance that even tho most were standard, that you could get a pup when full grown will be 8 to 9 lbs or more...Not even a show breeder who does research many generations back for size and health on both parents, can guarantee the size of their pups when full grown...and a yorkie will continue to grow and full out for the first 2 years...and their coat changes so much in the first 2 years, that theres really no guarantee of color or if they will have a silky or cotton coat.

And yes a show breeder that breeders to standards, can still have a tiny in the litter...hope this help.:)

and for the record I'm not a breeder...but I'm very good friends with my breeder and before I moved to South Fla, we lived only a few houses down from each other....I paid attention and learned alot from her.

The standard says nothing about a Yorkie weighing 4 to 7 pounds...it simply states.."Not to exceed 7 pounds"...that is the ideal size..but I have had many 2 and 3 pounders from much larger parents...one of my favorite bitches, Nadine was 8 pounds, she had 6 pups once...none went over 4 pounds..and the sire was 5 pounds...genes are very tricky.

Tinies do come from regular size parents sometimes

I have had both smaller and bigger dogs happen. IMO small dogs are more worry. I am afraid of falls, them getting stepped on, low blood sugar etc. I am afraid to place them in a home if their are young children, other bigger dogs, the parent is not working from home and so on. But there are many very healthy smaller Yorkies. Because they are small does not mean they are not from a good healthy line and a good breeder.

Thank you all :). His momma is pretty standard. Daddy is small at under 3lbs. I do have four children, but believe me when I say my children respect animals like they would a newborn. Just like I guarded my newborns when I brought them home, I guard my furbabies. Now he isn't uber tiny like some of the pups I've seen advertised online, but still weighing 1.8 pounds needs constant care, even at an older age. I do somewhat understand as Yorkies were created from some larger dogs, so occasionally even the tiniest parents have big puppies and I can o my assume it could work the other way around! Now I've got to concentrate on getting through tropical storm don to pick up my baby! I've decided I want to name him Zeus but I've got to get the hubby on bored. He is stuck on Gus because of Lonesome Dove!!! Thanks all!

and of course, we are all hoping and praying that you are going to get both your little ones fixed so they don't breed. ;)

Like Yorkierose said the Standard says not to exceed 7 lbs.
You can end up with all variations of size even if you breed to the standard. You have to remember that it's not just the parents that determine the size it is also the grandparents and sometimes further back. This is why responsible breeders do not guarantee size. They will usually give you a range. Like for instance I have a 5lb female and she was bred to a 4lb male but I had a pup that at 5 months is just 2lbs while the other two are almost 4lbs. I know whats behind both the sire and dam so although I am surprised by the 2lb girl it's in my Dams background. Just as I am quite sure the other two may make it to about 5lbs give or take. Something I like to do is look at their features ifthey look small then there is a good chance they won't get very big but if their nose and paws are big then there is a good chance they will grow into then. I won't say this is a true method but it works for me, Just as the weight chart work for other people.

I was going to point that out as well. I don't know where the "4-7" range came from.

Thank you for that info! The breeders I chose will not
Give an estimated weight but will tell you the weight of the parents and the weight of the puppy. I asked why and the breeder said that she had been noticing that her girls were getting a tad bigger than the growth chart suggested and the males were staying smaller in general. Toby's dad is 2.5lbs and his momma is 4. But I know
Surprise genes can sneak in there. Toby was the smallest in his litter and the largest was a female almost doubling his weight at 12 weeks. He weighed 1.2 and she weighed 2 lbs! He has tiny features and the tiniest nose I have ever seen! But his personality is HUGE!

The akc description on the website is where it came from.

We've had this discussion beforeNon YT, and the AKC website repeats the YTCA's standard.
AKC: American Kennel Club - Yorkshire Terrier
YTCA: Yorkshire Terrier Club of America Official Breed Standard

Both say, "must not exceed 7 lbs"

I can never seem to find he one that has the 4-7 range on my own.

It's actually above the breed standard... In the description. The standard does say not to exceed 7lbs. I am not arguing for the record - just curious as to how tiny Yorkies are viewed :)

Neither am I. I skip the intro and go straight to the standard, no wonder I never see it! :p I wonder why they would put that 4-7 range in the intro if it doesn't match the standard.

A good rule of thumb is to double the 12 week weight...once in awhile it is wrong...but I have always found it to be in the general range..

I am going to look at the Maltese standard..it might say 4 to 7....but not the Yorkie..a 3 pound Yorkie is just as Yorkie as a 7 pounder....

I just looked and that standard is confusing. "must not exceed 7 lbs. 4-6 lbs preferred."

http://www.akc.org/breeds/maltese/

Exactly correct...because the standard reads for the breeder/Exhibitor....ring dogs need to be of size to breed..although not all Exhibitors breed their show dogs, it is the reason dog shows were started...for breeders to compare stock and improve.

PS..standard is the only thing that counts and is correct.

Good to know:D I'd hate to come off as being argumentative. I was just confused because the description says 4-7 lbs. I am guessing that "most" yorkies weigh between 4&7lbs?

Wow... so a 1.5 lb yorkie at 12 weeks should be around 3lbs? He is a little smaller than that so lets hope that the breeders history of males being smaller than the chart is wrong on this little guy. I will love him whatever size he is, I would be so scared of a 2lb dog running around! I believe he was 1lb, 2 oz at 12 weeks.

I saw that also...AKC should make it clearer....and most Yorkie do fall in that range I would think if all were averaged out...I have 4 Yorkies....two are 3 pounds, one is 5 and one is 6...so the average would be 4 1/4 pounds I think..LOL