yorkietalkjilly | 06-15-2012 09:40 AM | He'll be fine outside in the heat for long enough to potty & walk about a bit but after that, bring him in where it is nice & cool & he can rest & recuperate in safety & comfort.
I couldn't tell if you are asking because you keep your little Yorkie outside most of the time or just worried when he goes out to play and potty. If you will read about Yorkies, you will find that they are particularly susceptible to exposure to high/low temperatures & humidity & cannot maintain or regulate their body temps as well as most breeds. Yorkies are "inside" dogs, meaning that due to their small size & the inability to handle weather well, they must live inside as part of the family, going outside only for short periods if the temperatures are extreme or it is raining. When the weather is not extreme & someone is with them, they can stay out for prolonged periods of time as long as water/food available. Even though originally bred as a farm dog in the U. K. to dispense with vermin, as the breed caught on with city dwellers & ladies of society, the dog began to be bred smaller & smaller & traits for stamina & hardiness were often eschewed for those of small size, correct coloring & more lapdog qualities. Though the breed maintains much of the feistiness & aggressive attitude originally in its genes, it is no longer a dog that is hardy enough to live outside with all of the temperature extremes, weather changes & attendant dangers that go with that lifestyle.
Additionally, very small dogs are prey for large dogs or cats, other animals such as coyotes, raccoons, opossum, etc., that can enter the yard & attack them or vice versa. Whoever might start a fight, the smaller Yorkie will often wind up injured. Even if another species of animal should get into the yard just to play, they often carry disease they can pass to your dog or hurt them just in play. Birds of prey often swoop down & take Yorkies for food! Humans will readily steal them should they see them outside & unattended. A Yorkie can get out of the tiniest of opening in the fence or space between the fence & gate - I know because mine has gotten out a space no more than about 3 1/2" wide. They will dig under the fence if they see a way.
So if your dog is an outside dog, please, please reconsider how dangerous it is for him, especially if recuperating from surgery. |