Giving my dog "bad knees"
 

So today I realized how horrible a habit of mine was, and I have already resolved to make an effort to fix it. I affectionately call Milo's legs "chicken legs" all the time and remark at how his legs are made, sturdy enough, but close enough to a feline's to make him pretty agile (and also seemingly fragile). I mean this guy, when running through the house and jumping, amazes me at his speed and ability to jump some nice heights.
However, today, I was brushing him while standing up and I simply stooped not even all the way to "let him go"--and I say let him go because when you release him he zooms off after being brushed for some reason--and I realized that I don't really ever put him down, I hold him at his belly and drop him like 10 inches off the floor! I mean I am almost sure I do this all the time and pay absolutely no attention to it, and mostly because he goes about his business and I mine. The crazy thing is that I am not uneducated about how this breed is prone to hip problems, and yet I have been completely remiss. I may be over-reacting, I know he jumps from higher heights than 10 inches on his own, but I don't want to be part of the problem, if that makes any sense.
Anyways, a sorry to my Mymy, lol
Mommy is dense sometimes...

Oh, I'm so glad you caught yourself and stopped the behavior as all the pounding on those little joints and ligament attachments can take its toll on a little one over the years, especially if there is a congenital weakness in some of the little structures. I only came to that understanding of the problem of joint and infrastructure integrity after working for orthopedic surgeons for years and what could happen to people over time with repetitive stress and strain injuries and then seeing my Jilly as she merely was coming down her doggie steps and dislocated her little shoulder with one little jump down a step just before her 13th birthday. She had jumped up and down on those steps all her life but eventually, her little shoulder joint broke down. But it took me that long to come to a conclusion you've come to rather quickly in life. I'd say your little one is in good hands with a smart mommy!

I am so glad you caught yourself. It can really put wear on their little bodies. Galen is little I do not even let him walk down the stairs. I noticed that the rise is just a little to high for him.

When they are young they seem so invincible but that delicate connective tissue in their knees and other joints can easily be worn or damaged.

Maybe consider a good food based supplement that helps support healthy joints.

Yorkies are prone to hip problems?

I think knees are more common than hips to have issues but any dog can have hip deformities.