The growth of a Yorkshire Terrier from an energetic puppy to a dignified senior follows a distinctive path that diverges from the outdated notion of dogs aging seven human years for every human year. Toy breeds like the Yorkie age differently compared to larger breeds, rendering the traditional seven-year equivalency inaccurate for them.

We are capsulating the distinct phases of a Yorkshire Terrier's life, offering insights into age equivalency, key milestones, and what to expect during each stage of their lives.

Various breeds age differently from each other, the most notable factor being size. With the Yorkshire Terrier, aging is different than with larger dogs due to a combination of genetics, metabolism, and overall body composition. Smaller toy breeds often experience a more rapid maturation during their initial years, reaching adulthood quicker than larger breeds.

Despite this accelerated early development, toy breeds tend to have longer lifespans, a phenomenon attributed to their slower rate of aging once they reach maturity. Factors such as a higher metabolic rate, which influences how quickly they process nutrients, and their genetic makeup, play important roles in defining their unique aging process.

Keeping this in mind, the following is an age chart, showing the age equivalent of the Yorkshire Terrier in comparison to human years and the progression of this particular breed.

Yorkie Years   Human Years

2                          24

3                          28

4                          32

5                          36

6                          40  

7                          44

8                          48

9                          52

10                        56

11                        60

12                        64

13                        68

14                        72

15                        76

16                        80

17                        84                  

Yorkshire Terrier Age Stages

Yorkies have four distinct age stages:

Newborn: Birth to 3 weeks. Dependent phase; Relying on the mother for warmth and nutrition.

Puppy: 3 weeks to 1 year. Growth and learning phase; Rapid physical development and fundamental socialization.

Adult: 1 year to 8 years: Stability and maturity phase; Full physical development, consistent behavior, and prime health.

Senior: 8 years and older: Graceful aging phase; Slower pace, may require more medical attention, focusing on comfort and quality of life.

Yorkshire Terrier Maturity Milestones

Let's take a look at the many milestones a Yorkie will have over their lifetime.

1 Week: At just one week old, a Yorkshire Terrier puppy is still very dependent on their mother for warmth and nutrition. They spend most of their time sleeping and are not yet able to see, as their eyes are still closed. Puppies at this age are beginning to develop their sense of smell, which helps them find their mother's milk.

2 Weeks: By the second week, Yorkie puppies are starting to show signs of growth, with their ears beginning to open. Although their eyes remain closed, they will start to move around more, using their limbs to crawl and huddle close to their mother and littermates for warmth and comfort. This period is critical for their physical development and bonding.

3 Weeks: At this age, the Yorkie newborn is beginning to open their eyes, giving them their first peek at the world. Where it is legal, customary, and wished to be done, the tail is docked soon after birth, so a pup at this age is most likely already recovered. This is a pivotal time for sensory development, as they start to explore their environment with newfound sight.

4 Weeks: A Yorkie puppy has mastered walking (he may still stumble a bit sometimes) but is rather mobile and having fun exploring his new world. Weaning from a liquid diet to a solid diet will begin. This marks the beginning of their socialization phase, where interactions with humans and other pets are crucial for behavioral development.

6 Weeks: At this age, Yorkshire Terrier puppies should be starting to show more personality. This is also a crucial time for socialization, where puppies learn to interact with other dogs and humans. It's important for their development to have positive experiences during this time.

8 Weeks: At this age, in most countries, it will be legal for a Yorkie puppy to be given to his or her new home. If training has not begun, the puppy is ready! Also, the Yorkie puppy should be on a solid diet of regular puppy food and be weaned from mama. This is an important time for vaccinations and health checks to ensure the puppy's well-being as they adjust to their new environment.

Yorkie puppy walking with Yorkie adult dog

3 to 6 Months: It is during this time frame that the Yorkie's ears will begin to stand up. The age that a Yorkie's ears stand up varies greatly, and there is usually no need to worry if your dog goes through this phase a bit later than average. This period is also vital for beginning basic obedience training, as Yorkies are quick learners at this age.

4 to 7 Months: Any time during this time period, the Yorkie will begin teething. This can be a challenging time for both the puppy and the owner, as the puppy may chew on furniture, shoes, and other objects to relieve the discomfort. Providing appropriate chew toys can help alleviate this issue.

5 Months: It is not uncommon for a Yorkie to have a perfect bite and then at the age of 5 months, their bite can go off track, sometimes within just a matter of days. Monitoring and, if necessary, consulting a veterinarian for early intervention can prevent long-term dental issues. [do not play tug of war with a yorkie. Their teeth suffer for it]

5 Months to 9 Months: During this time, a female Yorkie will generally enter her first heat. Spaying your female Yorkie if you are not planning on breeding her can prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce health risks.

10 to 12 Months: Yorkies usually reach their full size by this age. It's a good time to evaluate their overall growth and development, ensuring they're on track with physical and behavioral milestones.

The 1 Year Mark: This is the age a Yorkshire Terrier is considered an adult. Transitioning from puppy food to adult dog food should be done gradually to avoid digestive issues. This is also a good time to reassess your Yorkie's dietary needs based on their health, activity level, and any advice from your veterinarian.

14 to 16 Months: Some Yorkies may continue to fill out a bit, gaining some muscle and having slight changes in body composition even after reaching their full height. Maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise during this phase is important.

2 Years: By two years old, Yorkies have matured psychologically. They often have now developed a more settled temperament and established behavioral patterns. It’s essential to continue mental stimulation and socialization to keep them engaged and well-behaved.

8 Years: The Yorkshire Terrier is now considered a senior dog. Part of caring for a senior includes adjustments to their diet to support joint health and ensuring daily, gentle exercise. In addition, regular veterinary check-ups are crucial to monitor for age-related health issues. See below, under 'Related Articles' for detailed senior care tips.

Navigating Your Yorkie's Life Stages-- Understanding the evolution of your Yorkshire Terrier's behavior through their life stages, from puppyhood through their senior year, helps to provide the right care and environment for your little guy or gal. Here's a breakdown of what to expect.

Puppy (up to 1 year old):

Behavior: Yorkie puppies are bundles of energy, curiosity, and playfulness. This is a critical period for socialization, where exposure to different stimuli and situations can significantly influence their adult temperament. Puppies may display biting and chewing behaviors as they teethe.

Exercise Needs: Pups require short bursts of play and exercise interspersed with plenty of rest. Puppyhood is the perfect time to introduce structured play and basic commands to channel their energy positively.

Nutritional Needs: Puppies need diets rich in protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals to support rapid growth and development. Small, frequent meals are ideal to sustain their energy levels without overburdening their tiny stomachs.

Care Tips: Consistent, positive reinforcement training during this stage is crucial. Keep chewable items away, and provide plenty of puppy-safe teething toys and interactive toys for their collection.

Adult (between 1 year and 8 years old):

Behavior: Adult Yorkies have a more settled temperament than their rambunctious younger counterparts, but retain their spirited and affectionate nature. They enjoy a consistent routine and are more receptive to advanced training and learning tricks.

Exercise Needs: Adults require regular exercise to maintain their health, including daily walks and playtime. They thrive on mental stimulation as well, so puzzle toys and interactive games are great.

Nutritional Needs: Adult Yorkies require a well-balanced diet that maintains their health and supports their energy needs. The focus shifts to maintaining a healthy weight and supporting physical well-being.

Care Tips: Continue with regular training and socialization to maintain their sociability. Keep their minds active with new commands or tricks to prevent boredom.

Seniors (8 years and up):

Behavior: Senior Yorkies tend to slow down and may prefer cuddling over active play. As they reach 10+ years old, they might exhibit signs of confusion or disorientation as part of cognitive aging and can be less tolerant of change.

Exercise Needs: Seniors benefit from gentle, shorter walks and low-impact activities to keep them mobile without straining their joints. Adapt your senior's exercise routine to accommodate any health issues.

Nutritional Needs: Senior Yorkies often need diets lower in calories but still rich in high-quality protein and fiber to support digestion. Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin can support joint health.

Care Tips: Regular veterinary check-ups are essential to manage age-related health conditions. Comfortable, supportive bedding and accessible resting areas help support a Yorkie's aging body.

[From Yorkie World]

If you’re already a dog-parent, you know how much joy a furry companion can bring. The unconditional love shown in your strong bond with your pet is unlike any other feeling. Because your love knows no bounds, you’ve decided you need to share your love with another four-legged friend!

However, the day your new puppy arrives as your family member is NOT the first time you should be wondering about tips for introducing existing pets to a new puppy. After all, your dog  can’t consult with you on their opinion of adding an addition to the family, so you have to consider all aspects before recieiving your new puppy. 

Your pet will need to adjust to the addition of a curious, boisterous puppy. When you’re considering bringing home a puppy , you need to think about all the members of your household – especially the animal you already live with. Follow our 13 tips for introducing your puppy to your current pets for a smooth process for all involved. 

Don't wing it---- PLAN it

You can’t just wing it and hope for the best when it’s time to introduce your puppy to older pets in the household. With careful planning and a lot of thought, you can aim to have the most successful meeting possible.

1. Examine your assumptions

A prime factor in thinking about when your puppy meets an older pet is to identify your assumptions. Some people assume that just because you have 2 dogs means they will see each other as family members right away with a new pack member, but sometimes it takes a lot of work to get both used to the idea of each other around. While the stereotype might be that dogs and cats are enemies, quite the opposite can be true, and they can become inseparable. The key is to know your pet’s personality, prepare well, and take things very slowly for a successful introduction. 

2. How are your pets with other animals?

Before you bring home your puppy, you’ll definitely want to think about how your existing pets interact with dogs.. Does your dog have a great time at the dog park, or are they reserved or agitated?  Knowing how your pets react to other animals will definitely help plan for your introduction. 

3. Anticipate all scenarios

This exercise is a great topic to discuss with your household and brainstorm while sipping your favorite beverage. Think of all the ways the introduction could go, including the good, the bad, and definitely the ugly. It’s the time to play, “What if?” and entertain best and worst-case scenarios.

While it’s wonderful to be optimistic and only think positive thoughts, now is not the time to only view the future introduction through rose-colored glasses. You’ll need all the shades of the rainbow to make various plans! 

4. Prepare the meeting space

Choose a neutral space in your home that is not associated with your pet’s favorite sunny spot. Make sure to pick up any toys, beds, or beloved objects belonging to your pet to minimize your pet becoming territorial. You may also opt to have the meeting space be an outside parallel walk using leashes or a fenced-in, secure location. Wherever it is, just make sure it’s a neutral space with very little distractions.

One middle ground between letting them fend for themselves or keeping them totally separated at opposite ends of the house for weeks is to use a baby gate, exercise pen, or crate. Your animals can smell and see one another and get used to their presence, observing the bouncing cotton ball with legs or sniffing the new puppy without getting pounced on. Provide a way for your older pet to escape or retreat if they desire. Providing a towel with a puppy scent can also help get your pet used to the new puppy’s smell before that pup comes home.

5. Take introductions slowly 

When you bring home your new puppy, he or she is there to live their forever from that moment on. It is not practical for most of us to sequester our pets for weeks at a time with small amounts of daily exposure. In most cases, BAM! There’s another animal in the house! Adjustments can take weeks and months, not just a few days. 

6. Don’t force interactions

It’s really important to not force anything when introducing a new puppy. Adjusting to a new puppy could be a challenge even for humans, so your pets that already live there will definitely need time to learn all about this new ball of fluff playing with their toys. You, your puppy, and older pets can all become quickly overwhelmed even with the best of circumstances, so don’t push through and force the meeting if things aren’t going well in the moment. 

7. Stay cool, calm, and collected

Introducing pets to one another can be a frustrating process even when you are prepared. Pets feed off our energy. If we’re anxious, they absolutely will pick up on your negative vibes. Your pets look to you to be the leader of the pack. Even if you have to “fake it ‘til you make it,” never lose your cool and yell at your furbabies. Keep your emotions in check and remain upbeat and in control. 

8. Supervise, supervise, supervise!

Remember how some people’s method of teaching someone to swim was to throw them out of a boat and hope for the best, letting them figure it out for themselves? Well, don’t take this approach when introducing pets to each other!

Never just put them in the same space and walk away, letting things play out naturally, or leave them unsecured at home together by themselves. You absolutely must be present to monitor how things are going. We know this may be silly to even mention in the first place, but we feel better for putting it out there!

In addition, don’t just stand there and watch things happen. Definitely intervene if one is bothering the other or if you sense the interaction is not going well. You can always try again with the goal being to protect the comfort of both animals. You do not want each pet to terrorize or antagonize the other or have them think this behavior is okay.

Putting your puppy on a leash gives you an extra layer of control in case your puppy becomes a little too curious or rowdy. Immediately separate animals if the meet-and-greet is not going well, put them in different secure locations in your home, and slowly but consistently try again. 

9. Learn to understand dogs’ body language 

By now, you have some knowledge of how to read your dog’s body language, especially when they interact with other adult dogs. However, you may not be sure how they will interact with a puppy or if you are interpreting their body cues correctly. What may seem like fighting is actually just playtime for them. You could misinterpret signs of anxiety and stress in both your older dog  and puppy. Take your dog for pup visits-- this is a great start for getting to know them.

10. Understand normal puppy behavior

Puppies going through the puppy teething stage will be learning all about bite inhibition. This is absolutely normal puppy behavior, and your older dog may not appreciate it at all or want to participate. Other dogs might love playing with their new fur sibling and teaching it the ways of how to be a dog. Educating yourself on normal puppy and older pet behavior can avoid unnecessary worry and actions. 

While we may focus on the comfort of our current pets, don’t gloss over the fact that your new puppy is experiencing massive changes. They’ve just left the only home they’ve known with their mama and littermates forever and are taking in all new stimuli. Even without pets, the adjustment can be tough for little puppies who are learning about their new home, so give them some grace and understanding of what they’re going through, too.

11. Show lots of love to your older pet

A new puppy will definitely demand your attention literally day and night. Don’t let your pet feel left out! Make sure to spend quality time with your dog or cat to let them know you love them and to keep your strong bond. 

There is a possibility that your older pet will regress or exhibit undesirable behavior. Your cat may pee outside its litter box or even get UTIs from stress. Cats are very sensitive and will instinctually respond to their environment, so you want to minimize stress as much as possible. Your older dog may have uncharacteristic behavior like growling or resource guarding. 

12. Maintain your older pet’s routine

It’s important to keep your current pet on the same routine. There will be lots of chaos (whether good or bad) those first few weeks and even months, so the more normal and predictable your pet can expect the regular routine, the better experience your older pet will have adjusting to a new puppy.

Keep their same water and food bowl where it has always been. Consider separate feeding times as well. However, you never know if it's going to go well unless you try, especially if you would prefer them to be on the same feeding schedule. Don’t assume your new puppy can sleep in the same area as your existing pets – give them their own space. Don’t forget to walk and exercise your older pet! Mental and physical stimulation are necessary for their health. Make sure your older pet is current on all vaccines and has had a well visit recently to ensure the safety of all of your pets. 

13. Train all pets for ongoing success

An introduction is not just one meeting. As we stated before, it will take a bit of time for everyone to adjust. In order to make the transition as smooth as possible, you need to train pets (well, as much as you can train a cat!) to respect one another’s boundaries.

Just like you would with a baby or toddler, you’ll need to protect your older pet from those razor-sharp puppy teeth or overexuberant play when it’s not welcomed. Teach your puppy basic commands like “stay” or “leave it” to guide your puppy toward desired good behavior. Give your older pet a break from the constant action by enrolling your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class for some socialization with dogs their own age. 

Likewise, you’ll need to train your older pet to be gentle with the little one, working on eliminating any resource guarding from your dog or clawed swipes from your annoyed cat. It just so turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Providing lots of treats and positive reinforcement for good behavior can go a long way. Every time your pets have a great interaction with one another, keep those treats and praise flowing to reinforce the behavior you expect from each of them. 

Introducing Your Puppy to Other Pets in Your Household

While we’re focusing on just dogs and cats for now, we do want to acknowledge other pets such as bunnies, bearded dragons, gerbils, frogs, iguanas, snakes, parakeets, ferrets, hedgehogs, and many more non-traditional pets that bring us great joy and comfort. You might also keep livestock as pets, such as horses, cows, goats, and chickens. You may even have llamas and alpacas that rival the softness of your puppy’s fur!

Introducing your puppy to these types of unique pets may require different techniques, but you’ll find the general concept of canine introductions to be relevant overall to other mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and others. Depending on your puppy’s breed, you may need extra supervision around small animals, as your puppy may think they are prey or game to be hunted and may not understand how to be gentle. 

Dont compare your dog and puppy. They are two different personalities and unique learners. Always sow Love, Patience and understanding. The reward is awesome!