How long do Yorkies live? It’s not necessarily the easiest question to ponder, but all responsible owners need to be aware of the potential life span their pet pup has!
Knowing how long your dog is expected to live helps you to decide if it’s wise to raise a puppy in the first place or better to bring home an older rescue dog. Knowing your Yorkie’s life span and the most common terminal health issues may help you better care for your Yorkshire Terrier.
In this article, we explain how long Yorkshire Terriers live for, known Yorkie health issues and significant causes of death, and how you can extend the life span of your Terrier. Keep reading to find out more!
The average life span of a dog, and, most importantly, Yorkies
An average Yorkshire Terrier life span is around 12- 15 years. A median figure for a Yorkie life span is 13.5 years, then. Yorkies are one of the healthiest dog breeds, and so their average life span is slightly higher than other popular breeds.
So, how long do dogs live? In general, all dog breeds’ average life span is lower than that of a Yorkie, sitting around the 12-year mark.
How long do small dogs live? On average, smaller dogs live longer than large dogs! Because the Yorkie is a small dog breed, they will generally live longer than their taller and heavier counterparts.
What’s the oldest age Yorkie can live to be?
Realistically, the average life span isn’t going to be the exact age your young Yorkie grows to be! They could, unfortunately, pass away sooner than 13.5 years, or they could continue living for longer than this.
As small dogs, individual Yorkies have the potential to live as long as 18 years. A smaller Toy Yorkie is more likely to hit this mark than a standard-sized Yorkshire Terrier.
If you want your Yorkie to reach its full life expectancy, then they not only need some luck on their side but lots of care from their owners and veterinary attention when needed.
Common terminal health issues for Yorkies
To heighten their chances of reaching the ripe old doggie age of 18 years, owners need to be aware of the most common causes of death in Yorkies. By staying aware of common issues, you can head them off before the issue becomes too severe!
As always, we recommend regular visits to the vet for the best outcome of any health concern you might encounter.
While Yorkies do have longer lives than larger breeds, they can still be susceptible to particular medical conditions. Unfortunately, you can’t prevent every accident or illness; you can only minimize the chance of early death through tragedy by becoming an astute and responsible owner.
The significant causes of death in Yorkshire Terriers are the following:
