I have a friend who is thinking of buying a miniature Yorkshire Terrier.  I don't know anything about the breed but I seem to remember there were no miniatures in this breed.  If I am wrong please let me know.

You're right.  If anyone tries to sell them a Miniature Yorkie, tell them to walk away - they don't know what they're talking about! ;)

The breed standard calls for up to 7lb if I remember rightly, which is a nice small toy dog. :)  As always, finding an experienced breeder is paramount if you want a healthy pup that looks like its breed.   I've trimmed some pet bred ones that are the size of Cockers, (I assume that your friends have seem some of these and so think that they want a miniature one?) with floppy ears, woolly coats etc whose only resemblance to a Yorkie is that it has 4 legs, a head and a tail! :D

You're right. There is only one size of Yorkshire Terrier. Sometimes undersized ones are born (and some people deliberately breed them ) but invariably they have health problems associated with their tininess.

The 'miniatures' are more likely to be the correct size (5-7lb or 2.5 - 3.5 kg according to my book). I have also seen really big ones that look almost the size of a Westie though!! If the breeder is advertising them as 'miniature' they don't know what they're talking about, but if your friend is phoning people, make sure she says something along the lines of 'correct to the breed standard, not the oversized ones' rather than asking for a 'miniature' or the breeders will probably refuse to sell!

In the past I've come across adverts stating the adults are only 3-4lb.

My friend has a yorkie and she only weighs about 3lbs and she is lovely, but, does have epilepsy which is being controlled now.  She was bought from a reputable breeder as well.

Many thanks for your help.  I will let her know.

As for the big ones, Australian Terriers are often taken for Yorkies even by people who should know better.
Karen

poloaussie every large Yorkshire Terrier that I've seen is definitely a Yorkshire Terrier never an Australian.  These are usually bred by people who don't hae a clue about breeding but just want to put one yorkie with another no matter whether they are of good quality or not.  As others said most miniature yorkies are actually the correct size but people pay more not realising!

Well I have come across it regularly, even my own uncle whom I hadn't seen for years who between himself and his wife had had 9 Yorkies suggested 'It must be a Yorkie'! When he met mine. :rolleyes: honest some people....
Karen

Karen...even though I have 2 'ickle Yorkies that I show(well, let's be honest...after a Newfie ANY Toy breed looks 'ickle! LOL) and I have to look twice sometimes!!! LOL I get REALLY fed up when meeting people out as they always say...Ohh my mum, brother, sister, uncle, aunt etc have a MINIATURE Yorkie! So much so that now I have given up!! I just say ohh did they, lovely! LOL 

Generally I think most PET bred Yorkies have a lot of CAIRN in them...bred by puppy farmers ect...wooly backs, cr*p conformation and definately look more cairn than anything else I see!! Some are HUGE! LOL Males should be 3 to 4 pounds, maybe 5...bitches you almost always want them to be a healthy 7 to 7 and a half pounds, 'cos they need to be able to carry alitter safely! Although a lot of the dogs in the ring look bigger than that though! especailly the boys!

All the best, Dawn

:-) Oh now I get it, people simply don't recognize a proper breed standard Yorkie! They get used to t'others.
I do understand now, thank you for your patience.....
Karen

hehehe I think you might have something there!!! :D :D :D

I know someone with a 'rare' toffee coloured yorkie    tan points and a wierd silvery/toffee coloured back :rolleyes:  They didn't pay for it tho, they gave it a home and the people who owned it first told them how 'rare' it was oh and it's quite a big one with wooly fur and awful conformation for any breed :(  - bandy legs sway back etc :( :(