No one would argue with you if you described a Yorkie Poo as a little dog. A tiny little scamp by all accounts when compared with some of its bigger Doodle cousins. However, once you start researching a bit more you will discover the Yorkie Poo is often differentiated into two sizes.
No, not “small” and “even smaller” (although that is somewhat accurate), the main terms used to describe the different sizes are Toy and Mini and are dictated by the size of Poodle parent.
In this article, we will compare the sizes and what to expect in terms of both height and weight for each. As always, the values utilized are based on averages however it can help give an idea of what to expect from one of these adorable, sassy, loving, little dogs.
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A Brief History of the Yorkie Poo
Not only does their name raise some smiles, but it is also impossible not to be cheered up by the mere sight of one of these petite pooches. A cross between the silken-haired Yorkshire Terrier and a Miniature or Toy Poodle, the resultant pups often end up with a soft, shaggy teddy bear type coat. As the Yorkshire Terrier is frequently brown or tan shades the Yorkie Poo can often be chocolatey brown or golden-brown shades which only enhances their teddy bear look more.
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed. Historically a true working terrier in the sense that they were employed to catch vermin and other small pests, they subsequently graduated to being a favored companion/lapdogs in the early to mid-1900s. Many a wealthy lady took delight in their loving nature, compact size, and silken coat and as such, they made the jump from working dog to pampered pooch fairly easily.
The Miniature and Toy Poodle by comparison have their roots firmly in the companion dog world from the start. While their larger Standard Poodle siblings hold serious working water dog credentials, breeders specifically bred down smaller and smaller versions to provide smart and easily carried lap dogs.
While it is highly likely that occasional or unintentional Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle crosses occurred centuries ago, the breed really began to take off and be consciously bred in the early 2000s. Yorkie Poos remain popular and appealing pets today. Their small size makes them potentially more manageable for first-time owners or those living in apartments or cities.
Yorkshire Terrier Sizes
As a Yorkshire Terrier is a purebred dog (unlike Doodles who are hybrids), kennel clubs generally set guidance on what sizes and weights would be deemed “breed standards”. That is not to say that there cannot occasionally be a Yorkshire Terrier who is smaller or larger than the criteria however these are more likely to be because of improper breeding. This refers to situations such as using undersized parents to breed very small Yorkshire Terriers who may have health problems or larger Yorkshire Terriers who are often the result of a larger, different, breed being inserted somewhere in the line.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), there is no longer a minimum weight criterion for a Yorkshire Terrier however a fully grown adult should not exceed 7 pounds (3 Kg). Other Kennel Clubs and Owner’s Clubs will generally agree that a healthy adult Yorkshire Terrier should not weigh less than 4 pounds (1.8 Kg).
In terms of height, there is no definitive size set out however a general guide is that fully grown, a Yorkshire Terrier will be between 6 and 9 inches (15 to 23 cm) to the shoulder.
Poodle Sizes
As the Poodle is a purebred dog, just like the Yorkshire Terrier, there are expected height and weight norms. Unlike the Yorkshire Terrier though, there is much more variety in Poodle size and weight. The original Poodle sizing is referred to as Standard. This was the origin of the breed as a large-sized, athletic working dog.
As a Standard Poodle can be expected to come in at a sizable 50 to 70 pounds and be up to 24 inches in height, it is easy to see why this may not make the best cross-match partner for the tiny Yorkshire Terrier.
A closer match is the Miniature Poodle which generally stands at around 15 inches in height and weighs somewhere in the region of 12 to 18 pounds. The upper end of this range is still considerably bigger than the Yorkshire Terrier and as such it will generally be smaller and lighter variations that of this sub-category that would be considered.
Ultimately the Toy Poodle presents the size most akin to the Yorkshire Terrier. Coming in at 10 inches in height or less and weighing between 6 and 9 pounds these make them great candidates to parent a Yorkie Poo cross. Benefits of cross-breeding dogs of similar sizes and weights include less risk of complications for the mother in carrying pups and potentially greater consistency in offspring size.
How Can you Tell what Size your Yorkie Poo Puppy Will Be?
Consult tea leaves? Ask the universe? Ultimately there is no sure-fire way of determining a Yorkie Poo’s adult weight and height based on puppy appearance alone. As with all hybrid dogs, you are effectively throwing the old genetic dice and there can be variation even within one litter. That being said, there can be some things that may give pointers.
- What size is their Poodle parent?
As outlined above, the Toy Poodle is a lot closer to the Yorkshire Terrier in terms of height and weight than the Miniature Poodle. It stands to reason that Yorkie Poos who have a Miniature Poodle parent will more likely be on the large size versus those with a Toy Poodle parent.
- Gender
It’s not always guaranteed however often female Yorkie Poos will be slighter in weight and shorter than height than male littermates.
- Size of previous litters
Some breeders may be able to provide height and weight information regarding previous litters from the parent dogs. Reviewing this can give some indication of potential puppy height and growth ranges.
- Generation
A first-generation Yorkie Poo has one Yorkshire Terrier and one Poodle parent. Some breeders may choose to breed two small Yorkie Poos to make a second-generation litter which is also likely to be of a similar size. Alternatively, a Yorkie Poo who is considered on the “bigger size” may subsequently be back bred to a smaller Yorkshire Terrier to make a second-generation litter that is 25% Poodle and 75% Yorkshire Terrier which may, in turn, be smaller again.
What to Expect in Yorkie Poo Height and WeightGrowth?
As we now know, there will be different expectations of your Yorkie Poo size and weight depending on the size of the Poodle parent used in the cross. We’ve broken down below expected growth and height averages for both the Mini Yorkipoo (sometimes referred to as a Standard Yorkie Poo) and the Toy Yorkipoo (sometimes referred to as a Small Yorkie Poo).
Mini Yorkie Poo Height and Weight
At their full-grown adult height and weight, you can expect this little guy to come in at between 10 and 14 pounds and a height of between 10 and 15 inches. This is significantly larger than their Yorkshire Terrier lineage.
In terms of rate of growth, like any small dog, a Mini Yorkie Poo achieves most of its growth in the first 2 to 6 months. The formula mostly used to indicate adult weight is to take the pup’s weight at 18 weeks and double it. A Mini Yorkie Poo is generally considered fully grown at 12 months.
Toy Yorkie Poo Height and Weight
With this even smaller variation, it can feel like they don’t really do much growing at all. As they don’t have as much weight and height to gain, a Toy Yorkie Poo will reach their half weight much sooner, at approximately 15 weeks. Doubling your puppy’s weight at this point will give you a good marker for fully grown weight.
A Toy Yorkie Poo stops growing sooner, and they are considered fully grown at between 6 and 7 months. These little tykes will rarely exceed 10 inches in height and weigh an almost impossibly tiny 3 to 6 pounds.
What Can Affect my Yorkie Poo’s Growth?
While genetics will ultimately be the biggest influencer on the size of your Yorkie Poo another factor to consider is diet. A Yorkie Poo who is underfed or is lacking in key vitamins or minerals may not grow as expected. If your Yorkie Poo is not gaining weight or begins to lose weight it is always advisable to seek advice from a vet.
Ensuring your Yorkie Poo has access to water and a good quality puppy and then adult food is key to making sure they grow up into the best and healthiest versions of their little selves.
Just remember, even though your Yorkie Poo may be an absolute expert at the puppy dog eyes, don’t be too treat happy either as these little pint-sized pups can quickly become overweight!