If you’re a fan of the adorable Yorkshire Terrier and have always wanted to know if it’s a hypoallergenic breed, we’ve got your back!
The Yorkshire Terrier originates from the United Kingdom and is a unique combination of both a terrier and a toy dog. While you’d think that they make good lap dogs due to their small stature, Yorkies can be relatively feisty. All in all however, they’re bright and lively dogs that make fantastic companions.
If you’ve got allergies and are wondering if Yorkshire Terriers are hypoallergenic, don’t fret! True to our style, we’ll dive into all the deets of whether or not a Yorkie is hypoallergenic, and why.
Read on to find out more!
Are Yorkshire Terriers Hypoallergenic?
Yes, Yorkshire Terriers are hypoallergenic dogs! So, there’s a lower chance they’ll trigger allergic reactions – making them a great pet for anyone with allergies.
The main reasons why Yorkies are hypoallergenic include the following:
- They have hair instead of fur
- They don’t shed
- They produce less dander in comparison to other breeds
- They’re a single coated breed
- Low levels of drooling
Two of the most common allergies that one has towards pets include breathing allergies and skin reactions. It’s highly unlikely that the Yorkshire Terrier will affect both.
Get all the juicy details below!
Deciding if a Yorkshire Terrier is Hypoallergenic to You
While there are dogs that trigger allergies more than others, the Yorkshire Terrier doesn’t fall into that category. When rating the likelihood of causing breathing allergies and skin allergies, the Yorkshire Terrier is rated as:
For those that have breathing allergies or asthma, shedding is usually the main factor that triggers these allergies. For skin allergies, there are a few other factors that need to be considered. We’ll talk about this in a bit more detail and how Yorkies don’t really affect these allergies.
Does the Yorkshire Terrier Shed a Lot?
No, the Yorkshire Terrier sheds minimally. They’re actually considered as non-shedding dogs because they have hair instead of fur. They’ve also got a slower shedding cycle than most breeds so you’ll rarely find their hairs around the house.
Interestingly, Yorkshire Terriers have hair that’s very similar to humans. It’s smooth and wavy, and has a silky and textured feel. They’ve also got just one single layer of fine hair.
How a Yorkshire Terrier’s Size Affects Allergies
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog and hence they’ve got a really small surface area to produce both dander and allergy-inducing proteins.
Usually how it works is that the bigger the dog, the more fur it’ll shed and the greater the amount of dander produced. Since Yorkies hardly shed and have a small surface, they are considered a hypoallergenic dog that will rarely spread their hair and allergens around the home.
Yorkshire Terrier Drooling and Dander Levels
If you’re an allergy sufferer with skin reactions, you’re most likely either allergic to dander or proteins in the drool.
With the Yorkshire Terrier, both of these are minimal to none.
The smaller size of a Yorkshire Terrier’s body means that they produce less dander. They’re also considered non-shedding dogs and hence there’s hardly any dander that’s released into the air.
Yorkies also have low levels of drooling so that’s not something that you really have to be worried about.
Read on to find out the best way to take care of this adorable breed.
Grooming and Coat Maintenance
There’s some effort that needs to be put in to take care of your Yorkshire Terrier.
When grooming a Yorkshire Terrier, you’ll need to do it at least once a day or even twice a day if your Yorkshire Terrier is a breed with longer hair. Whenever the hair gets too long, you’ll also need to trim your Yorkie’s coat along with the hair on the tips of the ears. Most importantly, you need to trim the area around the edge of the foot as Yorkies will have difficulty walking if their hair is dragging on the ground.
You’ll also need to trim their nails after each bath, brush their hair, and clean their ears.
For bathing, Yorkshire Terriers only need to be bathed around two to three weeks. You can also bathe your Yorkie weekly if you’d like, but this isn’t necessary. As a helpful tip, bathing your Yorkie a bit more often and keeping your Yorkshire Terrier nice and clean will help with keeping the allergies at bay.
When grooming your Yorkshire Terrier, having the right brush can really make all the difference. Here are some grooming product recommendations to help with getting your Yorkshire Terrier nice and neat.
Sold on getting a Yorkie? Here are Some Tips for Reducing Allergies
While the Yorkshire Terrier may be a hypoallergenic dog, they’re not 100% allergy-free. Here are some suggestions on keeping your space as allergy-free as possible even with this gorgeous breed around.
Training
Yorkies are relatively easy to train, and you’ll just need to make sure you train them early and consistently. They usually do well with positive reinforcement training, and it’s crucial to keep their training fun and short as they’ve got a limited attention span.
Essential things we recommend when it comes to training your pup include:
- Keep licking to a minimum
- Get them accustomed to regular brushing and grooming
- Teach them to stay out of personal zones in your home – especially your bedroom
- Make sure they stay off furniture and other textiled surfaces in your home
Fortify Your Home
There are some items that you can also get for your home that’ll help keep the allergies at bay:
- A specialist air purifier made for dog allergies
- Lint brushes and rollers that’ll keep your textiles and clothes dander and hair free
- If you love textiles, go for machine washable ones
- A vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove doggy allergens from surfaces in your home
- Pick up a mask and some gloves protect yourself while cleaning
- Above all, have some allergy meds with you just in case!
So there you have it folks, all there is to know about Yorkies and their hypoallregenic nature. Here’s to keeping your home as allergy free as possible while still enjoying the good things in life!
