Yorkshire terriers are great friends and allies. Their longevity depends on many factors, including the quality of food, the regularity of walks, the care of the owner. The dog breeder can increase the life span of his pet if he visits the veterinarian regularly and monitors his state of health.
What affects lifespan?
The small Yorkshire Terrier can live long when he is provided with quality care. There are several factors that affect a dog’s life span:
- food quality;
- heredity;
- the presence of chronic diseases;
- care.
Genetics plays an important role in determining a dog’s health level. If there were deviations in the family, and they were passed to the puppy, then the life span of such an animal can be much less than the average for the breed.
Often the owners themselves are to blame for the fact that the terrier dies faster. The whole reason becomes negligence, lack of attention to the needs of the animal. Other animals can easily harm the dog, as does the person himself. Yorks cannot jump from a great height, because their body is not adapted to this, as a result, internal organs suffer.
In puppyhood and a little older, the terrier can play with indoor plants, most of which are poisonous. Small items are also one of the most common causes of premature death of an animal. The dog does not need to swallow a small object, and it is difficult to save it in such a situation.
Puppies sometimes die from infectious diseases, such as:
- plague;
- parvovirus;
- leptospirosis.
To avoid such problems, the dog is recommended to be vaccinated first, then only taken for a walk.
The cause of premature death in an adult dog can be a respiratory illness, for example, tracheal collapse caused by a neck injury. The collar is not suitable for representatives of this breed, experts advise using a harness.
Cancerous tumors affect not only people, but also animals. Yorkshire terriers are more likely to suffer from cancer of the lymph nodes and bones. This disease significantly reduces life expectancy.
Sometimes even an experienced dog breeder is not able to recognize a congenital disease, let alone prevent its occurrence. Hydrocephalus, dislocation of the patella and other diseases do not allow the dog to live to a very old age.
Much depends on the owner in the process of growing and raising a pet. It is required to constantly monitor the dog, protect it and prevent possible injuries. Each breed is characterized by certain diseases, and Yorkshire terriers were no exception. This breed, although it has an attractive appearance, cannot boast of excellent health.
Most of the problems arise with the teeth, so you need to monitor them from an early age. In puppies, polyidentia is often observed, when the teeth grow in two rows - milk and primary. This deviation leads to malocclusion and tartar.
Yorkie is a breed sensitive to ear disease. Enough for a little draft to let the animal catch a cold. That is why experienced breeders recommend additionally dressing the pet on the street, avoiding its hypothermia. Even if the dog is wet, the coat must be dry at home.
Often you have to deal with the problem of the appearance of ear mites. Small breeds carry the disease harder than others. The best way to solve the problem is to go to the vet.
By breed, Yorkes suffer eyes. The most common diseases:
- peeling;
- dysplasia;
- dry eye syndrome;
- glaucoma;
- cataract;
- degeneration.
If a person does not respond in time, the dog may become blind.
The physical characteristics of the skeleton also affected the life span of the animal. The main cause of most ailments was the fragile skeleton of the animal. Numerous fractures, dislocations - all this is the result of a lack of caution on the part of a person and not only. Such a miniature pet needs to be protected especially carefully, and if lameness appears, then immediately lead to the veterinarian.
Average life
At home, Yorkshire terriers live an average of 12 years. There are cases when a dog lived to be 16 years old with proper care and good nutrition. The accepted standard for breed descriptions is 7–9 years. Longevity is largely influenced by genetic inheritance and illnesses carried over by the puppy's age.
The better the dog’s diet, the less problems there are with age. Internal organs - another weak spot in York, if the owner has the opportunity, then it is worth planning an annual full examination of the pet.
The life span of males is longer than that of females, this is due to the characteristics of the reproductive system. Oncological diseases of the genitals significantly reduce the life of the Yorkshire Terrier, moreover, other complications arise after childbirth.
Males often suffer from problems with the genitourinary system, which leads to early death. Mini-Yorks live even less than the specified period, they delight the household for 4-7 years.
How to increase the number of years?
If a puppy is bought in a kennel, he has a good heredity, he has been given all the necessary vaccinations, then he can live long in the family. The owner has the power to maximize life expectancy, but this will require much attention to the dog.
Food
Yorkshire terriers must eat right, have a balanced diet.Food can be homemade or ready, the main thing is that it remains quality throughout life. The key role is played by the freshness of the products used, proportion.
Food is not laid out in a feeder with the expectation of an entire day, only in small portions. When keeping York, it is important to follow the feeding schedule, the dog should not overeat. Uncontrolled nutrition leads to digestive problems, obesity.
Harmful and underfeeding a dog, especially at a young agewhen she should receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals from consumed food. Lack of the proper amount of calories leads to a decrease in activity, wool, teeth suffer, and the general state of health becomes poor. If York is malnourished, he develops hypoglycemia, and it, in turn, causes the death of the animal.
When the dog breeder does not have enough time to prepare natural feed, he prefers to use a commercial product. Among the wide assortment, it is important to choose the one that corresponds to the breed and age of the animal. There are feeds on sale that are designed for a therapeutic effect, that is, they contain additional elements that make an animal with a chronic disease feel better.
For older dogs, there is a special dietary feed on sale that protects sedentary animals from obesity. The same applies to pregnant bitches; for them, the producers have specially made a balanced diet, taking into account the needs of the body.
Care
Care and containment are two other factors that affect the life span of a pet. Yorkers have no undercoat, so they can not be supercooled. The breed is kept exclusively in the house, and not on the street. During the walk, they need clothes, which will become additional protection from the cold and drafts. They try to close not only the body, but also the legs. Dog shoes are available.
Particular attention is paid to wool, which requires daily care. Frequent combing helps with tassels. If you do not comb out the hair, then the animal will begin to get sick from bacteria accumulated under the fallen hair. Often bald spots form there, an infection begins to develop.
Dog breeders prefer to trim the dog, removing excess hair where it only interferes. With a haircut, York looks especially attractive.
They bathe the animal once a month, but be sure to wrap it in a towel afterwards, and then dry the hair with a hairdryer. Even in the apartment the slightest draft will be enough for the dog to catch a cold.
Care requires not only wool, but also teeth. It is advisable to use specialized products, which can be found easily at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy. Brushes are also sold there. They teach a dog hygiene from early childhood. Special toys, cartilage bones help get rid of tartar.
Aged Yorks are fed foods that do not require long chewing, as they lose their teeth. An elderly dog requires more attention, chronic diseases begin to worsen. You need to visit the veterinarian more often if you want the pet to live a long time.
The owner must protect York from overwork, hypothermia, overeating. It is necessary to introduce additional vitamins into the diet, to exclude stressful situations for the animal. The elderly Yorkshire Terrier already has very weak bones that are very brittle, even a small jump can result in serious injury for him, so you should buy a special ladder or ladder to get down from the couch.
Record dogs
Even among the Yorkshire terriers there are record holders, however, none of them were listed in the Guinness Book of Records. If the dog lived before the age of 19, then this is a record that not every dog is capable of.
To date, there is a confirmed fact that a York named Jack was able to delight its owners for 25 years, this record has not yet been able to break.
On the life expectancy of the Yorkshire Terrier, see the next video.
