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Chocolate Yorkie Growth & Weight Chart: Puppy to Adult (With Pictures)

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By Emma Stenhouse

Chocolate Yorkshire Terrier

As one of the smallest dog breeds in the world, the adorable Yorkshire Terrier might be tiny, but they have plenty of personality! These feisty little dogs come in all sorts of colors, with chocolate being one of the most striking!

If you’re looking forward to bringing home your new puppy, then you might be researching how big your puppy will be when they’re fully grown and how best to support them as they’re growing. The tiny size of the Chocolate Yorkie means that owners need to be especially careful in making sure they receive the correct nutrition.

By keeping a close eye on your Chocolate Yorkie’s weight as they mature, you can be confident that they’re going to end up as strong and healthy as possible!

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Facts About the Chocolate Yorkie

The American Kennel Club breed standard for the Yorkshire Terrier doesn’t have a minimum weight for these tiny dogs,1 so you can expect quite a range between puppies. Once fully grown, most Yorkies will weigh 7 pounds and under. Standard-sized Yorkies will end up between 7-8 inches in height.

Chocolate Yorkies are also sometimes called red or brown. They have liver to brown pigments on their nose leather, eye rims, and paw pads. Unlike some other colors of Yorkie, like black and tan pups that appear almost completely black at birth, Chocolate Yorkies will have their distinctive rich brown coat from the moment they’re born.

Chocolate Yorkies are one of many different colors that aren’t accepted by the AKC breed standard, which only lists four accepted colors:

  • Black and tan
  • Black and gold
  • Blue and gold
  • Blue and tan

Due to their popularity, though, you’ll still find plenty of breeders offering adorable Chocolate Yorkies!

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Chocolate Yorkie Puppy Growth and Weight Chart

Chocolate Yorkie puppies are incredibly tiny when they’re born! Knowing their birth weight can help you figure out a healthy growth rate for your puppy as they mature. To start, you’ll want to weigh your pup at least once per week to make sure they’re gaining a healthy amount of weight. Female puppies will often be a bit smaller than males.

Remember that each puppy is an individual, and always speak to your vet if you’re concerned.

Chocolate Yorkie Puppy Growth and Weight Chart

Weight at birth 2.5 oz. 2.8 oz. 3.0 oz. 3.5 oz. 4.0 oz. 4.2 oz. 4.5 oz. 5.0 oz. 5.5 oz.
1 week 3.7 4 5 5.5 6.5 7.0 8.0 9.0 9.5
2 weeks 5 5.5 6.5 7.0 9.0 10 11 12.5 13.5
3 weeks 6 7 8 9 11 13 14 16 17
4 weeks 7 8 9 11 13 16 17 19 21
5 weeks 9 9 11 13 15 17 20 22 24
6 weeks 9 11 12 15 17 20 25 27 30
7 weeks 10 12 14 17 20 22 25 27 30
8 weeks 11 13 16 19 22 24 27 29 33
9 weeks 12 15 17 20 23 26 29 32 35
10 weeks 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 38
11 weeks 14 17 21 24 27 31 34 37 42
3 months 15 19 22 26 30 33 37 41 45
4 months 20 25 30 34 39 44 49 54 59
5 months 24 30 35 41 46 52 58 64 70
6 months 26 33 39 45 51 58 65 71 78
1 year 2 lbs 2.5 lbs 3 lbs 3.5 lbs 4 lbs 4.5 lbs 5 lbs 5.5 lbs 6 lbs
  • Adapted from information on Yorkie Life and Yorkie Mag

You need to take good care of your pet while they are growing, so you can use our calculator tool to help you know how much to feed your pup and keep their well-being:

The exact amount of calories an individual animal needs to maintain a healthy weight is variable and influenced by many factors including genetics, age, breed, and activity level. This tool is meant to be used only as a guideline for healthy individuals and does not substitute veterinary advice 

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Chocolate Yorkie Growth Stages (With Pictures)

As your Chocolate Yorkie puppy develops, there are certain milestones that you can look for. Your puppy will develop rapidly in terms of growth and development, so make sure to soak in every moment!

At all stages of puppyhood, avoid the temptation to allow your puppy to jump too high, either up or down. This can increase the chance of them suffering from luxating patella, which is when the kneecaps dislocate.

We’ve summarized the general milestones that you can expect your puppy to hit during each stage of puppyhood. Always speak to your vet if you think that your puppy isn’t developing as expected.

8-Week-Old (2 Months) Chocolate Yorkie

At 8 weeks old, most Chocolate Yorkie puppies will be ready to join their new forever families! Before 8 weeks old, it’s best for pups to stay with their mom and siblings, as they need to learn the basics of canine communication, bite inhibition, and how to socialize with their siblings.

If possible, we recommend asking your puppy’s breeder for their birth weight, so you can track their weight gain accurately. If that information isn’t available, then weigh your puppy as soon as they arrive home, and follow the chart that most accurately matches their current weight.

You should book your puppy in for a check-up with your vet, and arrange for them to have their first vaccinations. Puppies at this stage are starting to become confident enough to explore their surroundings, so you can allow them supervised indoor exploration. They’re also rapidly gaining weight, so keep up with those weekly weigh-ins and check that your pup is developing appropriately. You can also start housebreaking your puppy at this point.


12-Week-Old (3 Months) Chocolate Yorkie

Puppies at 12 weeks old are entering their juvenile period and spending time learning appropriate behavior. Pups this age should be playful, as they’re using this playtime to learn how to respond to different situations. By 3 months, your puppy should respond to their name and start playing with toys more. Their brains are now around 90% fully developed.

Once your puppy has the all-clear from the vet and it’s 6-8 weeks after their first vaccinations, you can start attending puppy training classes. This is a great way to find the best training techniques to suit your puppy, and it helps them socialize with other puppies and meet a wide range of people.

Toward 4 months old, your puppy will start to lose their tiny milk teeth, and their adult teeth will replace them. At this point, your puppy may need items to chew on to help relieve gum pain.

You can also speak to your vet about the best time to get your puppy spayed or neutered.


6-Month-Old Chocolate Yorkie

Chocolate Yorkies at 6 months of age are still growing rapidly and if not yet spayed or neutered, may start to develop hormonal behaviors. Some pups at this stage go through a “fearful” period, so it’s important to support them while maintaining a regular training schedule.

The independent and slightly stubborn side of Yorkies can become evident at this stage, as they grow in confidence.

The tiny size of Chocolate Yorkies means they’re delicate and need careful handling. When taking your puppy for walks, it’s best to use a well-fitting harness rather than attaching a leash to their collar. This can help avoid any pressure on their delicate throat area.

By 9-10 months, you’ll notice that your puppy’s growth starts to slow down, as they begin to reach maturity.


12-Month-Old (1 Year) Chocolate Yorkie

By 12 months old, your Yorkie puppy will be nearly fully grown. It’s a good idea to speak to your vet about confirming this, so you can make the transition to a food designed for adult dogs rather than puppies. Your vet may also ask you to book your Chocolate Yorkie in for booster vaccinations at this point.

There is no minimum size on the Yorkshire Terrier breed standard, but you can expect your puppy’s mature height to be 7 inches or less. They should weigh somewhere between 2-6 pounds.

It’s a good idea to spend time each day grooming your Yorkie, and touching their ears and paws. If you decide to keep your Chocolate Yorkie in a puppy clip, which is easier to maintain than leaving their coat long, find a local groomer and book your dog in for regular clips.

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When Do Chocolate Yorkies Stop Growing?

Chocolate Yorkies should be fully mature both mentally and physically by around 12 months of age. Your puppy will likely end up standing no taller than 8 inches high at the shoulder and weighing between 2-7 pounds.

Your vet can confirm if your puppy has reached maturity, and at this point, you can transition them to a dog food designed to meet the nutritional requirements of adult dogs.

By this age, they should be confident and comfortable in a range of situations, as well as have a basic training foundation.

Your Chocolate Yorkie should be used to being groomed daily, as well as having their ears and paws checked.

How Does Neutering/Spaying Affect My Dog’s Growth?

If you’re not planning on breeding from your Chocolate Yorkie, your vet will likely recommend getting them neutered or spayed. Most vets now recommend completing this procedure after your puppy has gone through puberty.

These procedures shouldn’t affect the growth of your puppy, but they can help reduce the likelihood of your dog suffering from orthopedic issues and specific types of cancer, as well as preventing accidental litters.

Spaying and neutering can also reduce hormonal-related behavior issues, like mounting, aggression, and roaming.

Dangers of Growing Too Quickly or Stunted Growth

If your Chocolate Yorkie grows too quickly, they can be at risk of developing skeletal issues, including hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis. Puppies do go through a period of rapid growth, but if you’re concerned that your puppy is gaining more weight than listed in the chart above, it’s best to speak to your vet and ask for advice.

Don’t be tempted to simply cut down your pup’s rations without consulting your vet, as this can be just as dangerous. Chocolate Yorkies can have trouble regulating their blood sugar levels because they’re so small, so they need feeding often.

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Conclusion

Bringing home your new Chocolate Yorkie puppy is likely to feel like a dream come true. These little dogs bring plenty of entertainment and affection to any family that they join. Helping your puppy maintain healthy weight gain and growth as they mature can help them grow up to be as strong and healthy as possible.

By using our growth chart as a guide, you can make sure your pup develops steadily, which is the ideal goal, into a full grown Chocolate Yorkie. Over- or under-feeding your pup can lead to health and nutrition issues, especially in a breed as tiny as the Chocolate Yorkie!

If you think that your puppy is growing too fast or too slow, always ask your vet for advice, and they can help make sure your pup’s growth is optimal.


Featured Photo Credit: dezy, Shutterstock

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