Neither do most poodles.
But they are not born without tails. Breeders remove the tails a few days after birth.
Does that mean that the offspring of a Yorkie and a Poodle will be born without a tail?
Or do Yorkie poos have tails at birth?
Well, let’s think about it. If a human man and woman both lose a leg and then go on to have a child, that child will probably have both of its legs.
Shouldn’t it be the same with dogs? Keep reading to find out if it is. We’ll cover everything you need to know about the Yorkiepoo and its tail.
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Do Yorkie Poos Have Tails?
Yorkie Poos are born with tails, but breeders in the US usually dock them shortly after birth. If you want any type of Yorkie with a tail, you will probably have to let the breeder know before the puppy is even born.
What does “docking” the tail mean? It basically means to remove the tail. We’ll get into a bit more detail on that next, including why the procedure is done.
What Is Tail Docking Exactly?
Docking is a procedure in which your dog’s tail is cut short. Breeders do this for a variety of different reasons, like medical purposes, cosmetic purposes or to make it easier for the dog to perform certain activities like hunting.
Usually, they do it for cosmetic reasons, since we have simply gotten used to seeing Yorkies with docked tails. However, some breeders are starting to push back against the practice in the US. It is already illegal in many European countries.
Most docking takes place when your Yorkie Poo is just a few days old and without any anesthesia or pain relief, which is why many people frown upon it.
The reason they do it so early on is because the puppies’ nervous systems have not fully developed at that age, so they do not feel the pain the same way an adult dog would.
However, there is some debate over whether they feel any pain. And if they have their tail docked a little later in life, then they certainly feel pain and the procedure needs to be performed under anesthesia. Our article on tail docking has much more on this.
American Kennel Club Tail Docking Guidelines
If you’re looking for official guidance on whether a Yorkie Poo’s tail should be docked, you can look to the AKC. Their guidance states that both Yorkies and Poodles have docked tails.
Both breeds will not be accepted as show dogs if they do not have their tails docked. Because both of a Yorkie Poo’s parents generally have their tails clipped, it is certainly something you can look into with your Yorkie Poo.
Of course, as mentioned above, you usually don’t have a choice. Many breeders dock Yorkie Poo puppies’ tails right after birth, so it will already be done by the time you show up looking for a puppy.
Differences Between Yorkies And Yorkie Poos
The Yorkie Poo (also known as a Yorkie doodle) is half Yorkshire terrier and half poodle. As such, it inherits traits from both parents. How much it gets from each is totally random. It could be almost all poodle or almost all yorkie.
Most Yorkie Poos are somewhere in between. As such you can expect a Yorkie Poo to have hair that is shorter and fluffier than a Yorkie’s silky hair.
Yorkie Poos also tend to be slightly larger than Yorkies, since poodles are a bigger breed. Because of its larger size, the Yorkie Poo is also much stronger.
A Yorkie Poo’s ears are usually floppier and larger than a Yorkie’s. That is a result of the poodle genes.
You may be wondering if there are also any personality differences between a Yorkie and a Yorkie Poo. The answer is yes! A Yorkie Poo will have a little of both parent personalities mixed in.
They tend to still have the intelligence and loyalty of a Yorkie, but they are generally easier to train and not as stubborn as a purebred Yorkie. But again, they can fall anywhere in between the two parent breeds, meaning they can be almost entirely like a Yorkie or a poodle.
What Problems Do Yorkie Poos Have?
In general, Yorkie Poos are a healthy breed. But like all dogs, they can face some problems. Yorkie Poos can suffer from epilepsy, which is a neurological disease and can result in your Yorkie having seizures.
They may also suffer from anxiety, including separation anxiety. Your Yorkie may develop Patellar Luxation which is a health condition commonly found in small dogs in which the kneecap dislocates from the thigh bone. It can become painful and even lead to inflammation.
Finally, your Yorkie Poo could develop hypothyroidism which is when your dog has a low level of thyroid hormones. It can lead to tiredness, weight loss and skin issues. But your vet will be able to provide treatment, once the issue has been diagnosed.
Yorkie Poo Tails: Final Thoughts
Yorkie poos are born with tails, but those tails are commonly removed a few days after birth in the US and many other countries. Both Yorkies and Poodles commonly have their tails docked, which is why their mixed offspring usually undergoes the same procedure.
To be honest, there is no good reason to dock a dog’s tail. All of the standard reasons don’t really apply anymore in the modern world. The only reason this procedure is still done is for cosmetic reasons. It is the way these breeds have looked ever since we can remember, so we keep making them look that way.
Hopefully, this will change. But until it does, it will continue to be hard to find Yorkies or Yorkie poos in the US that have not had their tails docked. If you want one with a tail, you usually have to let your breeder know beforehand and reserve a puppy, so that they know not to dock its tail.
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