Yorkshire Terrier vs Labrador Retriever

Yorkshire Terrier

Labrador Retriever

Yorkshire Terrier

• Good with children: Yes
• Good with other pets: Yes
• Apartment friendly: Yes
• Exercise: moderate

Labrador Retriever

• Good with children: Yes
• Good with other pets: Yes
• Apartment friendly: No
• Exercise: very high

Yorkshire Terrier

Exercise

moderate

Grooming

low

Shedding

moderate

Labrador Retriever

Exercise

very high

Grooming

moderate

Shedding

high

Yorkshire Terrier

Life span: 11–15 yrs

• Patellar luxation — the kneecap slips out of its groove, a very common toy-breed orthopedic problem causing intermittent skipping lameness; mild grades are managed conservatively, marked grades need surgery (roughly $1,500-$4,000 per knee) to prevent secondary arthritis.
• Portosystemic (liver) shunt — an inherited vascular abnormality that lets blood bypass the liver, so toxins are not filtered; signs include stunted growth, disorientation, and neurological episodes after meals. The Yorkie is one of the most affected breeds. Surgical correction or lifelong medical management can run $2,000-$6,000+.
• Tracheal collapse — weakening of the windpipe cartilage causing a characteristic honking cough that worsens with excitement, heat, or collar pressure; managed with weight control, a harness instead of a collar, and medication, with surgery reserved for severe cases.
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease — degeneration of the femoral head from disrupted blood supply, typically appearing in young small-breed dogs as progressive hind-limb lameness and pain; usually requires surgical treatment (femoral head ostectomy) followed by rehab.
• Dental disease — crowded teeth in a tiny jaw make periodontal disease and early tooth loss highly likely without consistent home dental care and regular professional cleanings.
• Hypoglycemia in puppies — toy-breed puppies have minimal energy reserves and can crash into low blood sugar (weakness, tremors, collapse) if a meal is missed or they are over-stressed; frequent small feeds and prompt sugar supplementation in an episode are the management.

Labrador Retriever

Life span: 10–12 yrs

• Hip dysplasia — a malformed hip joint that develops as the dog grows, leading to pain, lameness, and early arthritis; risk is reduced (not eliminated) by buying from parents with formal hip scores (OFA/PennHIP/BVA) and keeping puppies lean during growth.
• Elbow dysplasia — abnormal development of the elbow joint causing front-limb lameness, frequently requiring surgery; like hip dysplasia, parental elbow scoring is the key risk-management tool.
• Exercise-induced collapse (EIC) — an inherited DAM2 mutation causing hind-limb weakness and collapse after intense exercise, especially in field-bred Labs; a simple, inexpensive DNA test identifies carriers and affected dogs before purchase.
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) — an inherited degeneration of the retina causing gradual, irreversible blindness; a DNA test exists, so a responsible breeder will know the parents' status.
• Obesity driven by the POMC gene deletion — a documented breed-specific mutation that reduces satiety, making Labs unusually prone to overeating and the joint disease, diabetes, and shortened lifespan that follow excess weight.
• Osteoarthritis — extremely common in older and overweight Labs, often secondary to hip or elbow dysplasia; weight control and joint-conscious exercise are the primary preventive levers.
• Laryngeal paralysis — a degenerative weakening of the laryngeal muscles in older Labs causing noisy breathing, exercise intolerance, and in severe cases respiratory distress requiring surgery.