Why is My Yorkie Shedding? 10 Possible Reasons

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If you’re a new Yorkie parent, and you’ve realized that they’re shedding, you are probably wondering why your Yorkie is shedding. 

Yorkies are listed among the hypoallergenic dogs, and unlike other dogs, they have a single coat, and their silky hair almost resembles human hair. This means that they rarely shed any noticeable clumps of hair. 

Well, before we get to other reasons for shedding. It’s important to mention that no dog is purely hypoallergenic; the only difference is that they don’t shed as much as non-hypoallergenic dogs do. 

In this article, I’ll be giving all the possible answers to the question ‘why is my Yorkie shedding?‘

Be sure to check out our article on how to make a Yorkie hair grow faster later– you’ll be needing it. 

10 Reasons Why Your Yorkie is Shedding

Here are the possible reasons why Yorkie is shedding. 

1. Emotional Distress

This is one of the most common reasons why Yorkies shed. It can be separation anxiety, boredom, or stress. 

I work from home, so when I leave my dog alone, they get into the habit of chewing, biting and licking. This habitual licking may lead to the development of neurogenic dermatitis (an inflammation)- and this extra grooming can lead to skin damage and follicle damage. 

There are many ways to resolve this habitual licking. For starters, you can use ointment and steroids to fix the hair patches. However, be sure to consult your vet before you apply anything to your dog’s skin.

Once you treat your Yorkie, the affected skin recuperates and returns to its original state; and all the temptation of biting goes away. 

That said, be sure to take your dog for a checkup to make sure there are no other underlying health conditions. 

If the biting is caused by separation anxiety, consider training your dog to be a little more independent. This can mean leaving them for ten minutes a day and increasing the time limit each time. Use a few word commands to assure your Yorkie you’ll be back can also help. 

2. Parasites

Fleas and ticks are another reason why your Yorkie may be shedding hair. Parasites can cause irritation and scratching that can lead to hair loss. 

For example, ear mites can cause excessive scratching and discomfort to your Yorkie, leading to irritation and infections. If this isn’t caught early and treated, it can lead to hair loss. 

Mange is another parasite. Mange is a type of illness caused by mites residing in your dog’s skin and hair follicles. This irritation leads to hair loss or bald spots if left untreated. 

One of the best ways to avoid parasite invasion is to ensure your Yorkie has quality dog food to boost their immune system. 

Additionally, if your dog goes outdoors frequently, ensure you use a preventive measure like frontline. 

3. Fungal Infections

I know it seems far-fetched but fungal infections can be fatal to your Yorkie’s hair health. Fungal infections begin by attacking the skin, and eventually spreads to the hair follicles, causing hair loss. 

Yorkies are vulnerable to fungal infections – the infections can be contracted from contaminated objects or infected animals. 

Although ringworm isn’t life-threatening to your pet, it can spread to humans. For this reason, it’s best to address the issue immediately. 

Treatment will depend on the severity of the infection. It may include oral antifungal medications or medical bath dips with medicated shampoo. 

You’ll also need to disinfect and vacuum your house more frequently to stop the spread further. 

4. Allergies

Like you, your Yorkie is prone to allergies, and most of them manifest themselves through heavy shedding and itchy skin. 

The most common allergies among dogs are food allergies, flea allergies and environmental allergies such as mold and pollen. 

If your vet finds that your dog is suffering from allergies, they may recommend medication to stop the itchiness and a list of allergens to avoid. 

If you suspect the cause of the shedding is food allergies, you can run a trial for eight weeks. You should feed your Yorkie with hypoallergenic food and monitor them to ensure they don’t eat anything else in these eight weeks. 

A small bite of something else can sabotage your entire trial.

Once the allergies are treated, the itching should stop, and the hair will grow back. 

5. Your Yorkie is Pregnant

Another reason your Yorkie may be shedding a lot is that they’re pregnant or lactating. Pregnancy and lactation require a lot of calcium and minerals and as a result, your dog may not have enough nutrients for coat nourishment, which can lead to excessive shedding. 

Many dogs shed after delivering their puppies or during nursing due to hormones.

If you want to reduce the shedding, consider putting the new mommy or mommy to be on a special diet to ensure she has all the needed nutrients. 

6. Lack of Grooming

One of the greatest Yorkie characteristics is their ability to grow very long hair that can reach floor length if well-maintained. 

The disadvantage of this long silky hair is that it can easily get tangled when it’s not combed regularly. 

When your Yorkie is ungroomed, tangled, dirty and matted, it can cause irritation and eventually lead to hair loss. 

Another reason your Yorkie may be shedding is using the wrong grooming products and shampoo. 

7. A Poor Diet

This is one of the most common causes of hair loss, and it’s surprisingly underrated. Feeding your Yorkie with the right diet can help solve many health problems including shedding. 

Your dog’s diet should have the right portions of minerals, water, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Unfortunately, many of the foods in the market don’t have the right balance, so be sure to go through the ingredient list. 

8. Pressure Sores

Although pressure sores are common in large dog breeds, they can also cause baldness in Yorkies in certain situations. 

For example, if your Yorkie spends most of their time sleeping, some parts may take too much pressure, leading to hair loss. It may help if you turn them once in a while to spread the nap-time pressure. This is especially common if you have a lazy or elderly Yorkie. 

Another reason your Yorkie may have pressure sores is if they sleep on hard surfaces like wood. In this case, all you need is to give them a soft surface to lie on. 

9. Hypothyroidism

This is another reason why your Yorkie may be shedding excessively.

This condition can be controlled by medication from your vet.

10. A Medical Condition

If you’ve tried figuring out what is causing the problem and nothing is working, it’s time for a visit to your veterinarian.

The skin is the biggest part of your dog’s body, and it needs continuous replenishment to stay healthy. 

However, when your dog is fighting any illness, most of these nutrients are directed to healing the internal organs, leaving the skin without what it needs to blossom. This can subsequently cause hair loss. 

Some illnesses that can cause hair loss in dogs include kidney diseases, liver disease, and cancer. Your dog may also suffer hair loss if they just got neutered or spayed. 

Wrapping Up

Yorkies are hypoallergenic dogs that shed very little if any at all, so if your pooch is shedding excessively, something may be wrong. 

In most cases, it’s nothing you can’t fix with a little tweak in lifestyle and diet. However, consider including the vet in case it’s a serious medical condition. 

Read more about skin problems Yorkies have.

I hope you finally got some possible answers of why your Yorkie is shedding.