As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Prices are shown on Amazon, not here.
Quick answer
An adult Yorkshire Terrier usually measures 30–38 cm1 around the chest and weighs 1–3.2 kg2,3.
These are the sizes most adult Yorkshire Terriers need. Your dog may differ, so measure to be sure.
Get an exact size for your dogHow a Yorkshire Terrier is built, and why it matters for fit
The UK breed standard gives a weight of up to 3.2 kg3, and a UK breed guide says most Yorkies weigh about 1–3 kg and stand about 18–20 cm at the shoulder2.
Bailey & Coco says most adult Yorkies wear its XXS or XS, fitting chests of roughly 30–38 cm1.
Some brands' smallest harness starts at a chest bigger than a small Yorkshire Terrier. Ruffwear's Front Range starts at 33 cm4, while Julius-K9's Baby 1 starts at 29 cm5 and Bailey & Coco's XXS at 22 cm6. If your dog measures below a brand's smallest size, that brand's harness won't fit safely: choose another brand rather than tightening a harness that is too big.
How to measure your Yorkshire Terrier, step by step
- Get a soft tape measure, or a piece of string and a ruler. Stand your dog on a level floor with all four feet square underneath it.
- Find the measuring point: the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs7. Julius-K9 asks you to measure a set distance behind the front legs, which depends on the size: two finger-widths for the Baby sizes, three for Mini-Mini and Mini, and four for size 0 and up5.
- Wrap the tape all the way round. Keep it flat and untwisted, snug against the body but not squeezing. Read the number in centimetres where the end meets the tape.
- Measure twice7. If the two readings differ, use the larger one.
- Weigh your dog too. Julius-K9 gives a weight range for every size as a second guide5; the other brands here size by chest only.
Yorkshire Terrier measuring tips
- Part the coat and lay the tape against the body. A long coat can add a lot to a loose reading.
- Use string if your Yorkie won't keep still7.
- Measure again after grooming or clipping, and adjust the harness.
Want every detail, including neck, back length and weighing at home? Read our complete guide to measuring your dog.
Yorkshire Terrier harness size by brand
Each brand cuts its sizes differently, so the same dog can be a different size, or a different letter, in each. Here is how a typical adult Yorkshire Terrier fits each chart, and why.
Julius-K9
IDC Powerharness
Julius-K9 lists a chest range and a weight range for every size5. Chest girth is the main guide; we use weight to choose between two sizes when the chest fits both.
- A smaller Yorkshire Terrier (chest 30 cm, 1 kg): size Baby 1
- A typical Yorkshire Terrier (chest 34 cm, 2 kg): size Baby 1 (also fits Baby 2)
- A larger Yorkshire Terrier (chest 38 cm, 3 kg): size Baby 2
Overlaps in the Yorkshire Terrier range: 33–36 cm: sizes Baby 1 and Baby 2 both fit.
Sizes overlap by design; chest girth is the main guide, weight is secondary.
| Size | Chest | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Baby 1 | 29–36 cm | 0.8–3 kg |
| Baby 2 | 33–45 cm | 2–5 kg |
| Mini-Mini | 40–53 cm | 4–7 kg |
| Mini | 49–67 cm | 7–15 kg |
| 0 | 58–76 cm | 14–25 kg |
| 1 | 63–85 cm | 23–30 kg |
| 2 | 71–96 cm | 28–40 kg |
| 3 | 82–115 cm | 40–70 kg |
| 4 | 96–138 cm | 70–90 kg |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult Yorkshire Terriers need.
Check price on AmazonRuffwear
Front Range Harness
Ruffwear sizes the Front Range Harness by chest girth only4, so your tape measure is all you need.
- A smaller Yorkshire Terrier (chest 30 cm): outside this chart
- A typical Yorkshire Terrier (chest 34 cm): size XXS
- A larger Yorkshire Terrier (chest 38 cm): size XXS
Some very small or very large Yorkshire Terriers fall outside this chart.
Sized by chest girth only.
| Size | Chest |
|---|---|
| XXS | 33–43 cm |
| XS | 43–56 cm |
| S | 56–69 cm |
| M | 69–81 cm |
| L/XL | 81–107 cm |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult Yorkshire Terriers need.
Check price on AmazonBailey & Coco
Trail & Glow Harness
Bailey & Coco sizes the Trail & Glow Harness by chest girth only6, so your tape measure is all you need.
- A smaller Yorkshire Terrier (chest 30 cm): size XXS (also fits XS)
- A typical Yorkshire Terrier (chest 34 cm): size XXS (also fits XS)
- A larger Yorkshire Terrier (chest 38 cm): size XS (also fits XXS, S)
Overlaps in the Yorkshire Terrier range: 30–38 cm: sizes XXS and XS both fit; 35–38 cm: sizes XS and S both fit.
Very adjustable, so neighbouring sizes overlap a lot. Sized by chest girth only.
| Size | Chest |
|---|---|
| XXS | 22–41 cm |
| XS | 26–50 cm |
| S | 35–66 cm |
| M | 40–71 cm |
| L | 55–83 cm |
| XL | 71–99 cm |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult Yorkshire Terriers need.
Check price on AmazonPuppies and growing dogs: when to re-measure
Small dogs reach adult weight sooner than large breeds8, so most Yorkie puppies settle into an adult harness size within the first year.
The largest study of puppy growth so far, based on records from over 6 million young dogs, grouped dogs by adult weight: under 6.5 kg, 6.5–9, 9–15, 15–30 and 30–40 kg8. An adult Yorkshire Terrier at 1–3.2 kg falls in the under 6.5 kg group.
Size a puppy on its chest measurement today, not on the size you expect it to reach7. A harness bought to "grow into" is loose now, and a loose harness slips, rubs and is easier to back out of.
While your puppy is growing fast, we suggest measuring its chest every two weeks, then monthly until it stops changing. A quick check in between: if you can no longer slide two fingers under the straps, measure again.
Most harnesses adjust over a good part of their range, so a growing puppy may stay in one size for a while. When your puppy's chest reaches the top of its size's range, move up.
If your Yorkshire Terrier is between two sizes
Brand charts often overlap, so a chest measurement can fall inside two sizes. Here is where that happens for a typical adult Yorkshire Terrier:
- Julius-K9: 33–36 cm: sizes Baby 1 and Baby 2 both fit.
- Ruffwear: no overlapping sizes in this range.
- Bailey & Coco: 30–38 cm: sizes XXS and XS both fit; 35–38 cm: sizes XS and S both fit.
How to choose:
- Our size finder picks the size where your dog's measurement sits nearer the middle of the range, so the harness can be adjusted either way.
- Ruffwear says that if your dog is right on the border between two sizes and fully grown, choose the larger size4. For a growing puppy that is truly between sizes, Ruffwear also suggests the larger one7.
- For Julius-K9, check the weight ranges too: if your dog's weight only fits one of the two sizes, go with that one5.
- Deep-chested dogs with a narrow waist can slip a loose harness, so if the larger size would only just fit on its tightest setting, the smaller one is usually safer.
Fit checks when the harness arrives
Two-finger rule
You should be able to slide two fingers flat under every strap, and no more4. Tighter than that can rub; looser can slip.
Strap behind the front legs
The strap around the body should sit a little way behind the front legs, not pressed up into the "armpit", where it will rub as your dog walks.
Nothing on the throat
Every strap at the front should sit on the breastbone or low on the chest, not across the throat.
Free shoulders
Watch your dog walk and trot. Its stride should look the same as without the harness. A small study found harnesses can shorten how far the shoulder reaches forward9, so if the stride looks shorter, adjust the fit or try another style.
Check for rubbing
After the first few walks, look behind the front legs, under the chest and around the neck for redness or broken hairs. If you find any, loosen or reposition the harness. If the skin is sore, stop using it and ask your vet.
Escape test
With the harness on, gently pull the lead forwards, then backwards and upwards. The harness shouldn't slide over the shoulders or ribs. If it does, tighten it, or choose a design with an extra strap behind the ribcage.
Re-check after a week
Webbing and buckles can settle in the first few walks. Check the two-finger fit again after a week.
Harness styles that suit a Yorkshire Terrier
Step-in harness
Nothing goes over the head, which is gentler on a small dog and its coat.
Lightweight, soft harness
A dog of 1–3 kg doesn't need heavy hardware.
Smooth, flat straps
Help stop a long silky coat tangling under the straps.
Be careful with
- Harnesses whose smallest size is still too big for your dog.
- Heavy vests that press and tangle a long coat.
Common mistakes
- Measuring over the coat.
- Buying a brand's smallest size without checking its chest range goes low enough.
- Measuring the neck instead of the chest. Harness sizes are set by chest girth.
- Assuming a size letter means the same thing in every brand. A Medium in one brand can be a Large in another, so check each chart in centimetres.
- Buying a size up "to grow into" for a puppy.
Collar and ID tag: the UK rule
In the UK, a harness doesn't replace a collar. A dog in a public place must wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it, or on a tag or plate attached to it10. Many owners clip the lead to the harness and use the collar for ID.
Yorkshire Terrier harness questions
What size harness does a Yorkshire Terrier need?
How do I measure my Yorkshire Terrier for a harness?
Stand your dog square, then wrap a soft tape around the widest part of the chest just behind the front legs7. Keep it flat and snug and read it in centimetres. Measure twice. See our full guide to measuring your dog.
What size harness for a Yorkshire Terrier puppy?
Size a puppy on its chest measurement today, not its expected adult size7. Measure every couple of weeks while it grows fast and move up a size when its chest reaches the top of the current size.
What if my Yorkshire Terrier is between two harness sizes?
What size harness does a Yorkshire Terrier need?
Bailey & Coco says most adult Yorkies wear XXS or XS, fitting chests of roughly 30–38 cm1. Measure your dog and check each brand's smallest size.
What size harness for a Yorkshire Terrier puppy?
Is a Yorkie an XXS or an XS harness?
Why is a harness better than a collar for a Yorkie?
A harness spreads pressure across the chest instead of the neck. In the UK your dog must still wear a collar with ID in public10.
My Yorkie's harness tangles its coat. What can I do?
Choose smooth, flat straps, take the harness off after walks, and brush the areas under the straps.