The 6 Best Dog Coats for Yorkies – Keep your pooch warm this winter!

I often get asked if Yorkies should where a coat in the winter time.

The short answer to this question is, yes, probably. It is not always necessary, but it is very helpful for keeping your pup warm, and most Yorkies are very sensitive to cold weather!

In this post we are going to talk about the 6 best dog coats for Yorkies, (In our opinion of course!) and why you should invest in one for your pup!

Other than the fact that they are simply adorable…. am I right?? 😉

Why do Yorkies need a winter coat?

Yorkies need a winter coat because they do not have a winter coat built in like most dogs do!

By that I mean, Yorkies only have one coat of hair, and it is not the same type of hair that the majority of dogs have. Most dogs are equipped with an undercoat and their topcoat of dense, and very warm FUR.

Yorkies, on the other hand, only have one coat of fine hair, which is much like human hair.

Imagine how warm the top of your head stays in the winter without a hat on. Having hair on our heads definitely keeps us warmer than if we were bald, however, if that was all we had to cover our entire bodies, no clothing or anything else for warmth, we would NOT stay very warm outdoors in the winter time!

This is similar to how it is for a Yorkshire Terrier!

Now, some are more sensitive than others. The Yorkie I have now, (my Willow girl) is OK in 40 degrees and above without a coat if she is only out for a few minutes to go potty. If it is colder, she will shiver without a coat on. (It also depends on if her hair is long or clipped short)

Not to bum you guys out with this terribly sad story, but, I have a friend who let her Yorkie out on a very cold day for only a few minutes, and the poor soul passed away. She does not know for sure if the cold was the cause, or if the dog had a heart attack, or what happened in that short amount of time, and there is no way of knowing if a sweater or coat would have helped at all anyways…

BUT, My point in telling you this is, you can’t be too careful. Yorkies are so small and generally sensitive to the cold. They can definitely use an extra layer!

Be sure to measure Fido before purchasing!

Make sure you take measurements of your pet before purchasing a coat for them.

Measure around his neck, chest, waist, and the length of his back before you purchase anything. Most vendors will have measurements listed in the details section if you are ordering online. Yorkies typically fall between an extra small and a medium, but sizes can vary dramatically from one brand to the next, so it is best to know your pal’s measurements.

How to Measure:

Neck – Use a tape-measure to measure around the dog’s neck where a collar would sit
Chest – Wrap the tape measure around the chest, directly behind the front legs
Waist – Measure around your dog’s body about where his rib cage ends.
Back – Place the end of the tape at the base of your dogs neck and measure to the base of his tail.

*Note – To avoid buying clothing that is a bit too snug on your dog, keep your measuring tape slightly loose with each measurement. You don’t want a sweater to be tight around your pup’s neck, armpits, or waist.

So now that you know how to measure, let’s talk about some coats that I recommend for your little pup! 🙂

1. RYPET Small Dog Winter Coat

What we LOVE:

We love this adorable fleece coat for Yorkshire Terriers! This coat has a great inner layer of cotton to keep your pup cozy warm! It is has velcro straps to keep it in place, and it is very easy to get on and off. This coat also has a draw-string hole on the back so you can easily line up your leash with your harness. (I highly recommend using a harness over a leash for yorkies and other small dogs. Read more about that Here.)

What we don’t love:

Most reviews on this coat are VERY good and it gets 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon! But there were a few people that complained of the Velcro not holding up for very long.

2. PetBoBo Hooded Jacket

What we LOVE:

This coat is very warm, great quality, and even comes with a little hood! It has a snap closure along the belly, and the hood snaps on and off as well. We like that this coat has little sleeves, just for a little extra added warmth and coziness!

What we don’t love:

It doesn’t have a specific hole in the back for a harness. Which is unfortunate, however, buyers have said that you can still attach your leash to a harness through a gap where the hood snaps onto the coat and it works just fine!

3. JoyDaog 2 Layer Fleece Lined Dog Jacket

What we LOVE:

Well, It’s right in the description…. We LOVE that this coat has the warm and cozy fleece layer on the inside, while the outside is a great windproof layer! You can find this coat in 4 different flattering colors, and each one has a hole on the back for attaching a leash to a harness. Another feature we love is the elastic waist and arm bands to ensure a stretchy, but snug fit to keep the cold air out!

This coat does seem to run small, so size up!

What we don’t love:

Because this coat runs small, some people had sizing issues.

4. SCENEREAL Reversible Winter Jacket

What we LOVE:

How fun that this little jacket is reversible!! It has a beautiful plaid side, or a solid color side, and either way the jacket is warm and crazy cute. This jacket has Velcro closures, which I do prefer for ease of use, plus, it also allows for a tighter fit. This coat has a hole in the back for a leash, and it also has a little pocket on the back to carry something small like keys, a few treats, or a doggy poo bag!

What we don’t love:

There really isn’t too much to say as far as negative things for this coat! It does seem to run a little on the small side, and to me, there are warmer coats out there than this one, but it is still a GREAT and adorable little jacket if you are not looking for anything too heavy!

5. Kimol Dog Coat Winter Jacket

What we LOVE:

This coat is just super cool. Your pup will look stylish and stay warm too! The Kimol winter dog coat is very well made, comes in two fun metallic colors, and it has a waterproof outer layer to keep your pet cozy and dry. There is a hole to attach a leash to a harness and it has Velcro closures. This coat also comes with a little pocket on the back which I just think is so cute and comes in handy too!

What we don’t love:

In the midst of mostly VERY good reviews, there were just a couple people who said the Velcro wasn’t holding up great for them.

6. LESYPET Leather Dog Coat

What we LOVE:

Um, how adorable is this coat right!?!? That alone is pretty much what we love about this fun leather jacket, but it is also very warm, made well, and has a super cozy soft inner layer! This coat has a stylish faux fur hood, snap closures, and comes in two beautiful colors.

What we don’t love:

The biggest negative of this coat is that it does NOT have a hole for the dog to wear a harness underneath. Such a bummer. However, If you just want your dog to be warm and fashionable while she romps around a fenced in yard, then this could be the perfect option for you!