Country of Origin:
The Yorkshire Terrier (or ‘Yorkie’) was bred in Yorkshire,
Northern England in the 1800’s to hunt and kill rats and
other vermin. It was carefully bred from a number of working
terriers, some of which came to England alongside Scottish
immigrants looking for factory work. The Yorkshire Terrier
may have derived its long coat and blue coloring from the
Clydesdale and Skye Terriers, and its signature coat pattern
likely results from crosses with the English Black and Tan
Terrier. Early Yorkshire Terriers were known as
Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers or Toy Terriers. Huddersfield
Ben, born in Yorkshire in 1865, was a popular champion and
skilled ratter who sired many small Yorkshire Terriers and
is today universally recognized as the patriarch of the
breed. The Yorkshire Terrier was imported to America in 1872
and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878.
The Yorkshire Terrier became the American Kennel Club’s
second most registered dog in 2006 at 48,000 registrations,
beat out only by the Labrador Retriever. Famous Yorkshire
Terriers include Audrey Hepburn’s Yorkie ‘Mr. Famous’ who
appeared with her in ‘Funny Face’ and Tricia Nixon’s pet
Yorkie ‘Pasha’. ‘Toto’ from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was played by
a Cairn Terrier in the film but originally illustrated as a
Yorkshire Terrier in the novel. Some Yorkies are famous for
their small size, such as Big Boss, Guinness World Record
holder in 2002 for smallest living dog at 12 cm (5 in) tall,
and Sylvia, a Yorkshire Terrier from England who was the
smallest dog in recorded history at 2.5 inches tall and
weighed merely 4 ounces!
Size:
The Yorkshire Terrier is 20-23 cm (8-9 in) tall and weighs
2-3 kg (4-9 lbs). Yorkshire Terriers have a small, flat
head, level or scissors bite, dark, intelligent eyes, and
small, highly set, ‘V’-shaped ears. They have a flat back,
round ears, and tail carried high.
Coat:
The Yorkshire Terrier has a very long, straight, silky coat
which is golden-brown at the head, chest, and legs. The
color and texture of the coat are perhaps the most important
show trait. Puppy Yorkshire Terriers are born black and tan
and gradually attain their natural color. Show dogs are
groomed with the hair grown out long (sometimes trimmed to
floor-length) and parted down the middle of the back.
Yorkies have no undercoat and shed little.
Character:
Yorkshire Terriers become attached to their families, but
most maintain some measure of independence. They have a
boisterous Terrier personality that far exceeds their small
size. Yorkies are lively, bold, and intelligent (scoring in
the top third in dog intelligence tests). They bark when
they sense danger.
Temperament:
The Yorkshire Terrier is tolerant of older children,
provided they respect its personal space. Due to its small
size and bold temperament (which arises from its working
origins) the Yorkshire Terrier is not recommended for young
children unless carefully supervised. The Yorkshire Terrier
can occasionally be a bit too brave when dealing with larger
dogs, but gets along fine with cats and other household
pets. Yorkies prefer life indoors, and are especially
unsuited to cold climates.
Care:
The Yorkshire Terrier requires intensive brushing and
combing on a daily basis. If this is too time-consuming, the
coat should be trimmed professionally. The Yorkie’s hair
should be kept out of its eyes by a rubber band or a bow.
Loose hairs should be regularly removed from ear passages.
Yorkshire Terriers have a lifespan of 12-15 years. Yorkie
puppies are prone to hypoglycemia (diagnosed by listless
behavior and shakiness) and adults are prone to a number of
musculoskeletal issues and distichal (extra eyelashes on the
eyelid which can scratch the cornea if not properly
treated). Yorkies under 3 pounds are especially susceptible
to diarrhea, vomiting, tracheal collapse, anesthesia
sensitivity, and injury.
Training:
The Yorkshire Terrier is intelligent and capable of learning
quickly with consistent training, but some prolong the
process with their independent, stubborn nature. The
Yorkshire Terrier is considered to be one of the more
difficult breeds to housebreak.
Activity:
The Yorkshire Terrier can have most of its needs met through
indoor play, but still prefers a daily walk or romp in a
fenced-in yard. Yorkshire Terriers are well suited to
apartment life.
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