Often called the Yorkie or Yorkie dog, the
Yorkshire Terrier has enjoyed the status of a favored
companion for roughly 200 years. Considered to be the second
most popular breed of dog in the world (the Labrador
Retriever being the first), his is a story of
rags-to-riches. To tell the story of the Yorkshire Terrier
is to reveal how one little hero scaled the social barriers
to become a pampered pet and a star of the silver screen.
There is little hope of ignoring this adorable little canine
when he turns on the cuteness and demands your attention.
The
Yorkshire Terrier owes his existence to a now-extinct breed
of dog, known as the Waterside, or Weaver, Terrier. Created
from a cross of Scottish Clydesdale and Paisley Terriers,
which were then bred with the English Black-and-Tan
Terriers, the Waterside was well-known for his long
blue-grey coat and petite size of about 10 pounds. A favored
pet of many of the weavers who journeyed from Scotland into
England, during the 19th century, he would then cross with
the local dogs in the area and eventually produce the small
Yorkshire Terrier.
At the time, Yorkies were considered a part of the working
class themselves. In a time when a dog earned his keep, the
Yorkshire Terrier was commonly employed in the weaving mills
as a chaser of vermin. Skilled ratters, their tiny bodies
were able to squirm and wiggle their ways into places that
larger dogs and even cats couldn’t go, and the Yorkshire
Terrier’s feisty temperament made him a ferocious fighter.
The presence of the Yorkshire Terrier in the mills became so
common that it was often joked that the Yorkie’s long
flowing coat was the finest product to be produced on the
looms.
Huddersfield Ben is generally recognized as the founding
sire of the Yorkshire Terrier dog breed. Born in
Huddersfield, County Yorkshire, Ben lived a short existence
from 1865 to 1871. Although an accident claimed his life at
a mere 6 years, he was the winner of more than 70 prizes in
a variety of dog shows and ratting contests, and he was also
known to breed true-to-type, the offspring that he sired
consistently weighing under 5 pounds and bearing his unique
characteristics. While the breed was originally known as the
Broken-haired Scotch Terrier, the name would be changed to
the Yorkshire Terrier, in honor and recognition of how much
development of the breed had occurred within this small
area.
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The
Yorkie is a toy variety of dog, weighing in at less than 7
pounds when fully grown. Black and tan as a puppy, the
Yorkshire terrier’s body coat eventually becomes a rich,
glossy blue and tan shade, giving him the distinctive
coloration as he matures. The only recognized coloration of
the Yorkshire Terrier is this variety, so beware of any
trying to sell you dogs that are parti-colored or any other
variety.
The Yorkie’s coat should ideally part down the center, from
head to tail, with their hair falling to each side in a
straight, silky mantle. Exhibitors of show dogs are allowed
to trim their Yorkies’ hair so that it is floor level,
though most pet Yorkshire Terriers are often kept with a
short coat. Interesting to note is that a Yorkie dog’s coat
is never referred to as “fur” but is, instead, called
“hair.” This is due to its similarity to human hair; the
Yorkie being one of the few breeds of “hypoallergenic“ dogs,
who do not shed and are considered to be better than other
breeds, for those who are allergic to pet dander.
While Yorkies typically weigh right around 5-7 pounds, you
will often find people who advertise teacup Yorkies,
miniature Yorkshire Terrier puppies, or tiny tiny Yorkie
pups. This is simply a marketing gimmick that is employed by
unethical breeders in order to claim higher prices for their
dogs. Yorkshire breed registries do not recognize any kind
of sub-standard or petite variety of the Yorkshire Terrier
breed and actually advises against purchasing dogs that are
advertised as teacup Yorkshire Terriers - such animals are
not only extremely frail, but if they are true dwarfs or the
result of heavy inbreeding, they are often very unhealthy
and overrun with genetic faults and disease. While tiny
teacups may be considered cute, it’s an unsound practice to
breed such animals and the sale of mini Yorkies should be
discouraged.
Few who have known a Yorkshire Terrier will
call them a calm or placid lap dog. Born as working dogs,
it’s natural instinct for the Yorkie to tear off after
anything that moves - whether that is a bug on the floor,
the family cat, or even their shadows, Yorkshire Terriers
love to give chase. In addition to being the cat’s
arch-nemesis, they are often considered to be very
high-strung and nervous dogs. Perhaps this is due to
inbreeding, or maybe it comes from being so tiny, the breed
is generally hyper-sensitive to loud noises, fast movements,
and very nervous of strangers. Due to this, they are often
known as a very shy or timid dog, excitable, and can be
prone to both yapping and nipping. Additionally, they also
frequently suffer from Canine Separation Anxiety and can be
very destructive if left alone for long periods of time or
not properly crate-trained.
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As tiny as he is, the Yorkshire Terrier does not require a
great deal of exercise. In fact, more often than not, he
will wear himself out by simply playing or tearing around
the apartment in short bursts of playfulness. This makes him
an ideal pet for someone who isn’t looking for a high-energy
dog that will require long daily walks and trips to the dog
park. The Yorkshire Terrier is usually content to simply go
outside and do his business and then come right back in…that
is, provided he’s kept on a leash and can’t go chasing off
after that cat over there. Yes, Yorkshire Terriers should
always be kept on a leash when outside - not only does their
tiny size make them vulnerable, but so does their ego, which
can often prompt the Yorkie to challenge dogs (or cars) that
are 10 times their size.
Anyone that’s ever seen one of these
adorable little dogs should realize that it takes a lot of
work to look that good. The Yorkshire Terrier is no
exception to the rule. Requiring daily brushing and combing,
the Yorkie’s long and silky hair needs regular trimming and
grooming in order to prevent mats. Bathing is also
important, as well as carefully blowing the coat dry, due to
the dog’s frailty and risk of cold. In a nutshell, the
Yorkshire Terrier takes a lot of work in order to maintain
that long coat and, for this reason, unless you want to make
weekly trips to the groomers, most pet Yorkie owners tend to
keep their dog’s coats cut to a short and more manageable
length.
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The Yorkshire Terrier is perhaps one of the most difficult dogs to train. Very
excitable and notably stubborn, they require a great deal of patience and
repetition in order to housebreak. While some Yorkshire Terriers can be taught
to do tricks, don’t be surprised if yours conveniently develops selective
hearing and tends to ignore you - these feisty little fellows are highly
independent and won’t learn unless they think there’s something in it for them.
Obedience classes are recommended, though this also depends on the dog, as some
are too excitable to actually do well in puppy classes with other dogs.
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As with all other breeds of dog, the
Yorkshire Terrier is susceptible to a variety of different
health problems. Due to the extensive line-crossing and
inbreeding that commonly occurs in pedigreed dogs, as well
as the unethical practices of some breeders, one must take
care when selecting a Yorkshire Terrier puppy. Here are some
of the conditions that the breed is more susceptible to:
Health concerns in the
Yorkshire Terrier dog breed
include, but are not limited to:
Again, a responsible breeder will be well
educated about these problems that can occur in the
Yorkshire Terrier breed. CERF eye test and OFA X-rays
(knees/elbows) should have been performed on breeding dogs
prior to breeding.
For further reading, here is a very
informative web site dedicated to the Yorkshire Terrier dog
breed:
http://www.ytca.org/
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This
is a very commonly asked question and yet, it is still not
asked enough. Before purchasing a Yorkshire puppy, one
should first take their lifestyle into careful
consideration. The Yorkshire Terrier is a very frail little
dog and does not do well in a household with children (both
from risk of injury as well as the noise tending to make
them very nervous and excitable). One must also be very
careful of the Yorkie with other pets, such as larger dogs
that can injure him, accidentally, during play.
Yorkies are often difficult to socialize, as well. They
tend to be very nervous and high strung, which commonly
makes them yappers or prone to nip. Left alone for long
periods of time, this breed can also be highly destructive
and frequently suffers from Canine Separation Anxiety. Of
course, for many, the good outweighs the bad and the
Yorkshire Terrier is worth it. Known to be very affectionate
towards their owners as well as being considered to be an
ideal pet for those who are allergic to pet dander, it all
depends on your lifestyle and the dog you choose in the end.
Take your time and pick wisely, and you’re sure to find a
wonderful pet with lots of love to share.
