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Breed Characteristics
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Yorkshire Terrier
| Nicknames | Yorkie |
| Country of Origin | Great Britain |
| Weight | 7 pounds (3.2 kg) When a dog weighs 4 pounds or less full grown it is often called a teacup. To achieve this small size breeders often need to breed runts with other runts. The dogs sometimes have health problems due to their abnormal small size. |
| Height (at withers) | 6 - 7 inches (15 - 17½ cm) |
| Coat | The Yorkie's coat is mostly seen long and silky with a steal bluish and tan color. Often the hair on top of the head is worn up with bows to keep it out of their eyes. It is non-shedding and good alternative for people with allergies. |
| Colour | Blue and Tan. Yorkshire puppies are born black and tan, gradually attaining their blue and tan colouration as they mature. |
| Litter Size | 1 - 5 puppies; average of 3 |
| Life Span | 12 - 16 years |
| Origin & History | The Yorkshire Terrier (also called a "Yorkie") originated in Yorkshire (and the adjoining Lancashire), a region in northern England. In the mid-19th century, workers from Scotland came to Yorkshire in search of work and brought with them several different varieties of small terriers. Breeding of the Yorkshire Terrier was "principally accomplished by the people—mostly operatives in cotton and woolen mills—in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire." Details are scarce. Mrs. A. Foster is quoted as saying in 1886, "If we consider that the mill operatives who originated the breed...were nearly all ignorant men, unaccustomed to imparting information for public use, we may see some reason why reliable facts have not been easily attained. What is known is that the breed sprang from three different dogs, a male named Old Crab and a female named Kitty, and another female whose name is not known. The Paisley Terrier, a smaller version of the Skye Terrier that was bred for a beautiful long silky coat, also figured into the early dogs. Some authorities believed that the Maltese was used as well. "They were all originally bred from Scotch Terriers (note: meaning dogs from Scotland, not today's Scottish Terrier) and shown as such...the name Yorkshire Terrier was given to them on account of their being improved so much in Yorkshire." Yorkshire Terriers were shown in a dog show category (class) at the time called "Rough and Broken-coated, Broken-haired Scotch and Yorkshire Terriers". Hugh Dalziel, writing in 1878, says that "the classification of these dogs at shows and in the Kennel Club Stud Book is confusing and absurd" in lumping together these different types. In the early days of the breed, "almost anything in the shape of a Terrier having a long coat with blue on the body and fawn or silver coloured head and legs, with tail docked and ears trimmed, was received and admired as a Yorkshire Terrier". But in the late 1860s, a popular Paisley type Yorkshire Terrier show dog named Huddersfield Ben, owned by a woman living in Yorkshire, Mary Ann Foster, was seen at dog shows throughout Great Britain, and defined the breed type for the Yorkshire Terrier. Huddersfield Ben; Huddersfield Ben was a famous dog. His portrait was painted by George Earl and in 1891 an authority on the breed wrote, "Huddersfield Ben was the best stud dog of his breed during his lifetime, and one of the most remarkable dogs of any pet breed that ever lived; and most of the show specimens of the present day have one or more crosses of his blood in their pedigree." A show winner, Huddersfield Ben quickly became the type of dog everyone wanted, and through his puppies has defined the breed as we know it today. He is still referred to as "father of the breed." In North America; The Yorkshire Terrier was introduced in North America in 1872 and the first Yorkshire Terrier was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885. During the Victorian era, the Yorkshire Terrier was a popular pet and show dog in England, and as Americans embraced Victorian customs, so too did they embrace the Yorkshire Terrier. The breed's popularity dipped in the 1940s, when the percentage of small breed dogs registered fell to an all-time low of 18% of total registrations. Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier and famous war dog from World War II, is credited with beginning a renewal of interest in the breed. The American Kennel Club ranked the Yorkshire Terrier as the 6th most popular pure-breed in the United States of America in 2012 and 2013. |
| Personality | Yorkshire Terriers seem oblivious of their small size. They are very eager for adventure. This little dog is highly energetic, brave, loyal and clever. With owners who take the time to understand how to treat a small dog, the Yorkie is a wonderful companion! It is affectionate with its master, but if humans are not this dog's pack leader, it can become suspicious of strangers and aggressive to strange dogs and small animals. It can also become yappy, as the dog does their best to tell you what IT wants YOU to do. It has a true terrier heritage and needs someone who understands how to be its leader. Yorkies are often only recommended for older, considerate children, simply because they are so small, most people allow them to get away with behaviors no dog should display. This changes the dog’s temperament, as the dog starts to take over the house (Small Dog Syndrome). Yorkies that become demanding and dependent, appearing to need a lot of human attention and/or developing jealous behaviors, snapping if surprised, frightened or over-teased, have owners who need to rethink how they are treating the dog. Owners who do not instinctually meet the dog’s needs may also find them to become overprotective and become neurotic. Yorkies are easy to train, although they can sometimes be stubborn if owners do not give the dog proper boundaries. They can be difficult to housebreak. The Yorkie is an excellent watchdog. When owners display pack leadership to the Yorkshire Terrier, it is very sweet and loving and can be trusted with children. The problems only arise when owners, because of the dog’s cute little size, allow it to take over the house. The human will not even realize it; however, know if you have any of the negative behaviors listed above, it's time to look into your pack leader skills. These are truly sweet little dogs that need owners who understand how to give them gentle leadership. If you own a Yorkie that does not display any of the negative behaviors, high-five for being a good pack leader! |
Care Requirements
| Health | Concerns in Health might be Portosystemic Shunt, collapsing tracheas, Legg Perthes disease, patellar luxation, and occasionally seen Progressive Retinal Atrophy. It is important to keep them current on immunizations and teeth cleanings. Because of their size they can be susceptible to fragile bones. High falls or jumps can lead to problems with joints. The "teacup" Yorkies can be even more prone to health concerns and behavioral problems. "Teacup Yorkies" "Teacup" Yorkshire terriers is a term used to describe very small Yorkshire terriers. The AKC and other Kennel clubs do not acknowledge the Teacup as a variation of the breed or recognize it as a separate variety. Usually a teacup is any dog weighing less than 4 lbs (1.8 kg) when fully grown, when the actual breed standard is given at 7 lbs maximum. Breeding for "Teacup" is a controversial practice that is not encouraged by responsible breeders. A fashion pressure, they are bred to appeal with their puppy-like features, rather than bred to expel health issues. There is great risk to a dam (mother) during pregnancy who is too small, most of these litters are a result of cesarean sections and have a high mortality rate . There are many health issues associated with teacup dogs, such as luxating patella, heart disease, hydrocephalus, hypoglycemia, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, open fontanels and seizures. |
| Grooming | Regular grooming is needed. A clipped coat needs daily to weekly combing and brushing. Topknot is usually tied back with ribbon. Full show coats need hours of grooming and pet owners usually choose to clip them short, giving them a shaggy look. They should have their teeth cleaned regularly. This breed sheds little to no hair. |
| Exercise | These are active little dogs that need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, it will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. If your Yorkie zooms around the house like a speeding bullet, it is a sign that he needs to go on more/longer walks where he is made to heel beside or behind the human. Remember, in a dog’s mind, the leader leads the way. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe, open area off lead, such as a large, fenced-in yard. |
| Other Considerations | The Yorkie is a good dog for apartment life. It is very active indoors and will do okay without a yard. The Yorkie is sensitive to the cold and prefers warm climates. Notability; Show dogs; Champion Ozmilion Mystification became the first Yorkie to win Best in Show at Crufts, the world's largest annual dog show. Small dogs; Sylvia, a matchbox-sized Yorkshire Terrier owned by Arthur Marples of Blackburn, England, was the smallest dog in recorded history. The dog died in 1945 when she was two years old, at which point she stood 2.5 inches tall at the shoulder, measured 3.5 inches from nose tip to tail, and weighed 4 ounces. War dogs; Smoky, a war dog and hero of World War II, was owned by William Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio. Wynne adopted Smoky while he was serving with the 5th Air Force in the Pacific. White House dogs; Pasha, Tricia Nixon Cox's pet Yorkie, lived in the White House during the Richard Nixon presidency. |
