a brief look at the "Yorkie"

YORKSHIRE TERRRIER (YORKIE)

   This breed of terrier was named for the English city from which they were originally produced, Yorkshire, a rugged region in northern England. The Yorkshire Terrier or “Yorkie” was originally bred in the nineteenth century by the worker of cotton and woolen mills in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire for baiting and catching rats in the mills. They are the product of crossing of the old rough-coated Black-and-Tan English Terrier, Paisley Terrier and Clydesdale Terriers. Some says the Maltese was also used in the mix, but there is not sufficient evidence of it. The result of it was a breed of a dog with glossy, fine, straight, and silky hair and averaged 7-10 pounds.

   Making its way from the mills to the stage, in 1861 the Yorkie was shown as a broken-haired Scotch Terrier. By 1865 popularity caught on with the Yorkie due to a dog named Huddersfield Ben which is considered as the father of the modern Yorkshire Terrier. In 1870 the breed was officially named “Yorkshire Terrier” recognizing its original developing grounds. Yorkshire Terriers were first registered in the British Kennel Club stud book in 1874. The first Yorkshire Terrier breed club in England was formed in 1898.

   In 1872 the Yorkie made its first appearance in the United States and competing in shows by 1878 in two different weight class; under five pounds and over five pounds competitions and finally settling in an average class of three to seven pounds.

   Although they vary in size, the Yorkies is classified in the toy dog class averaging four to seven pounds and standing eight inches tall at the withers. Its coat is long, fine, glossy and silky and it’s shedding is very minimal, been considered “hypoallergenic” because its dander production is lower than an average dog and tend not to affect allergies prone people as much. The hair falls straight down on each side and typically is blue near the body and tail turning tan toward the tip of the hair. It has ‘V” shaped ears, dark eyes, black nose and the tail typically docked at the middle. Grooming a Yorkie is not as hard as anyone would think, same with any other dog trimming the nails, cleaning the ear canals, brushing their teeth etc… The only difference is that because of the long hair you might want to mix conditioner and water in a spray bottle to spray the fur before brushing as it would prevent hair breakage and make it easier to manage.

   The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog with a typical terrier attitude. They tends to have its own personality and wants to be the pack leader; if not corrected in time they will rule the house. They are very energetic, intelligent and it can be aggressive if not socialized properly. It needs early training to avoid bad habits, jealousy and temperament misconduct. They makes a great companion and love the affection in turn it will make a great family and watchdog; they will notify when intruders are near and will not back down to any other species regarding its size and that include humans.

   Yorkie’s life span is ten to fifteen years and has been known to suffer from bronchitis, lymphangiectasia, portosystemic shunt, cataracts, and keratitis sicca. It also tend to easily be injured by falls, children play, other dogs and owner clumsiness so careful when handling should always be kept on mind. Too much time between meal can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if too much time pass between meals. They can also suffer from genetic disease such as: Tracheal collapse, Portosystemic shunt, Luxatingpatellas and Hypoplasia of Den. Research the health history of the parents before purchasing one Yorkie might be helpful in choosing a healthy pup. Learn as much as you can about this breed and the breeder you are purchasing your puppy from, it might prevent future unexpected expenses and inconvenient vet visits.