How About A Yorkshire Terrier

How About a Yorkshire Terrier?
By Connie Limon 

If you are looking for a dog that weighs only a few pounds with a big spirit, the Yorkshire terrier or Yorkie may be just for you. The background of the Yorkie goes back to the 18th century. During the Industrial Revolution in England, Scotsmen left their country and headed south looking for work in England. They brought their families and dogs. Their dogs included Skye Terriers, Paisley Terriers and Clydesdale Terriers. The breeds ranged in size from 6 pounds to 20 pounds. They were all fairly heavily coated. Some had a silky texture to their coat. All carried blue-tan or gray coat colors. A common breed in Yorkshire, England at the time was the Waterside Terrier.

The present-day Yorkshire Terrier is a combination of these four breeds. The beautiful long-coated dog with a silky steel blue and tan coat is prized as one of the smallest dogs in the world and the most popular toy breed.

By the 1850’s, Yorkies were being shown in England. The standard weight fell anywhere between 5 and 18 pounds. By 1886, the English Kennel Club recognized the breed as the Yorkshire terrier and placed it in the newly formed Toy Group. Currently the Yorkie reigns in the top ten breeds in popularity in Britain.

The first recorded Yorkie whelped in the United States was in 1872. At first, the American Kennel Club divided the breed classes by weight: Under 5 pounds and over 5 pounds. The larger weight class had few entries. Therefore it was decided to have one weight class for all Yorkies, specifying weight range between 3 and 7 pounds. Today, the American Kennel Club breed standard for a Yorkie is 7 pounds.

The Yorkshire terrier is a very popular breed in the United States. Two very excellent breeders who raised and showed Yorkies in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s were the sisters Joan Gordon and Janet Bennett of the Wildweir Kennels. Their English import Ch. Little sir Model was the first Yorkie to win an all-breed best in Show.

At the present time the breed places in the top ten breeds in popularity of the AKC breeds. It continues to hold a number-one ranking as a Toy dog in America. Throughout all time the Yorkshire terrier has remained a favorite of the public.

Every breed of dog registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) has an official standard to help breeders and fanciers to understand the characteristics that define the particular breed. The standard tells us what makes the breed different from every other breed. A Yorkie’s coat is blue and tan and floor length. There is a standard set for the Yorkie’s ears, muzzle and tail to look a certain way. These characteristics are sought out by breeders, as well as the Yorkie’s typical temperament and personality as described in the standard. The standard for the Yorkie as compared to other breeds is short. The largest section is on the coat, which is very important for the breed. If one is going to show a Yorkie, the correct coat and color are of most concern.