The Yorkie, a Small Dog in a Dressy Package
By Michael Russell 
Surprisingly, the Yorkshire Terrier,
known for its fine "furnishings" and silky long coat, began it's
history as a scrappy rat catcher. Its most likely antecedents are a mixture of
various Scottish and Welsh terriers, including the Skye terrier, the Clydesdale
terrier and even perhaps the Dandie Dinmont.
Selective breeding through the years
miniaturized the Yorkie. It is the second smallest
dog in the American Kennel Club registry, (the Chihuahua being the smallest). Selective
breeding also improved the texture and length of the coat. The Yorkshire Terrier is noted in the show ring today for its silky coat,
characteristically of a steel blue color along the back and sides, gradually
blending into a beautiful shade of "autumn orange". The long hair on
the top of the skull may be pulled back and fastened with one bow on the back
skull or two bows on either side between its ears.
The coat care of the Yorkshire
is extensive. The long silky coat does require a daily grooming. Those who do
not have the time for such a chore would do well to take this dog to a groomer
on a regular basis or else keep the coat trimmed to a manageable level. The
length of the coat in an adult reaches the floor. Also, the facial hair around
the eyes and the whiskers below the chin and on the moustache can collect a considerable
amount of food mess and need regular combing out. Shampooing of the Yorkie is certainly easy, a kitchen sink with a sprayer
attachment works well! The shampoo should not be a "human" shampoo, the dog shampoos that are also conditioners work
well, and if the shampoo does not have conditioner in it, then extra
conditioner should be applied. The coat should be brushed while slightly damp, it is preferable to have a hair dryer gently blowing
the coat as you brush, since this helps to "separate" the hairs. Do
not brush a "dry" coat, this will break the ends. If the dog has not
been bathed, then spray the coat with fine mist as you brush. As with any breed
of dog, and most especially a breed that is and "indoor" dog, its
toenails also need to be kept trim on a regular basis. Every six to eight weeks
is the norm.
The temperament of the Yorkshire
is well suited to fashionable pampering. It seems that this little dog truly
enjoys being "decked out" and beribboned. Most owners of Yorkies remark that their pet enjoys nothing more than a
session of getting "dressed up" in its Sunday best to go out walking.
However, a Yorkie who is not groomed from the
beginning of its life as a puppy will NOT appreciate the attention of brushing
and so on, and these little characters can present many a problem for a groomer
who is not ready for a battle. If you have trained the dog to stand on a
grooming table you will find that the job is relatively easy, especially if the
grooming table is adjusted to your height.
The Yorkshire terrier possesses a loving and
loyal temperament, but like most small dogs often has a difficulty with
house-breaking. Although it most likely has lost its "ratting"
instinct, it has maintained a lively and inquisitive temperament and is extremely
well suited as a companion and pet. The lively character however can certainly
lead to mischief and a Yorkie who is ignored can get
into a lot of it!
