 Origin:
Scotland
Height: 6-9 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 3-7 pounds
Exercise Needs: Low
Grooming Needs: High
Life Expectancy: 13-15 years
Good With Kids: No
Trainability: Difficult
Common Misspellings:
Alternate Names:
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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 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:
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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.
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There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Yorkshire Terrier breed. We've compiled a list of
Yorkshire Terrier information sites to assist you in quickly
locating quality information about the Yorkshire Terrier breed,
while avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of a Yorkshire Terrier information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Yorkshire Terrier
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
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Yorkshire Terrier dogs are a very photogenic dog breed. By
looking at Yorkshire Terrier pictures, you can usually gain more
insight into what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and
this can help you decide if you really want to become a Yorkshire
Terrier owner. The following sites below offer pictures of Yorkshire
Terrier dogs, Yorkshire Terrier puppy photos, funny Yorkshire
Terrier photos and more. Enjoy!
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Teacup
Yorkshire Terrier
ALERT!!
Whether you call them
Teacup
Yorkshire Terriers,
Tea Cup
Yorkies,
Toy
Yorkshire Terriers,
Miniature
Yorkshire Terriers, or
Mini
Yorkshire Terriers, buying the smallest Yorkie puppy you
can find is a sure recipe for a teacup full of heartache!
Responsible breeders occasionally will have a puppy that is smaller
than it's littermates (it's what we once referred to as the "runt"
of the litter). Any breeder that selectively breeds to create a
smaller and smaller puppy is not a breeder with whom you want to do
business. The reason for this is that smaller puppies usually have a
number of health problems. They can suffer from Hypoglycemia
(dangerously low blood sugar), knee and hip problems, brain defects,
kidney problems, heart problems and more. What's more, these itty
bitty dogs are as delicate as flowers, and can easily be injured or
killed by being accidentally stepped on or kicked, or from something
as seemingly innocent as a fall off of the sofa or bed. Don't buy
into this unfortunate trend! Dogs are pets - not fashion accessories
or toys. Be sure to buy your Yorkshire Terrier puppy only from a
responsible, reputable
Yorkshire Terrier dog breeder. Avoid any breeder who advertises
"Teacup, Miniature, Toy or Mini"
Yorkshire Terrier puppies.
Now that you have decided that the Yorkshire Terrier is the right
breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a
responsible Yorkshire Terrier breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Yorkshire Terrier puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To
buy a puppy from a responsible Yorkshire Terrier breeder, you may
need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting
time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper
ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase
a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will
likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and
behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of
veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do
your homework and find a responsible, caring Yorkshire Terrier
breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their
breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and
post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Yorkshire Terrier
breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit,
and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long
lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and
your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Yorkshire
Terrier puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
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Yorkshire Terrier clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Yorkshire Terrier dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Yorkshire Terrier breeder, or help you find a Yorkshire
Terrier or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving, forever
home. We've compiled the following list of Yorkshire Terrier clubs
and Yorkshire Terrier rescues web sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Yorkshire Terrier puppy can be a
daunting task! There are so many names to choose from that it can
take a lot of thought and research to find just the right name for
your Yorkshire Terrier. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy
for a few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help
you decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of
humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side?
A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Yorkshire
Terrier puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have
a clue about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of
dog names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are
wonderful information resources, while others, unfortunately, are
just "garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on
visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Yorkshire Terrier puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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Additional Reading About Yorkshire Terrier Dogs
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