Welcome to the Yorkshire Terrier Guide

The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a breed of small dog, one of many toy dog breeds. Yorkies can be very small, usually weighing between 5 and 7 lb (2.5 to 3.5 kg).

History of the Yorkshire Terrier

Most believe that the Yorkshire Terrier is the product of comingling Scottish and English terriers when many Scots were displaced by the Industrial Revolution and settled in England. Though pedigrees are not available for the first Yorkshire Terrier ancestors, several breeds have been suggested, including the Old English Black and Tan, which is also considered the ancestor for the Welsh Terrier and the Manchester Terrier, the Waterside Terrier, the Clydesdale Terrier, and the Paisley Terrier. The Scottish influence, brought in by the weavers during the industrial revolution, are the same ancestors as the Scottish Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, and Cairn Terrier (all once one breed), as well as the Skye Terrier. Many have suggested that at some time the Maltese, an old breed from Malta, may be in the backgound of some as well.

The original Yorkshire Terrier, known as the "Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier" was a 12-to-14 pound dog with wire hair whose intended purpose was the catching of rats and other vermin that lived in small spaces. In 1870, the breed was renamed the Yorkshire Terrier, after the county of Yorkshire, England where the breed is believed to have originated. The father of the breed is considered to be Huddersfield Ben, who was born in 1865 and died in 1871 from a carriage accident, the inbred offspring of a mother and son. Huddersfield Ben was bred by Mr. W. Eastwood Huddersfield. A multiple champion, Huddersfield Ben set the foundation for what would develop into the modern Yorkie.

Based on registrations, Yorkshire Terriers became the #3 most popular dog breed in the United States in 2005 according to the American Kennel Club, trailing only the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever

Yorkie Temperment

The Yorkshire Terrier, though a toy breed, still retains much of its Terrier ancestry in terms of personality. Though personalities differ from dog to dog, they are generally intelligent, independent and spunky. Yorkies, especially males, are very territorial and are known for their disregard for the limitations of their own size. They will often attack much larger dogs despite their extreme size disadvantage.

Yorkies typically get along well with cats and other dogs, and love to play together in groups. However, they are terriers, and even an old, sedentary lap dog may eagerly hunt rodents. Because they are so small, they are easily injured; They usually get along well with children, but may be endangered if kept in the house with an undiscerning or abusive person, especially a child. Also, despite their small size, if attacked or continually provoked, like all dogs, they pack a surprisingly powerful bite.

Yorkshire Terriers tend to be more difficult to train than some of their canine cousins; however, this difficulty is considered to be a result of the breed’s characteristic prey drive rather than any major deficiency of intelligence as they were bred to work without human intervention.