Yorkshire Terriers

There are two stories for the origins of the Yorkie Terrier. The first one is that they were brought to Yorkshire, England by Scottish weavers emigrating to England in the 19th century. The second theory is that they were developed by English miners in the 1800's. They are believed to be crossed between Dandie Dinmont, Sky Terrier, Toy Terrier, and Maltese dogs. They were used to keep the rat population under control in the mines.

Yorkie Terriers or "Yorkies" are a very popular dog. They are classified as a toy breed and are one of the world's smallest dogs! Puppies are bundles of energy but an older dog tends to be quiet and settled. They love to play and investigate. These little dogs are brave, clever and willing to please.

A Yorkie is a lapdog who loves attention. They are very loyal to their owners and bond closely with you. They need companionship and people around. They don't like being alone for long periods of time. If they are, you should think about having two Yorkies. They do, however get along with other household pets.

Usually a sweet and loving dog they can be snappish if surprised or frightened. They can be timid around strangers. A Yorkie dislikes roughhousing - prefers a quiet life.

They are best with older children because they are easily injured since they are so small.

An indoor dog and will get enough exercise inside but love to play outdoors.

Don't baby them too much because excessive pampering confuses them.

Yorkshire Terriers are slightly difficult to train but if they have consistent training and early socialization they will learn quickly.

They have a neat, compact, well-proportioned body with a high head carriage. Their head is flat and muzzle topped by a cute black button nose. Their medium eyes are bright and dark with rims. Ears are small, erect and triangular. Their tail is docked.

Their coats are long, profuse, silky, steel blue on the body and tail but tan everywhere else.The adult coat is parted down the middle of their spine and hangs down to touch the ground. Puppies are born black with tan points.

Height: 7-9 inches Weight: 5-7 pounds Life Span: 15 years

Characteristics and Temperament

Affectionate Fearless Good watchdog Spirited Willful Confident Lovable Highly energetic Inquisitive Very light shedding Prefers warm climate

Although a Yorkie Terrier are easy to train, sometimes stubborn, it's best to socialize them early to reduce tendencies towards timidity and napping. Be patient training them. Can be difficult to housebreak.

They need regular combing and brushing daily .Their topknot is usually tied with a ribbon to keep hair out of their eyes. Teeth need to be cleaned regularly and scaled by veterinarian. They tend to loose teeth around three years of age. Their ears should be checked and loose hairs removed from the ear passage.

Health problems prone to

Cataracts in old age Possibility of trachea collaspe Liver shunt

When buying a puppy have a bile acid test ran before and after he eats. Liver Shunt is running rampant in many breeds but especially in Yorkie Terriers. It's a single blood test and a responsible breeder should be happy to have this done.

About the Author

Sandy has a web site on small dog breeds with articles on popular small dogs, dogs good with children and seniors, breeders, dog diseases and more.