Other names/Nicknames:
- Formerly called a Broken Haired Scotch Terrier
- Yorkie
Country/Date of origin:
- England
- 1800′s
Height:
- 7 to 9 inches
Weight:
- Less than 7 pounds (some are a mere two pounds)
Personality:
- Sweet and loving, the Yorkie is the ultimate lap dog.
- Loves to be pampered.
- Intelligent and willing to please.
- Tends to be noisy.
- Good watchdog despite its size.
- Yorkies are very alert.
History:
The Yorkshire Terrier was originally a ratter, kept to control rats in the coal mines of northern England. If this is hard to believe about the extremely tiny, glamorously coated breed, keep in mind that the early dogs were much larger, weighing around 15 pounds. The miniaturization took place in the mid 1800′s in England. The Yorkshire Terrier has been shown in the United States since 1878 and the early classes were divided by weight.
Body Type:
- A long-haired, toy terrier with a high-head carriage and a confident manner.
- Prick ears are not altered.
- Tail is docked to a medium length and is carried slightly above the level of the back.
Coat:
- The long, silky, single coat is fine in texture. It must be perfectly straight.
- The fall on the head is tied with a bow (traditionally red) in the center of the head, or parted and fastened with two bows.
- The hair is parted along the center of the back.
- The coat of a show-conditioned Yorkshire Terrier should sweep the ground. Because it is easily broken, the hair is wrapped between shows in little paper covered packets and tied with rubber bands.
- The only color allowed is a steel blue accented with tan points.
- Daily grooming required.
- The coat tangles easily. It does not shed much.
Health and Wellness:
- Juvenile hypoglycemia.
- Hydrocephalus.
- Retained primary teeth.
- Portosystemic shunts.
- von Willebrand’s disease.
- Patent ductus arteriosis.
- Atlantoaxial subluxation.
- Legg-Perthes disease.
- Distichiasis.
- Shaker syndrome.
- Yorkie encephalitis.
- Melanoderma.
- Tracheal collapse.
- Calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
- Lymphangiectasia.
- Melanoderma.
- Generalized tremor.
- Cushing’s syndrome.
- Mitral insufficiency.
- Keratoconjuncitivitis sicca.
What you should know:
- Yorkies resemble a caterpillar when they walk. The feet are not visible and the dog seems to flow along.
- The tiny dogs are very fragile and rough play will injure them.
- Good quality Yorkshire Terriers that are very small (about 2 or 3 pounds) are expensive. Five or six thousand dollars is not unusual for a really tiny one.
