Dog Breed Guide
Yorkshire Terrier
Profile
- Size
- Extra Small
- Country of origin
- United Kingdom
- Origin
- 19th century
- Bred for
- Ratting, Companion
- Height
- about 20cm (8in)
- Weight
- 3.2kg (7lb) and under
- Life span
- 13 - 16 years
Its greatest charm is a long, straight, glossy coat as fine as silk that can reach the floor. Adults are a steely blue-gray (steel blue) on the back and a golden tan on the head, chest and legs. Puppies are black and tan and change to these beautiful colors as they grow. This look has earned the Yorkie the nickname "the moving jewel."
In its tiny body it hides a terrier's courage and spirit. It is curious, lively and affectionate with its family, and it barks readily to announce strangers and noises.
With no undercoat it sheds little, but the long coat tangles easily and needs daily brushing. A short "puppy cut" is also popular. Kneecap dislocation (patellar luxation), tracheal problems and dental disease are concerns.
Good to know
Its ancestors were small terriers kept by miners and mill workers in Yorkshire, in 19th-century northern England, to kill the rats in the mills and mines. Later the breed became hugely popular as a companion for upper-class ladies. A male named Huddersfield Ben, born in 1865, is regarded as the father of the breed.
During World War II, an American soldier found a Yorkshire Terrier named Smoky in the jungles of New Guinea. Weighing only 1.8kg (4lb), she survived many battles. At an airfield in the Philippines she accomplished a great feat, crawling through a narrow pipe about 21m (70ft) long while pulling a communications cable, sparing many soldiers dangerous work. Smoky also comforted wounded soldiers in field hospitals and is said to be the first therapy dog on record.