Yorkshire Terrier

Did you know that Yorkshire Terriers have been around a long time? The first one born in the USA was in 1872, and they are classified in the Toy Group by the American Kennel Club. The Yorkshire Terrier first appeared as a “broken-haired Scotch Terrier” during a bench show in 1861. In early shows, they were categorized into two groups (under 5 pounds and 5 pounds and over). It wasn’t long before the AKC averaged them between 3 and 7 pounds, creating only one class.

Yorkshire Training  & Temperament

Even though Yorkshire Terriers are Toy Group members, let us not forget that they are also terriers by nature – brave, determined, investigative and energetic. They seem unaware of their small stature, and Yorkies, as they are affectionately known, display huge personalities in that little body. Yorkshire Terriers are highly intelligent and a favorite breed of choice. They require their families’ attention and interaction to keep them happy and engaged. Yorkies are loving, playful, and also good little travelers. Without appropriate training, they may develop naughty behaviors like yapping or pulling. Yorkshire Terriers tend to become bossy without strong leadership, so good training is essential. They are moderately active and like to engage in play, new experiences, and daily walks. If the Yorkshire Terrier is a show dog in competition, much care of its long coat is required to protect the coat from damage.

History of Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers are named for the English county, Yorkshire, from which they originated. They were first recognized by the AKC in 1885. During the late Victorian Era, Yorkies became popular as a fashionable pet to European high society. Then a major change took place during the 19th century when the Yorkshire Terrier became a working dog for the working class of weavers. In a shocking vocational leap, their new profession became rat catcher in the clothing mills!  Their history traces to another working “weaver dog”, the Waterside Terrier. With the passing of time, Yorkshire Terriers once again became the extremely pampered and fashionable pets to European high society.

The Yorkshire Terrier has an interesting breed combination history. It is a cross of the old rough-coated Black-and-Tan English Terrier, the Paisley Terrier, and the Clydesdale Terrier. This combination became known as the Waterside Terrier (a Scotch Terrier), which was brought to Yorkshire by weavers in the mid 19th century. The Waterside Terriers were renamed as Yorkshire Terriers in 1870 after a reporter stated that “They ought no longer to be called Scotch Terriers, but Yorkshire Terriers for having been so improved here”.