Dog Breeds > Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire terrier is another toy breed that would certainly make your day happy. This breed loves to explore, play with other animals and have fun with its master. You would surely have fun and thrill as you spend time with this jolly little pet and companion.

Energy Playfulness Intelligence Grooming Popularity

Fascinating Facts

The history of the Yorkshire terrier is definitely unclear. Some say that this breed was developed Dandie Dinmont, Manchester Terrier, Maltese and Skye Terrier. The resulting breed was much larger than the one that we see today but over the past years, breeders have tried to miniaturize the Yorkshire terrier.

The primary purpose of the Yorkshire terrier back then was to hunt rodents that infest clothing mills, grain barns and houses of the working people. After this breed was downsized, women became fascinated and made the Yorkshire terrier a fashion dog.

Physical Appearance

The Yorkshire terrier’s fully-grown size and weight is 6 – 7 inches and only 7 pounds. This small and hairy dog has small head that is flat on top together with a small sized muzzle and black nose. The V-shaped ears stand high on both sides of the head.

There are owners/trainers/handlers in the United States that dock the tail of their Yorkshire terrier. Such practice is allowed and you will see the dogs with docked tails joining dog shows and competitions. In Europe however, it is considered illegal to dock the tail or ears of any animal especially dogs. The legs of this breed are straight with rounded feet or pads.

The coat of the Yorkshire terrier is smooth, straight and glossy which falls elegantly on its body. The common coat colors of this breed are tan and blue. The puppies are born with brown color that eventually changes as it grows older. The hair grows thick on the part of the head that is why many owners/trainers/handlers put a band on the head in order to give the dog much clearer sight radius.

Grooming

The coat of the Yorkshire terrier needs to be regularly attended to so that the naturally glossy and smooth hair is maintained. The hair on the face of this breed needs regular clipping or trimming as well so that it could see well. Bathe if only necessary.

Mood

The Yorkshire terrier is a small dog that is always ready for new adventure. This breed is always excited to go outdoors for a little bit of fun and exploration together with its master. Although small, this dog has plenty of energy to spend all day. The Yorkshire terrier is affectionate, happy and brave. A properly trained Yorkshire terrier would make an amazing companion.

As a toy breed the Yorkshire terrier is very susceptible to Small Dog Syndrome, a human-induced behavior wherein the dog thinks that they are that pack leader of the house. A spoiled Yorkshire terrier displays destructive behavior like guarding and biting furniture, picking fights with other relatively large dogs or animals, obsessive barking and even biting strangers. Train this breed to bear in mind that the humans are the leaders and not the dog because ultimately, it would even attack its own master if its wishes or instincts start to take over.

With Children

The Yorkshire terrier is a dog for children old enough to play with it. Small children should be accompanied by their guardians or parents so that the dog would not be mindful and dominant over them. This breed is affectionate, playful and friendly to children as long as the humans have firm but gentle way of treating it.

Training & Exercise

As a dog with lots of energy to spend with, it is recommended to take this breed out for an hour or two of daily walk. It would do well inside the house but beware of its activities because it would bite anything that it would see thinking that it is a toy that it can play.

The Yorkshire terrier is an intelligent breed; it would do everything that the trainer/owner/handler would say just to have a little bit of fun and adventure. Using calm and gentle but firm words or instructions as way of motivating it, it would certainly learn new things. However, it becomes a little mindful and independent once it hears or experiences harsh or tough training techniques. Food reward would greatly improve its focus.

Health & Life Expectancy

The normal lifespan of the Yorkshire terrier is about 12 – 15 years. The common health-related problems for this breed are slipped stifle, tooth decay, eye infections, paralysis due to herniated spinal disc, and indigestion.

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