Yorkshire Terrier

Even though they’ve only been around for one hundred years or so, the Yorkshire Terrier has something of an interesting history. It was bred originally to catch rats that invaded the mines and to discover and penetrate the fox and badger burrows. The name suggests that it must come from the UK county of Yorkshire, although this is something that can be debated. It’s thought that the working men in the area were so impressed with the breed and the jobs it could help them with, they tried to keep it’s origins to themselves. History suggests that they were developed with local breeds, such as the Leeds Terrier and Tan Manchester, although nobody knows this for sure. Although they were mainly used as a working dog back when it was first bred, a lot of people now use them as a fashion dog. When they first originated they were fairly big, but over time they have gradually got smaller and now it’s not uncommon to see people carrying them.

Also known as a “Yorkie”, the breed has something of a cheeky and cute face. Like stated, it’s got smaller and now stands between six and seven inches in height, usually weighing about seven pounds. It’s common for the ears to be erect, or at least semi-erect, with the eyes extremely vibrant. The coat is described as ultra long, fine and silky and comes in colors of steel blue on the body, with tan in other places. The breed has a black nose, which sits on the end of a medium sized muzzle.

Despite the small size, the Yorkshire Terrier has a larger than life temperament. They are extremely adventurous and always looking for fun, although they can still be aggressive. Presumably due to the origin of the breed, they can be aggressive towards other animals and also if frightened. Although they are known to live well with a lot of children, it’s best for the Yorkie to live with more mature children due to their rare aggressive streak. Even though it’s small, people still tend to use the breed as a watchdog because of how it likes to defend it’s territory.

The small size means that Yorkshire Terriers are prone to fractures if they suffer any sort of fall. Other problems that an owner may incur with their Yorkie could be bronchitis, indigestion issues and also early tooth decay. To combat their tooth problems, many veterinarians recommend to feed the breed dry food which should help keep their teeth clean and strong. The average age for a Yorkshire Terrier is fairly long, usually between twelve and fifteen years.