T he Yorkshire is a lively, vivacious little dog who is extremely brave and seemingly oblivious to his small stature. They are a breed which is only 100 years old or so and was originally created to hunt rats. Yorkies at the time were approx double the size of our modern day pets, and have been ‘downsized’ over the generations. It is generally thought that various types of Terriers, including the Skye and the now extinct Clydesdale were crossed with the Leeds Terrier, the Maltese, Black & Tan Manchester, and Dandie Dinmont Terriers which may also have contributed blood lines. The first Yorkshire, with the characteristics demanded by its standard today, appeared in a dog show in 1870.
Y orkie puppies are all born black & tan, however its colours change to steal blue or silver as the dog matures. The ultra long, fine, silky coat parts along the spine and falls straight down either side The Yorkie has a round head, medium-sized length muzzle, a black nose, and regular teeth. The eyes are extremely spirited and the ears are v-shaped and erect. The tail is docked to medium-length. Its limbs are straight with round feet and black nails. The Yorkie is a good dog for apartment life. They are very active indoors and because of their small size, will do okay without a yard. However, they will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, if allowed. Frequency of grooming will largely depend on the length of hair you choose to keep your Yorkie in. The hair is similar to a human’s in the speed in which it grows and that fact that it will not stop growing at any particular length.
Y orkies are considered HypoAllergenic and NonShedding. There is only ONE classification for size, which is ‘Toy”, and they normally range from 4-7 lbs when mature.
