A small, sturdy dog of blue and gold colouring, the Yorkie is best known for it’s full flowing tresses of a texture quite similar to human hair. Indeed, if the coat texture is correct and in not in any way cottony, many allergic people find they can tolerate Yorkies with no bother. These lovely locks do take a great deal of daily care though.
| General
Physical Description |
A small, sturdy dog of blue and gold colouring, the Yorkie is best known for it’s full flowing tresses of a texture quite similar to human hair. Indeed, if the coat texture is correct and in not in any way cottony, many allergic people find they can tolerate Yorkies with no bother. These lovely locks do take a great deal of daily care though. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Size Category | Tiny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight Height Range | The Yorkshire Terrier is a toy dog, weighing in at between 2 - 3 kg and stands no taller than 20.5 cm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ailments | As mentioned earlier, Yorkies tend to develop bad teeth due to their tiny, overcrowded mouths. In addition, make sure that any retained deciduous (milk) teeth are removed by the vet if they do not fall out on their own by the time the dog is 7 - 8 months | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Susceptibility To Illness | High | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | British born and bred, the Yorkshire Terrier is a man-made dog of fairly recent origin. It is believed that Scottish weavers brought a small terrier with them during a period of immigration from Scotland to Yorkshire and Lancanshire during the 1850s. These ‘Scotch Terriers,’ sometimes also known as ‘Halifax Terriers’ interbred with local small terriers. It is believed that Yorkies have in their lineage the Manchester Terrier, the Maltese, the Skye, Dandie Dinmont and the Paisley terriers. Shown as the Scotch Terrier in 1861, the dog later became known as the Yorkshire Terrier and was recognized as such by the Kennel Club in 1886. It is during that decade that the Yorkie was transported to the United States and was established as a breed over there as well. Thus the Yorkie is considered a breed of ‘the working classes’ and was primarily known as a ratter. Popular belief states that the Yorkie was bred to guard small children from rat bites at night, one Yorkie on guard at the head of the bed and one at the foot, rather like furry guardian angels, though somewhat less benign. | |
| Intelligence | Puppy play sessions are probably a good idea for any Yorkie as they will teach the dog to respect the size and strength of larger dogs, socialise them with children and humans of both sexes and generally instill good manners. You must be firm and consistent, even with these tiny dogs. People often complain that you cannot housetrain Yorkies. This is not true. As long as you stick to the same rules that you would apply to a large dog, a Yorkie will learn to eliminate according to a human’s preferences. | |
| Show Characteristics | Physically, the Yorkie should stand on solid, straight legs, golden tan in colour and sport a perfectly flat ‘top line'. The back should be a steel blue colour and the hair should be parted down the middle of the spine, falling gloriously to the ground on either side of the parting. Nowadays, the tail can be docked or undocked, but if docked should not be too short. Steel blue and fully coated, the tail can get a bit messy if the poor dog has the squirts. The feet should be round with short, black nails. A proudly held head should have prick (erect) ears, tan in colour and trimmed closely at the tips. The head and fall (long coat coming off the head and muzzle) should be golden in colour. A topknot, held up with a ribbon or elastic band, keeps the hair out of the eyes. A Yorkie muzzle should not be long in the traditional terrier sense but not short enough to make the animal appear pug nosed. Healthy eyes should be round, black and full of brightness and intelligence. The golden colour in the coat will be darker at the roots but should not be ticked with black or blue. A common fault is a ‘skunk’ mark through the dog’s topknot to its stop (where the muzzle and forehead meet.) Neither should the blue section of the coat be ticked with b | |
| Country Of Origin | England |
| Other Names |
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Yorkie |
| Dog Group Kennel Club | Toy | |
| Breed Classification | Yorkshire Terriers belong to the toy group and are today used as companions and make a spectacular sight in the show-ring. |
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| Energy | Medium | |||||
| Overall Exercise | 20 - 40 minutes per day. To keep your Yorkie healthy and fit, daily exercise is a must. Yorkies love walking and will trot on for miles if allowed. A short walk will please a Yorkie so long as he gets a good sniff around and some mental stimulation. Do remember that Yorkies aren’t just lap dogs though and do like to run, fetch and play like any dog. |
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| Distress Caused if Left Alone | ||||||
| Personal Protection | Medium | |||||
| Suitability As Guard Dog | Medium | |||||
| Risk of Sheep Worrying | Low | |||||
| Tendency to Bark | High | |||||
| Ease of Transportation | High | |||||
| Level of Aggression | Medium | |||||
| Compatibility With Other Animals | Medium | |||||
| Suitable
For Children |
Low | |||||
| General Character And Temperament | The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog with a big attitude. This is a dog that will one minute happily snuggle on grandma’s knee, delicately eating digestives and the next minute leap through the air and tear after the neighbour’s Rottweiler, promising to show it who is boss. Yorkies are terriers after all, and will protect their territory valiantly. The Yorkie is an affectionate dog but not naturally good with children. If a Yorkie is brought up with children or exposed to them as a puppy, it should be fine. However, children need to understand that the Yorkie has small bones that break much easier than most toys. Supervision is highly recommended. | |||||
| Lifespan |
9 - 15 years As with many small dogs, the Yorkie can be long lived, often reaching the teens. |
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| Average
Litter Size |
4 Litter sizes are normally between 3 to 5 puppies. |
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| Average
Food Cost |
< $8 per week | |||||
| Feeding
Requirements |
The Yorkie can subsist on very little food. It is very easy to overfeed a Yorkshire Terrier. Obesity is a serious state for the small dog and can lead to several nasty diseases, such as diabetes, joint problems, kidney failure, etcetera. | |||||
| Other
Expenses |
After the initial purchase of a puppy, from $800 upwards, veterinary costs can be quite high. If a professional groomer is required this will also add to the cost. Annual veterinary check ups are recommended. | |||||
| Average
Puppy Price |
$1000-1600 | |||||