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Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is a Toy Dog But He's All Terrier

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Yorkshire was the main center of the woollen industry in England, with numerous, large mills employing many people. There was also an extensive coal mining community. The Yorkshire Terrier was bred to control rats and other small vermin in the mills and the coal mines.

The Yorkie is now mainly a companion dog but he has all the energy, confidence and independence that is common for this breed. Being bred as a hunter for hundreds of years, he posseses a bravery that is quite disproportionate to his size.

The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the smallest Toy dogs, standing just 9" tall at the shoulder and weighing about 6 pounds.  He is alert and inquisitive and has above average learning ability and is a very active dog. House training can be a problem with this breed. He is devoted to and fiercely protective of his family.

Grooming The Yorkshire Terrier

Your approach to grooming the Yorkshire Terrier will depend on your show ambitions. To achieve the standards of the fellow on the right, you will need to brush out mats and tangles for about 15 minutes every day and have him professionally clipped every six weeks or so. Maintaining this long coat is time-consuming.

On the other hand, if you are happy with a more casual, less formal look, this shorter cut only needs occasional brushing, because this breed is a very minimal shedder.   There will be very little problem with loose hairs.

If any family members suffer from allergies, your Yorkshire Terrier is one of the very best choices you could make because he is as near to being hypoallergenic as you can get. No dog is absolutely hypoallergenic.

Training The Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is a very intelligent dog, being ranked joint 27th out of 157 breeds. This breed is included in the "above average working dogs and understanding of new commands". However, he can be harder to train than some of the other very intelligent dogs, because he has an independent nature and in his working environment as a ratter, he worked without much human direction. This is one of the reasons why he is very good at dog sports, especially agility.

You need to combine his intelligence with his desire to please you and apply patience and persistence to short, frequent spells of interesting training. That training should include controlling his barking. Yorkies make excellent watchdogs and will alert everyone when someone comes near but they should know when to be quiet. This breed can be difficult to housetrain.  You can get all the help you need with Training Your Yorkshire Terrier  from this FREE mini-course, delivered straight to you email inbox

Exercise for The Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is energetic and active but because of his size, he can get most of the exercise he needs by following you about the home. He will enjoy accompanying you on long walks but he should always be on a leash because he has the prey instinct of all terriers and will chase other small animals. He may also get into trouble with other dogs. He has little comprehension of how small he is and will confront other dogs who are twice his size.

 The Yorkshire Terrier's Temperament

The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most popular dog breeds in the USA, being ranked number three out of 157 breeds recorded in the American Kennel Club registrations for 2010. This statistic speaks volumes about the popularity and temperament of this great little dog. He is devoted to his family and fearlessly protective. He is ideally suited to apartment living and craves affection and attention, so he is not suited to being left alone for long periods.

Small children in the home, or visiting, must be aware how small and fragile this dog is. He will not tolerate rough handling and may nip in self-defense.