Yorkshire Terrier
"I'm cute, I'm cuddly - I'm a Yorkie!"
...Mr. YorkieTerrier
Where Did the Yorkshire Terrier Come From
Yorkshire Terriers originally came from Yorkshire, England, but were quickly found in Manchester and Leeds as well. When the Scottish started coming to England in the 1860s and 1870s, they brought their Scottish Terriers along with them. We know that the Scottish Terrier is a part of the Yorkshire Terrier heritage, but we do not know for certain what other breed or breeds were combined to produce the Yorkshire Terrier.
In spite of this, like Scottish Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers were originally working dogs. It was their job to keep rodents and such under control, and they were very good at it. Yorkshire Terriers worked in mines, mills, and even in shops and homes to contain the rat and vermin population.
That heritage still exists in the breed today, and you may notice your own Yorkshire Terrier effectively tracking and killing rodents in and around your home. For them, it's just good fun. Yorkshire Terriers were also used as hunting dogs, because of their unique ability to flush out game that hid in small boroughs and dens.
The dog thought to be the foundation sire of the Yorkshire Terriers was born in 1865. His name was Huddersfield Ben, and he was owned by M.A. Foster. In those days, there were actual rat killing contests held, where dogs competed, and this foundation sire won more than 70 prizes in dog shows as well as in rat killing contests.
The Yorkshire Terrier appeared in the United States in 1872, but was not a recognized breed by the American Kennel Club until 1878. Ironically, while today's Yorkshire Terrier weighs between three and seven pounds, it was not unusual for a Yorkie to weigh upwards of thirty pounds as far back as the 1930s. Information is not available as to what caused the difference in weight and size, but it was most likely due to breeding practices.
Today, the Yorkshire Terrier is the second most popular breed, next to Labrador retrievers. This makes the Yorkie the most popular small dog in the United States. While this special breed no longer competes in rat killing contests, they do compete in Rally contests, herding contests, obedience contests, and many others - quite successfully. Other than this, however, Yorkshire Terriers are pampered pets today and no longer considered to be working animals.
Next Article: Yorkshire Terrier Clubs and Organizations