Yorkshire terrier, or Yorkie as popularly called, is a tiny dog with a strong personality, rightly nicknamed ‘tomboy toy,’ as it is courageous, determined, and feisty. One of its USPs is its floor-length, flowing coat that adds to its cuteness. No wonder, eventually, the Yorkies transitioned from their status of fierce ratters to adorable beribboned pets of the elite Victorian women.
The Yorkshire terrier is a favorite among urbanites, perfect for an apartment stay due to its small size, excellent watching dog skills, and relatively long lifespan. Besides their coat, other prominent features that add to their cuteness include a flat head, well-proportioned body, small dark eyes, and v-shaped ears.
Some Yorkies display an outgoing and friendly behavior towards strangers after knowing his intent, while a few may remain reserved and stern throughout their interaction, just as any true terrier would do.
If thinking about the Yorkies’ reaction with your kids, they seem more apt for older children than the little ones. The Yorkies are a bit behind in patience and may lose their temper quickly. No wonder they find it a little challenging to cope with the kids’ boisterous behavior and would take no time to snap back.
They do well with other family dogs and cats too. They could get a little challenging for smaller pets. However, with proper socialization and obedience, your dog could eventually learn to mingle well with everyone in the household, from humans to pets.
Before bringing a Yorkie home, keep one thing in mind, they detest staying alone for too long, barely 4 hrs at a stretch for the adult dogs. So, get one to your family only if you are willing to give it plenty of time and attention that it mostly craves for.
Miners crossed the Black and tan terrier with the Clydesdale and Paisley terriers to develop ratters
Debuted as Broken-haired Scottish terrier (the Yorkie’s previous name) at one of the bench shows in England
Huddersfield Ben, the founding sire of the present-day Yorkshire terriers, was born
Officially named the Yorkshire terrier after its place of origin
Introduction of this breed in North America
Registered in the Stud Book of the British Kennel Club
Gained the American Kennel Club’s recognition
Formation of the Yorkshire Terrier Club in England
Dip in its popularity since the percentage of small breeds’ registration fell to 18%.
Foundation of the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America
Ranked 6th in terms of popularity by the American Kennel Club
These small dogs will stay healthy and hearty when given their daily dose of exercise. A 15-20 minute walk twice a day teamed with a ball game or any similar activity in the backyard or garden would be more than enough to keep them charged. Just mind taking them on a leash, lest it could get difficult controlling your Yorkie if their chasing instinct gets triggered upon seeing small pets on their way. They would even do well in dog sports such as agility and obedience.
They have a long, straight single coat, covered with fine, silky, glossy hair, closely replicating a human’s. This gorgeous coat no doubt enhances their elegance and beauty, but at the same time needs a good amount of grooming to be kept in place. Daily brushing is a mandate, especially if you plan to keep it long and flowing.
If the coat is trimmed on a routine basis, then too brushing it at least 2-3 times each week is a must to keep it free from matts and tangles. Take special care about the hair on top of its head. You could either trim it or arrange it to form a top knot to prevent eye irritation. If you find managing its hair a mammoth task, seek a professional’s help in this regard.
Bathe it once a week using a vet-approved shampoo to retain its coat’s shine and glitter.
Like other small breeds, the Yorkie is no exception when it comes to dental problems, needing proper oral hygiene, including regular brushing of their teeth and yearly cleaning by the vet. Check their ears for debris, eyes for redness or any infection, and trim their nails whenever they get long.
Fiesty and energetic, the Yorkshire terrier needs good quality food, homemade or store-bought. Their food must contain all the essential nutrients contributing towards their growth and development like protein, carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. If you are going for ready-made food, you may opt for brands like Royal Canin, and Purina.
The boons involving training a Yorkie are their love for their owners, eagerness to please, and intelligence. The bane is their curiosity and stubbornness that might sometimes make handling them difficult.
Obedience training, particularly acquainting them with basic commands since their puppyhood, would eventually help discipline them as they grow.
In the first or second week after bringing the Yorkie puppy home, start training them to wear a leash else, taking them out would be challenging due to their terrier-like chasing instincts.
Socialization is another arena that you need to work on with your Yorkie. Acquaint them with various situations, people, and dogs, so they gradually learn to become adaptable.
Their price range typically varies between $1500 and $3000.
The Silky Terrier and Yorkshire terrier look similar because of their long and beautiful hair. Yet, each varies from the other in many aspects. The Silky terrier appears well-muscled and bigger than the Yorkie. They also have a wedge-shaped head against the round head of the Yorkshire terrier.
Though most of the Yorkies weigh 7 pounds on average, the large or giant-sized Yorkshire terriers are known to reach about 10 or even 15 pounds.
