The Yorkshire terrier’s development dates back to the mid 19th century in the Lancashire and Yorkshire counties of the United Kingdom. It owes its lineage to the presently extinct terrier breeds of Scotland. Besides the Scottish terriers (terrier breeds of Scotland, not the Scottish terrier), other breeds also played a significant role in the Yorkies’ development. The prominent ones include the Dandie Dinmont, Skye Terrier, Paisley Terrier, and even the Maltese, as per historical sources.
The Scott weavers bred these tough terriers as ratters to put them at work in textile mills to chase rodents that were a nuance there. Its agile build and small body would perhaps help it easily squeeze through the nooks and corners in pursuit of prey.
Their popularity reached its peak in around 1886 after the Kennel Club of England gave it formal recognition. The Yorkie no longer remained out-and-out working dogs. It made a direct entry into the elite ladies’ homes as their companions.
The Yorkies migrated to North America in 1872, gaining the American Kennel Club’s recognition in 1885. They have always been popular and, in 2021, ranked 13th as per the AKC’s Most Popular Dogs.
Particolored Yorkies are primarily of three colors, black, tan, and white being the primary colorations. The parti gene leads to the development of such dogs. When both parents carry the same gene, the resultant puppy would also be particolored.
