Mary Allen
The Yorkshire Terrier is an intelligent, lively, and courageous dog with a cute exterior. You can find out everything about the history, character, and attitude of a Yorkie in the profile.
History of the Yorkshire Terrier
When industrialization began in England, many Scottish workers came from the countryside to the big cities. They brought their native dogs like the Skye Terrier and the now extinct Clydesdale with them. From the 19th century onwards, poor workers in the industrial towns of northern England in the county of Yorkshire deliberately bred small terriers.
The Yorkshire Terrier’s initial job was to keep towns and cities free of rats and mice. Later, workers also used them to illegally hunt rabbits and in rat pits. Over time, they crossed so many breeds that the exact genetic history of the Yorkie is now unclear.
The breeders of the time placed great importance on reducing the size and weight of the Yorkies in order to make the dog interesting even in high society. The focus on a long and silky coat also came to the fore.
The farmers and workers were able to make a profit from breeding and sold many specimens to the nobility. The Yorkies as we know them today are believed to have descended from a male terrier named Old Crab and a female named Kitty.
An offspring of the two, the show dog Huddersfield Ben won several awards and is now considered the progenitor of the breed. The breed was registered in the studbook in 1874, although official recognition only came in 1886. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Yorkshire Terrier was one of the most popular miniature dogs in Britain. A little later it also began to spread outside the country. In the 1970s there was a real hype and many wanted the little dog.
Essence and Character
Despite its small size, the Yorkshire Terrier is a very brave and confident dog. In the best terrier manner, he is bright and anything but a cute lapdog. Especially towards other, also much larger dogs, he likes to behave briskly and tends to overestimate himself. He prefers to bark at other dogs from his master’s or mistress’ armor from the bicycle basket.
When it comes to training, the little terriers need consistent guidance, otherwise, they shamelessly exploit their cute appearance. The dogs take their job of protecting the house and the owners very seriously and can bark if poorly trained. If you take the loyal and eager-to-learn terrier seriously as a “real” dog and make good use of it, you will be rewarded with a companion with strong nerves for everyday life.
Getting a Yorkshire Terrier
What do I need to pay attention to when purchasing?
Before you decide to buy a Yorkshire Terrier, you should be sure that the dog with the dazzling personality suits you. After all, the little terrier will remain part of your family for a long time, with a life expectancy of up to 15 years. When you have decided to give a Yorkie puppy a new home, you need to find a trustworthy breeder.
Unfortunately, you will find a lot of dubious suppliers on the Internet who sell their puppies at cheap prices. You should avoid these offers and not buy a puppy out of pity. Here you often get sick or behaviorally disturbed animals. In addition, the purchase of the animals encourages the dubious suppliers to continue breeding. This should of course be avoided.
You are much better off with a breeder who is affiliated with the Club for Terriers e.V. These breeders have to follow strict rules and you will get a purebred and healthy puppy. Of course, this also has its price and you have to invest around 1000€ for a Yorkie puppy. A good alternative to a young dog from a breeder is to adopt a Yorkie or a mixed breed from the animal shelter. You will always find terriers who have gotten into trouble through no fault of their own and are now eking out their existence in the sanctuary. These dogs are often very grateful and happy about any kind of affection.
Puppy development and education
As cute as the little Yorkies look – you can’t compromise when it comes to training them. The little terriers are sly old dogs and need an experienced dog owner to show them where to go. Even as a puppy, the dog needs a reference person who can assert himself and show him his limits. With consistency and praise, you can quickly achieve success and prevent unwanted behavior. Especially with other dogs, the dog must be socialized at a young age, otherwise, he likes to show off.
It is important to give the little whirlwind enough time to understand what he is allowed to do and what not. You should also stop barking in the house at an early stage. Treat him like a real dog, don’t carry him in your arms or in a bag, and don’t make the mistake of patting him too much just because he’s a cute little four-legged friend.
How Do I Keep a Yorkshire Terrier?
Activities with the Yorkshire Terrier
Keeping the Yorkshire Terrier is not a problem given enough time. Originally a hunting dog, the Yorkie has a strong need for exercise and needs his daily walks. Due to its small size, you can easily take it with you everywhere and also explore new walkies. However, you should always keep an eye on the little one so that he doesn’t scoot off into the undergrowth.
To compensate for his hunting instinct, the little dog can be enthusiastic about hunting and search games in which he can use his nose. Many members of the breed love to dig and you should make sure he gets the opportunity to do so. Otherwise, he’ll get it himself and you won’t be happy with the result.