Yorkshire Terrier

Named for the city of Yorkshire in England, the Yorkshire Terrier (or “Yorkie”) has a luxurious coat and petite body by design. Surprisingly, the Yorkshire was bred for function: Yorkshire Terriers are excellent ratters and were used extensively in mines and as hunting dogs for badger and fox burrows. Today, they enjoy status as one of the most popular toy breeds.

Appearance

Yorkshire Terriers have compact bodies and long, silky hair; also, the practically do not shed. Their coats can be black and gold, black and tan, blue and gold, or blue and tan. They move confidently, often with head held high. They stand roughly 8 to 9 inches tall at the shoulders and generally weigh 4 to 7 pounds.

Personality

As Terriers, Yorkshires are brave to a fault. They can be aggressive to strange dogs and small animals. They may bark a lot, although this behavior can be trained to cease on command. They do, however, make superior watchdogs with their protective nature, keen ears, and relentless barking. Yorkshires can be playful and are generally tolerant of children, as long as their territory is respected. They are intelligent and fairly easy to train.

History

Systematically bred by the working-class, the Yorkshire Terrier seems to claim a number of terrier breeds as ancestors. The result was a small dog with great rat-killing prowess. Yorkshire Terriers were used extensively in areas like mine shafts and clothing mills to control the rodent population. While initially disdained by the wealthy, their unmistakable beauty led them to be popular house pets. Modern Yorkshire Terriers are a result of further reduction to the breed throughout the 1900s.

Care

“Yorkies” are active indoors but should receive regular interaction in the form of games. They appreciate short, leashed walks through safe areas and love to explore. However, the Yorkshire Terrier is not an outdoor dog. The long, silky coat needs to brushed every day or so. They are still terriers at heart and should not be left unsupervised with other small pets like hamsters and rabbits. They are intelligent and take well to obedience training.

Health

Yorkshire Terriers have several major health concerns in the form of portal caval shunt, tracheal collapse, and Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome. They may also suffer from patellar luxation as do many toy breeds. Yorkshire Terriers should receive knee and eye tests along with liver ultrasounds to identify possible portal caval shunt in Yorkshire Terrier puppies.

Conditions Summary

 

• Portal Caval Shunt: a condition that occurs at or near the time of birthing where blood is shunted around the liver instead of through it, creating an inability for the puppy to filter toxic metabolic waste.
• Trancheal Collapse: a condition common in toy breeds where coughing produces a sound like a goose honking. May be caused by trancheal trauma.
• Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome: a degenerative disease of the hip joint.
• Patellar Luxation: a condition where the knee cap moves out of position momentarily, can lead to lameness.

 

References

The Complete Dog Book. New York: Ballantine Books, 2006. Print.

"Yorkshire Terriers: A Guide to Dogs and Puppies of the Yorkshire Terrier Breed." The Dog Guide: Helping You Find Your Perfect Dog. 

"Animal Planet :: Dog Breed Profile :: Yorkshire Terrier." Animal Planet : Pets, Wild Animals, Dog Breeds, Cat Breeds.  

"American Kennel Club - Yorkshire Terrier." American Kennel Club - Akc.org.  

"Portal Caval Shunts (Liver Shunts) in Puppies." Pet Health Care | Dog and Cat Behavior Information by Veterinarians.  

"Coughing in Dogs and Cats: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment." Pet Health Care | Dog and Cat Behavior Information by Veterinarians. 

"Legg-Perthes Disease (Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head) in Dogs." Pet Health Care | Dog and Cat Behavior Information by Veterinarians. 

"Luxating Patella: A Knee Problem in Dogs." Pet Health Care | Dog and Cat Behavior Information by Veterinarians.