| Yorkshire Terriers, according to Yorkshire Terrier | | | | dog breeding at this time. It is also thought that dog |
| information sources, originally came from Scotland and | | | | breeding was considered such a secret business that |
| bred with native terriers. The founding father was | | | | no records were kept for fear of the knowledge |
| named Huddersfield Ben. Yorkshire Terriers were | | | | getting out to competitors. Yorkshire Terriers got their |
| originally bred to kill mice and rats. There are very few | | | | name because the breed was perfected in Yorkshire. |
| records of dog breeding from this time. Yorkshire | | | | Yorkshire Terriers were bred to be specialists in killing |
| terriers were originally bred to kill rats, not to be a | | | | rats. They were (and still are) thought to be more |
| fashion accessory. They arrived in America as early | | | | reliable at killing mice and rats than cats. They were |
| as 1872 and have never looked back. | | | | also bred to bark when they found their prey and to |
| If you took a trip back in time to 1870, you probably | | | | let their masters know where they are. The mining |
| would have a hard time recognizing a Yorkshire | | | | industry thrived in Yorkshire at this time - and the |
| Terrier. In about one hundred thirty years, the breed | | | | mines were full of rats. They were until the Yorkshire |
| has gone through tremendous changes in their looks | | | | Terriers got to work. |
| and in their functions. But the Yorkshire Terrier has | | | | As time went on, the need for big working dogs |
| adapted to the great changes that the Industrial | | | | decreased. People were living in smaller homes and |
| Revolution brought to the economy and to family life. | | | | needed smaller dogs they could physically control |
| Yorkies back then weighed about thirty pounds and | | | | easily. The Yorkshire Terrier filled this niche admirably. |
| came in more colors than just blue and tan. | | | | They were a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Not only |
| Back in the 1870's, word was getting around about the | | | | did they make great guard dogs, but were |
| great pups from a sire named Huddersfield Ben, who | | | | affectionate and did not need a lot of exercise. They |
| was born in 1865. Huddersfield Ben was considered an | | | | were introduced to America in 1872. |
| ideal dog - a champion ratter as well as being friendly | | | | Over the last century, Yorkshire Terriers have |
| and handsome. Any dog that resembled Huddersfield | | | | become ever smaller. The original Yorkies were about |
| Ben had to have been from Yorkshire, where Ben | | | | thirty pounds and came in several colors. Today's |
| lived. Yorkshire dog breeders kept their breeding | | | | show Yorkies are not to exceed seven pounds and |
| methods secret so they could be assured of buyers. | | | | must be steel blue and tan (and have those colors in |
| His puppies eventually became known as Yorkshire | | | | specific proportions). The hot trend is top breed |
| Terriers. | | | | Yorkies that tip the scales at three pounds, which has |
| Back in 1865 - the year of Huddersfield Ben's birth - | | | | lead to concerns about the health of breeding such |
| dogs were bred to exhibit useful qualities, not for their | | | | small dogs. The Yorkshire Terrier, as of 2006, is the |
| looks. There also was not much interest in keeping | | | | second most popular purebred dog in America. |
| breeds pure. There are very few accurate records of | | | | |