| Today's Yorkshire Terrier is a far different dog than | | | | great wave of Scottish immigrants in the late 1800's. |
| when the breed appeared in 1865. In over just one | | | | The Scottish breeds were purposefully put to breeds |
| hundred years, the size has been greatly reduced | | | | that were known for killing rats. Yorkshire Terrier |
| from an average weight of thirty pounds to a mere | | | | information sources guess that these breeds included |
| seven pounds today. And the trend is to have the | | | | the Maltese, the Skye and the now extinct breeds of |
| Yorkie (as the breed is affectionately called) get even | | | | Black and Tan English, Waterside and quite possibly |
| smaller, with adults tipping the scales at a mere three | | | | the Manchester Terrier (which still survives, but is |
| pounds. But who knows? Perhaps in the future, there | | | | considered an extremely rare breed). The result was a |
| will be a demand for the Yorkshire Terrier to grow | | | | rat-killing machine that was extremely friendly with |
| back into a thirty pound dog. | | | | people. |
| Like many breeds of dogs, the name does not reflect | | | | As time went on, the need for big working dogs |
| their point of origin. For example, German Shepherds | | | | decreased. People were living in smaller homes and |
| were actually developed in France. And Australian | | | | needed smaller dogs they could physically control |
| Shepherds originated in America. The geographical | | | | easily. The Yorkshire Terrier filled this niche admirably. |
| difference isn't nearly so big, but it is still significant. The | | | | They were a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Not only |
| main stock for today's delicate, adorable and | | | | did they make great guard dogs, but were |
| pampered Yorkshire Terrier came from the unforgiving | | | | affectionate and did not need a lot of exercise. They |
| landscape of Scotland. | | | | were introduced to America in 1872. |
| The Yorkshire Terrier did not originate in the English | | | | Over the last century, Yorkshire Terriers have |
| country of Yorkshire, despite their name. The breed | | | | become ever smaller. The original Yorkies were about |
| became famous when they were perfected in | | | | thirty pounds and came in several colors. Today's |
| Yorkshire. Huddersfield Ben's ancestors came from | | | | show Yorkies are not to exceed seven pounds and |
| various tough little Scottish breeds of terriers, which | | | | must be steel blue and tan (and have those colors in |
| are thought to have included the Scottish Terrier, the | | | | specific proportions). The hot trend is top breed |
| Clydesdale (or Clyde) Terrier and the Paisley Terrier. | | | | Yorkies that tip the scales at three pounds, which has |
| All of these breeds (except the Scottie) are no longer | | | | lead to concerns about the health of breeding such |
| with us, but do live on in the form of Yorkshire Terriers. | | | | small dogs. The Yorkshire Terrier, as of 2006, is the |
| The Scottish breeds inevitably bred with the terrier | | | | second most popular purebred dog in America. |
| breeds already in Yorkshire, which experienced a | | | | |