Duration - 60 mins
You'll be taken step-by-step through all the stages of Yorkie ownership, including: what to look for in a breeder, choosing the right puppy from a litter, puppy proofing your home, transporting your Yorkie, what to do when you get home, toilet training, puppy's first visit to the vet, health advice, exercise routines, the importance of socialisation and training and much more.
The Yorkshire Terrier originated just over a hundred years ago in Britain so is a fairly new breed compared to others.
Originally, Scottish agricultural workers kept small blue and tan terriers possibly related to the Skye Terrier or the English Black and Tan, for hunting and keeping their homes vermin free. These dogs were larger than the Yorkie we know today. During the Industrial Revolution in the 1850s there was mass movement of workers down into the Yorkshire and Lancashire areas and of course, the dogs moved too.
These 'Scotch Terriers,' sometimes also known as 'Clydesdale Terriers' or 'Halifax Terriers' were interbred with local small terriers. Records were not kept but we suspect the Manchester Terrier, Dandie Dinmont and the Waterside terriers were involved so that the workers could create better hunters. These dogs were essential to allow successful poaching. The terriers were bred smaller so they could successfully burrow down into holes but also be carried around easily for discretion since poaching was highly illegal.
The Yorkie we know today has a beautiful long coat as the owners needed a longer coat to allow them to easily retrieve their dogs from the burrows. We suspect this mainly came about by interbreeding with the Maltese Terrier.
The final product was a tiny, tenacious hunter with a stunning coat and a strong inclination to bond with its owner.
Popular belief states that the Yorkie was used to guard small children from rat bites at night; one Yorkie on guard at the head of the bed and another at the foot, rather like furry guardian angels. though somewhat less benign. Yorkies certainly love close contact with their family and their terrier instincts can be triggered in a split second.
The breed was first formally shown in 1861 as the Broken Haired Scotch Terrier, then later became known as the Yorkshire Terrier and was recognized as such by the Kennel Club in 1886.
It is during that decade that the Yorkie was transported to the United States and after a slow start, soon grew in popularity.
Nowadays the Yorkie is classed as a Toy breed and is often seen sporting perfectly preened coats, hair accessories or simply spending its days in its owner's arms. However, you should always remember the Yorkie's origins as a treasured breed of 'the working classes' and a renowned ratter and hunter.
The Yorkshire Terrier is today held in high esteem as a beloved companion breed with a tendency for a bright and energetic character and any owner is certainly going to get a lot of personality in their tiny canine friend.
The breed is included in the Toy Group rather than the Terrier Group though the terrier courageousness certainly remains!
The breed standard for the Yorkshire Terrier states it should weigh in at no more than 7 lbs. Yorkies do come in various sizes and certainly larger ones do make great pets for owners who do not wish to show. The size variation has brought about different names such as Tea-Cup or miniature, however, these are not recognized variations and any owner should be careful about sourcing a pup that will be smaller than the breed standard.
A Yorkshire Terrier will bond very strongly with its main carer and will be protective over its family and home. They perform as good watchdogs and will bark at any disturbance outside the home.
You will need to be prepared to spend time socializing and training your Yorkie as their feisty nature can be problematic. Their tendency to defend their owner can cause issues when other family members or visitors are around and the tendency to over-bond with an indulgent owner can result in great distress when separated for even short times. These issues can be avoided if new owners take time to teach their Yorkie social skills and utilize their amazing intelligence.
As a small dog, Yorkies are often bought as children's companions. This does not always work as they are small, very fragile and easily overwhelmed. Their reactive nature can be worrying unless the dog has been extremely well socialized and trained. Even a dog as tiny as this can be dangerous; remember what it was originally bred for. Adult supervision is highly recommended at all times when children are around any dog.
The Yorkshire Terrier requires a home where the rules are consistent and where it is not spoiled or it is likely to develop status-related problems as it tries to take over the top-dog position. Their tiny frame and gorgeous black eyes may make your heart melt but you are doing your pet a disservice if you don't also acknowledge its true canine potential and treat it like a dog. Otherwise, your Yorkie is likely to love the petting and spoiling but be quick to tell you off when you or another person does something that displeases him!
Yorkies certainly like to be the boss!