Origin

The Yorkshire terrier is a very old breed. It was created about a hundred years ago. No one knows about the proper history of the Yorkshire terrier. This breed usually is a lap dog and over years this has proved to be a great companion. The breed was mixed with many breeds. People say that the Maltese, Dandie dinmont terrier, Tan Manchester etc were the ancestors of the Yorkshire terrier. In 1870 the breed was officially introduced.

General Description

The Yorkshire terrier is a small cute dog with a sweet appearance. They are generally called the lap dog. The most attractive part of the breed is its coat. But I am coming to that afterwards. The breed has a small thin body and it is about 9 inches in height. The head of the breed looks like a small tennis ball. It has a round head and a small round muzzle with a black nose at the tip. Their eyes are big and black coming out of the sockets. They have triangular small ears which stand on their head. The fur on their head is such that it looks like the silky hair of a grown up girl. The Yorkshire terrier has small limbs and legs close to the ground and they are covered by long hair. Their tail is small and docked. They have a long coat hanging downwards and covers their legs and all. They are mainly found in colours like black, tan, steel blue etc.

Character

May be the Yorkshire terrier is small in size but they have lot of personality. They are very enthusiastic, playful and naughty. They love adventure. The Yorkshire terrier is very clever, brave and devoted to their family. The breed is good to kids but they are better for grown up kids. You should not tease them or they might become aggressive. They might take attempts to bite if they smell danger. The breed does not like other animals and dogs. Though they are stubborn sometimes but love to learn new things and that is the reason training them is not tough. They bark too much but if properly trained they would get rid of this.

Temperament

The Yorkshire terrier is very intelligent and brave. Don’t go by their size. They can be very stubborn and love to do adventure. They are even naughty sometimes. Love old kids more than smaller ones. The breed should not be teased at all as they can become aggressive in such situations. The Yorkshire terrier does not mix well with strangers and are aggressive towards other animals and dogs. They prove to be great companions and are sweet family dogs. They are protective of their family and community and are good watch dogs. The Yorkshire terrier has a bad habit of barking but if trained properly can get rid of that.

Training

The Yorkshire terriers are very intelligent and they are really quick learners. Sometimes they may be stubborn. Training must be done with consistency. The trainer should handle the dog with firm hands.

Health

The breed may be affected by bronchitis and tooth decay problems. They are sensitive to anesthesia. Skin problems, paralysis etc are some of the common problems. Their average life span is 12-15 years.