Yorkshire
Terrier
History
The
Yorkshire Terrier is a small, spirited toy dog originated
and developed in Yorkshire, England. As Scottish weavers
migrated from Scotland to England in the mid 19th century,
they brought along various terriers used to hunt rats.
Over time, these terriers were bred together until the
Yorkshire terrier was developed.
Although
the Yorkshire is a “human-made” breed, precisely
what dogs were used in its creation remains largely a
matter of speculation since no breeding records were
kept and the Yorkshire area contained many popular toy
and terrier types that could have been used for crossbreeding.
However, the general consensus is that the Yorkshire
represents the bred-down issue of crosses between Skye
terrier and Manchester terrier.
The
breed was originally used as a working dog but became
a fashionable pet in England in the late Victorian era.
These small, silky-coated terriers were in great demand
by the wealthy families of Yorkshire. Poor farmers and
workers occasionally established a lucrative sideline
by producing puppies to fill that demand, and the competition
to "corner the market" made these breeders
closed-mouthed about their formulas.
They
were originally called Broken-haired Scotch or Yorkshire
Terriers, although their coat is not similar to the other
brokenhaired terriers. In 1870, a reporter at a dog show
stated that the breed should be renamed the Yorkshire
terrier since most of the breed development occurred
in the town of Yorkshire.
The
Yorkie was promoted in the eastern US by Americans who
adored the little dog, as well as in England. The size
of today's toy was set by choosing the smaller specimens
of the original 12-14 pound variety. While the selective
breeding was occurring, size varied from under three
to 13 pounds. Coat, too, was much shorter, though silky
even at that time. Terrier advocates of the time degraded
the "dresser drawer dog" and predicted little
future for him. How wrong they were! By the 20th century,
he was prized throughout the world.
Yorkies
are spunky, which was aptly evidenced by "Smokey," veteran
of WWII. American William Wynne found the Yorkie in a
shell hole near Japanese lines in New Guinea. Nobody
claimed her, so Smokey back-packed through the rest of
the war, accompanying Wynne on 150 air raids and 12 air-sea
rescue missions. She even survived a typhoon at Okinawa.
In between these feats, she learned tricks which entertained
the troops and enabled her to assist the Signal Corps
by carrying a telegraph wire through a 70-foot, eight-inch
pipe. No timid toy, Smokey also jumped from a 30-foot
tower with her specially made parachute. After the War,
Smokey and Wynne were a hit at veterans' hospitals.
Today
the Yorkshire Terrerier stands about 9 in. (22.8 cm)
high at the shoulder and weighs from 4 to 7 lb (1.8–3.2
kg). Its long, straight, glossy coat is finely textured
and is dark steel blue and tan in color. Despite their
size, however, they possess the typical terrier temperament
and are spirited and self-assured. Affectionate and devoted
to their owners, they won't hesitate to sound the alarm
if danger lurks.
Let's
Exchange Links!
|
