The Yorkshire Terrier

Appearance

A small, compact, agile, alert sturdy dog with engaging personality, spirited with dauntless courage, great intelligence, easily trainable, an admirable watchdog, fearless and tenacious, a lovable companion. Yes - this is a Yorkshire TERRIER!

The most outstanding feature of the Yorkshire Terrier, distinguishing him from all other small breeds, is his long, silken textured coat. It should be remembered, however, that this lustrous coat can and will look its best only with constant grooming and attention from the owner.

History

Small terriers, long since vanished from the homes and hills of Scotland, are considered forbears of our delightful breed. The Waterside Terrier was developed by the mid-1700's by country folk to keep homes safe from rats and other vermin. Small terriers, such as the now extinct Clydesdale or Paisley Terrier, the Skye Terrier, and the black and tan English Terrier, are possibly ancestors. Later called Scotch Terriers, they moved, with their Scotsmen owners, south to Yorkshire for work. Breed development continued, and the pretty blue and tan Yorkshire Terrier, as it is known today, was finally recognised by the Kennel Council of England as a breed.
Born in 1865, Huddersfield Ben, regarded as the Father of the Breed, was the first registered Yorkshire Terrier in the United Kingdom. The first Yorkshire Terrier known to have been in Australia was "Punch," exported to Brisbane. from England around 1872 by Mr J Spink. "Punch", was a close relative of Huddersfield Ben. From that time the breed has made its mark in the Dog World of Australia.

Temperament

Yorkies today are not bred for the sole purpose of killing rats, nor for hunting of any kind, but the breed standard was developed to preserve that vigorous attitude long after the rats were gone! So when the "ratter" is taken out of our little dog, something that was meant to be preserved forever, disappears. Yorkies slinking around with tails clamped, jumping at the slightest sound, can hardly said to be conveying an "important" air and should not be used for breeding. They don't even make good pets! Take away that "spirited and even disposition", and you don't have a true Yorkshire Terrier.

Care / Grooming

Feeding
The Yorkie has a reasonably small appetite, and a large tablespoon of food for each meal usually satisfies. Puppies and growing dogs require more food a day than the fully grown dog. Four meals a day are necessary when young. When fully mature, one, or at the most two, meals a day are sufficient. Whatever food is given must be well balanced and wholesome.
Grooming
The true essence of the Yorkshire Terrier - that which sets it apart from other small breeds - is it's coat.
The glossy silky coat is very similar to human hair in that it continues to grow and requires trimming. It does not shed. The coat should be brushed daily, and shampooed regularly, to maintain a healthy shiny coat.
A Yorkie in full show coat is a magnificent sight, but much care and attention is necessary to maintain a full length show coat. One of the most important points is to always ensure your Yorkie's coat is clean, and free from fleas. Scratching will break the coat and some Yorkies will chew a great lump out of the coat when they are itchy. Some also love to rub their heads and body on the carpet - this also breaks the coat. Use a flea repellant regularly.

The Yorkie's coat requires brushing every day - use a pure bristle brush, not plastic or nylon. A rolling-tooth comb is a wonderful accessory for combing out knots (available from most Pet Shops at around $8). Sit down and put your Yorkie on your lap upside down and brush the underneath of the body as well - especially checking under the arms and neck for mats. Grass seeds can cause matting. Train your puppy to lie on its back in this manner and when they get used to it, they do enjoy it, and it is so easy to groom.

The pet owner who has neither the time nor the inclination to give his charge the necessary daily brushing would be well advised to trim the coat to a manageable length and maintain it this way. This provides a short carefree and clean coat which still requires grooming, but is much easier to manage.

Health

Health, Care and Development
Yorkshire Terriers are a healthy breed, with very slight incidence of inherited disorders amongst the breed in Australia.
It is important that a owners recognise that a Yorkshire Terrier is a very active dog and will expend vast amounts of energy running around jumping up and down on and off furniture, leaping much higher than it's height, therefore putting stress on particularly it's back legs. This environmental aspect can lead to Laxating patellas - too much exercise too soon in a young dog.
Laxating patella (slipping kneecaps) can also be an inherited problem.
Teeth should always be kept clean. Various products are available for chewing, but care should be taken that small pieces do not become lodged in the throat. Cleaning products are available – check with your Veterinarian. Failure to keep teeth clean can mean gum disease and early extraction of most teeth. Bad teeth and gum infections can also lead to heart disease.

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