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The Yorkie is a very small and lightly built dog, which nevertheless behaves like a very big one: undeterred he chases after small animals and toys, tries to fend off uninvited guests, or to get his way. If you are looking for a companion dog with a strong character for the city, the Yorkshire Terrier is a good choice. You can find out here how to tame the terrier in the Yorkie and how to keep and train puppies properly.
External Characteristics of the Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the smallest dog breeds in Europe and reaches an average height of 18 to 23 cm at the withers. In all breed standards, a maximum weight of 3.2 kilograms is given. Dogs under 1.8 kilograms are considered dwarf (“teacup-sized Yorkshire”) and often have major health problems. In their region of origin in the north of England, they were often referred to as weaver dogs (weaver dogs) – this was not only because the dogs were mainly kept by workers and especially weavers, but also because of their very smooth and beautiful fur, which was hidden behind closed doors for a work of industrious weavers was kept.
The Yorkshire Terrier from crown to tail
- The head is quite small in relation to the body and flat with a short muzzle. He is covered all over with long hair that grows up between dark almond eyes.
- The ears do not hang down like in the Shih Tzu or the Maltese but are set high and stand up straight. The pointed erect ears are well feathered on the sides.
- The nose sponge is black and well padded. The upper and lower lips are clearly visible under the nose, as the hair on the muzzle grows down the sides.
- The body is compact and well-muscled; the backline does not drop backward. Despite short legs, the dog is agile and persistent.
- The tail grows straight and is no longer docked these days. She is covered all over with long hair.
Typical for Yorkshire Terriers: Silky Coat and Steel Blue Basic Color
Only one color is allowed in the breed standard for Yorkies, and all members of the breed have long, straight hair that never appears wavy or curly. Owners describe that the hair is more similar to that of humans and that the dogs trigger fewer reactions in allergy sufferers than other breeds.
Colors in the Yorkie
- More than 99 percent of the puppies are born in the usual color and have steel-blue fur with golden markings (tan) on the ears, muzzle, eyebrows, chest, belly, inside of the legs, and paws.
- The tri-colored Parti Yorkie carries a rare gene and is blue and white piebald with gold tan markings. These dogs are probably descended from a breeding line that has more genes for coat coloration by crossing a white Maltese.
- With the Blonde Parti Yorkie, the golden coat color also predominates on the head and on the back. They can be two or three colors.
- Chocolate Parti Yorkies are solid brown with gold tan markings or brown and white with tan.
Red legged Yorkies are even rarer than Parti Yorkies. They have distinctive red tan markings, a red mask that often covers the entire head, and a dark blue to the black base coat. In the USA, this (purebred) color is crossed more frequently in order to improve the gene pool of the breeding lines. - The basic coat appears almost black in puppies and sometimes brightens considerably over the course of life. In bad breeding lines, the lightning gene leads to hair loss and skin problems.
How does the Yorkie differ from its close and distant relatives?
- Yorkies can almost only be distinguished from Maltese by the color of their fur. Maltese are solid white and a few centimeters taller on average.
- In the larger Skye Terrier, the slanting ears are covered with long hair, and the hair between the eyes and on the forehead grows to the sides, not up.
- The Biewer Terrier, which is not recognized by the FCI, represents the pure breed of the three-colored Yorkies. Instead of the steel-blue basic color, it has black piebalds on its back and head.
- Small Asian dogs like the Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso have long, hairy floppy ears that make the head appear wider. The muzzle is shorter and pointed higher than in Yorkshire Terriers.
- The Pomeranian has a fluffy coat and a friendlier facial expression than the Yorkshire Terrier.
The Australian Silky Terrier has an even finer coat than the Yorkshire Terrier. The Silky Terrier’s coat is glossy when well cared for and often appears silvery or light yellow. Unlike the Yorkie, the tail is only hairy at the base. - Similar British dog breeds such as the Norwich Terrier and Norfolk Terrier have short and noticeably coarser coats.
- The development of the Yorkshire Terrier from a rat dog to a status symbol for the rich and beautiful
- The history of the Yorkshire Terrier as we know it today begins in the mid-19th century.
- Scottish immigrants brought a variety of terriers to Yorkshire and crossed them with local lower-class small dogs. They were often found in mills and weaving mills, where they kept rats and mice away or served as watchdogs that reported any unusual noise at night and thus drove away thieves. After the breed was recognized by the British Kennel Club, the dogs quickly spread throughout Europe and the United States as companion dogs for fine ladies. Today they are valued as family dogs.
Ancestors and descendants of the Yorkie
- The breed developed from crossing the aforementioned weaver dogs with Maltese, Skye Terriers, and the now extinct Paisley Terriers. They probably developed their distinctive prick ears by crossing the English Toy Terrier.
- The Biewer Terrier, originally from Germany, was created by the pure breeding of Parti Yorkies. They are currently only recognized as a breed in Russia.
- The Australian Silky Terrier is also a direct descendant of the Yorkshire Terrier.
Yorkie crossbreeds as Designer Dogs
In the US, there is increasing demand for dogs with unique characteristics and distinctive looks. Many breeders, therefore, concentrate on breeding Designer Dogs and deliberately crossbreed dogs from as many different purebred lines as possible. This creates interesting combinations that can be very different even between siblings.
- More: Mix of Yorkie and Maltese (lighter with drop ears)
- Yorkipoo: Mix of Yorkie and Poodle (wavy hair).
- Shorkie: Mix of Yorkie and Shih Tzu (friendlier and rounder face)
- Chorkie: Chihuahua and Yorkie mix (short or medium coat)
- Romanian: Mix of Yorkie and Pomeranian (fluffy coat)
- Snorkie: mix of Schnauzer and Yorkie (drop ears)
- Yorkie Russell: Mix of Yorkie and Jack Russell Terrier (hairless pronounced, snout longer)