Yorkshire Terriers, more commonly known as Yorkies, are one of the most popular toy dog breeds. They make great companions and love attention! They are very affectionate but demand plenty of time and devotion from their owners.

This breed is only about 100 year old. It was developed in northern England to catch rats that lived in mine shafts. It was also used as a hunting dog that could go into fox and badger burrows. It is not clear, however, how they developed this breed. It is thought that they came from crossing terriers like Skye and Clydesdale with other terriers such as the Leeds, Maltese, Dandie Dinmont and the Black and Tan Manchester. The Yorkie breed was originally much bigger than it is now, but people have selectively bred the smallest dogs to make this dog tiny. It became a fashion dog and was often carried around by women in their bags. Today, the average weight of this dog is seven pounds.

The Yorkie has as very silky, long coat that parts at the spine and grows down either side of the dog. Unlike many other breeds, the hair of this breed does not stop growing. It needs to be cut regularly. It also does not have an undercoat which prevents it from shedding. This is great if you suffer from allergies because you won't have to worry about hair being everywhere. The coat is blue and tan, but puppies are black and tan. As the dog matures, the black becomes blue.

Although the Yorkie is very small, these dogs seem oblivious of this. They don't seem to be scared of anything! They are very adventurous, energetic, loyal, playful, brave, sweet, loving and intelligent. Yorkies are extremely affectionate with their owners but are often suspicious when strangers come around. If other small animals come around, they can even be aggressive. This breed is very dependant and demanding of its owners. It needs more human attention than most breeds. This dog makes a great lap dog and enjoys being held all day more than anything.

The Yorkie doesn't do well with small children but is tolerant of older children if they treat the dog with care. The dog can be territorial and likes to have its own space. Yorkies learn things very easily but can become willful which sometimes makes training difficult. You must be consistent and firm when training. They also can be difficult to housebreak. This breed does best with praise because they love attention and hate to be ignored.

One of the most demanding requirements of this dog is grooming. It needs to be groomed every day. The coat needs to be brushed and the eyes and ears need to be cleaned. Also, the teeth should be cleaned regularly. The hair on top of the head is usually tied back with a bow or band.

Because of the Yorkie's small size, it is very fragile and needs to be treated with care. It can get hurt very easily and must be watched. They are also prone to teeth problems so you need to make sure you take care of their teeth.

This dog makes a great companion that will give you lots of love. Just make sure you have the time to devote to this dog as they do require lots of your time. If you care for the dog properly, it can live for twelve to fifteen years.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Dogs