Dog breed · England
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than [dose — ask your vet] (7 lb). It originated in the nineteenth century in the English county of Yorkshire, after which it is named. The coat is tan on the head and dark steel-grey on the body; no other colour is accepted by either The Kennel Club or the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
It is playful and energetic, usually kept as a companion dog. It has contributed to the development of other breeds including the Silky Terrier, and also to cross-breeds such as the Yorkipoo.
Temperament: The ideal Yorkshire Terrier character or "personality" has been described by the Kennel Club as having a "carriage very upright conveying an important air".
Yorkshire Terriers are ranked 27th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs.
Coat: For adult Yorkshire Terriers, The American Kennel Club places importance on coat colour, quality, and texture. According to The Kennel Club (UK), the hair must be glossy, fine, straight, and silky. Traditionally the coat is grown out very long and is parted down the middle of the back, but "must never impede movement.". The hair of the Yorkshire Terrier can be used to determine content of metals in the dog organism.
From the back of the neck to the base of the tail, the coat should be a dark grey to a black colour, and the hair on the tail should be a darker black. According to the American Kennel Club Breed Standard, on the head, high chest and legs, the hair should be a bright, rich tan, darker at the roots than in the middle, that shades into a lighter tan at the tips, but not for all dogs. Also, in adult dogs there should be no black hairs intermingled with any of the tan-coloured fur. The fine, straight, silky coat is considered hypoallergenic.
Adult Yorkshire Terriers whose coat colours deviate from the standard, or that have woolly or extra fine coats, are still Yorkshire Terriers. The only difference is that it is not recommended to intentionally breed atypical Yorkshire Terriers. In addition, care may be more difficult for "woolly" or "cottony" textured coats, or coats that are overly fine. Coats may vary in colour. For example, a mature Yorkie may have a silver-blue with light brown, while another might have a black and creamy colour.
The long coat on the Yorkshire Terrier requires regular brushing.
Health: Health issues often seen in the Yorkshire Terrier include bronchitis, lymphangiectasia, portosystemic shunt, cataracts, and keratitis sicca. Additionally, Yorkies often have a delicate digestive system, with vomiting or diarrhoea resulting from consumption of foods outside of a regular diet. The relatively small size of the Yorkshire Terrier means that it usually has a poor tolerance for anaesthesia. Additionally, a toy dog such as the Yorkie is more likely to be injured by falls, other dogs, and owner clumsiness.
The Yorkshire Terrier has an above average life expectancy. A 2013 study in the UK of patient records found the breed to have a life expectancy of 13 years, higher than the average. A similar 2022 study in the UK found the breed to have a life expectancy of 12 and a half years. A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.3 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds. A study in Japan based on pet cemetery data found a life expectancy of 14.3 years, above the average life expectancy.[1] A 2024 Italian study found a life expectancy of 13 years for the breed compared to 10 years overall.
Colour dilution alopecia, a form of alopecia associated with blue colour coats is common in the Yorkshire Terrier.
Health conditions that can be found in Yorkshire Terriers, include distichiasis, hydrocephalus, hypoplasia of dens, Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome, luxating patella, portosystemic shunt, retinal dysplasia, and bladder stones. The following are other health conditions that affect the breed:
Distichiae, eyelashes arising from an abnormal spot (usually the duct of the meibomian gland at the edge of the eyelid), are often found in Yorkies. Distichiae can irritate the eye and cause tearing, squinting, inflammation, corneal abrasions or corneal ulcers, and scarring. Treatment options may include manual removal, electrolysis, or surgery.
History: The Yorkshire Terrier originated in Yorkshire. In the mid-nineteenth century, workers from Scotland came to Yorkshire in search of work and brought with them several varieties of terrier dogs. Breeding of the Yorkshire terrier was "principally accomplished by the people – mostly operatives in cotton and woollen mills – in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire." In the 1800s, miners wanting to develop a ratting terrier, bred Black-and-Tan Terriers with the Paisley and Clydesdale Terriers.
Details are scarce. Mrs A. Foster is quoted as saying in 1886,
If we consider that the mill operatives who originated the breed were nearly all ignorant men, unaccustomed to imparting information for public use, we may see some reason why reliable facts have not been easily attained.
