Learn All About The Yorkshire Terrier Breed

It is not uncommon to find a yorkshire terrier on the streets. They are those cute, long-haired, active and intelligent puppies who don’t hesitate to bark even at the biggest of their peers. Considered an ideal companion animal, especially if you live in places with little space, many guardians tend to be tempted to decorate them with bows and even dress them, as if they were little children or toys.

where does the yorkshire terrier come from

This breed of dog comes from crosses between various types of terriers that, in the mid-nineteenth century, taken by workers from Scotland to Yorkshire, a municipality in northern England, in search of work. Employed in coal mines, mills and cotton and wool factories, they used their dogs to hunt rodents  that infested these places.

As textile industry workers used to pet these dogs with lanolin-impregnated hands, over time this practice made the fur of these animals grow faster, also increasing their shine and silkiness.

This was how the breed evolved until its standards were defined in 1865 and its official name was adopted in 1870. Its popularity grew and the breed was chosen as a companion and exhibition animal, transcending the boundaries of the kingdom.

Physical characteristics of these popular dogs

Proportional and graceful, Yorkshire Terriers are members of one of the smallest dog breeds in the world. His physical attributes include:

• Height: between 20 and 30 centimeters.
• Weight: between 1.5 and 3.20 kilos.

• Ears: Small, triangular and erect.
• Eyes: Full of life and alert.
• Muzzle : Short with black nose.
• Tail : Medium length. For reasons that some insist on being aesthetic, puppies’ tails are usually clipped to half their natural length.
• Coat : Straight, long, shiny and abundant, brown, black and gray.
• Life expectancy: 12 to 15 years.

Know the character of these tiny dogs

Mischievous and cheerful, yorkies become very attached to tutors and are sociable and affectionate. They have a good relationship with children – as long as they are treated kindly – ​​as well as with other dogs or pets.

But beware, if they are not educated and socialized properly, they can become spoiled and capricious creatures and bark compulsively. Also consider that they are very protective dogs and that they will mark their territory to strangers.

And although they are adapted to small homes, the ideal is that they exercise regularly to keep themselves healthy and balanced both physically and mentally. Therefore, these dogs must walk daily. Also, they are very active animals and need you to spend time playing with them. They learn very fast and tend to be very good at tests of agility.

One thing to keep in mind is that they don’t like to be alone for too long. They are always looking for the company of their tutors.

Health and Special Care for the Yorkie

These friendly puppies are prone to develop hereditary eye problems such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and keratitis (dry or ulcerative). That’s why periodic veterinary evaluation is recommended to keep these problems under control.

In addition, they can present:

• Orthopedic problems such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease and patellar dislocation.
• Von Willebrand disease, a congenital condition that involves failure of blood to clot.

• hypothyroidism

On the other hand, given the characteristics of their coat, in order to be silky and shiny, they require daily brushing and a good comb to remove all the tangles that usually form. This takes time and patience. Or the possibility of taking him regularly to a pet shop that offers bathing and grooming.