Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies) are feisty, adventurous, and spunky small dogs. They are sporty and wild, cuddly and affectionate, and love to travel and go on an adventure. They are extremely loyal and family-oriented dogs. Yorkshire Terriers are small breed dogs with amazing and vibrant personalities. They are loving, fun, playful, and attention-seeking dogs. They love to perform tricks and are good at sports too. Yorkies are elegant toy-sized small breed dogs with an average weight of 4 to 6 pounds and an average height of 8 to 9 inches. They have a glamorous long silky hypoallergenic coat, sparkling dark eyes, a little black nose, and small pointy ears.
BREED TYPE / MIX
Purebred
TEMPERAMENT
Courageous, Energetic, Independent, Playful
ENERGY
Moderate/High
ADULT WEIGHT
4-6 lbs
SHEDDING
Minimum
ADULT HEIGHT
8-9 in
TRAINING
Determined
LIFE SPAN
Characteristics
- Alert, protective, and vigilant, the Yorkshire Terrier is a great watchdog and one of the best lap dogs you could have.
- Yorkie puppies are quite easy to train. These toy dogs are recognized for being obedient and quick learners.
- Adventurous, explorers at heart, Yorkshire Terriers are great travel buddies.
- The Yorkshire Terriers have a long lifespan, averaging between 16 to 18 years.
- The highly receptive, affectionate, and loyal nature of the Yorkie has earned it a great reputation as a therapy dog.
- The Yorkie is a hypoallergenic breed of dog with low-shedding fur.
- Yorkie puppies are highly adaptable; they thrive well in both small apartments and large homes.
- Yorkies are suitable for both active and laid-back lifestyles.
- Friendly, outgoing, and great with kids, pets, and everyone, the Yorkshire Terrier is a great choice.
- The Yorkie is an affectionate, happy-go-lucky breed of dog best suited for families, singles, seniors, and first-timers.
- The AKC states that the Yorkie Terrier Dog is the 10th most popular dog breed in America.
- The Yorkshire Terrier breed has been recognized by the American Kennel Club since 1885.
Appearance
Their appearance is both gracious and elegant, with their heads held high, giving a proud and confident look to these Yorkshire Terriers.
The Yorkshire Terrier belongs to the Toy Group and has a small stature, measuring an average of 4 to 6 pounds in weight and 8 to 9 inches in height for a full-grown adult Yorkie.
The small stature of a Yorkie varies according to the breed and sex of the dog. The female is slightly smaller than the male. Teacup, Miniature or Mini Yorkie, Toy, and Micro are varieties of the Yorkshire Terrier dog. The Teacup Yorkie has a slightly smaller stature than a full-grown Yorkie when it is fully grown.
The physical features of the Yorkie include a small compact and well-proportioned body, a medium-length muzzle, dark sparkly eyes, and small pointy ears.
The coat of the Yorkie is composed of a long straight, silky, and soft glossy hair with light shedding and is also hypoallergenic. The coat of the Yorkie is golden tan with steel blue. However, the puppies of the Yorkie have a much darker coat. The light shades of the coat of the Yorkie puppies develop as they grow.
The official recognition of the Yorkie is not known. However, the Yorkie comes in various sizes and colors. The most sought-after types of Yorkies include:
- Parti
- Teacup
- Toy
- Miniature – Mini
- Micro
- Micro Teacup
Other popular Yorkie colors include:
- White
- Black and Tan
- Black
- Chocolate Yorkie
- Merle
- Black and White
- Blonde Yorkie
- Brown
- Silver
- Black and Brown Yorkies
Among these colors, there are a few that are categorized as rare. These include solid colors like silver, brown, white, black, and blonde, as well as parti colors like black and brown, and black and white.
Temperament
The energetic and playful Yorkie is a small dog with a big personality and loves to run and hike, fetch and chase, and will have a blast with “hide my treats so I can go seek.” This is a strong, speedy, and athletic small dog who loves canine sports and is good at agility, rally, and obedience.
The popularity of this breed stems from the fact that these small dogs have all the qualities of a bigger dog. The Yorkie is a feisty, fearless, and protective little warrior who will not be intimidated by any other dog regardless of its size. These dogs are bold and have a curious nature and are tenacious explorers who like to check things out and be aware of every little corner of their surroundings.
The Yorkies are fun and spunky little dogs who are independent and love to keep themselves entertained with a toy.
Loving, cuddly, and affectionate, the Yorkshire terriers are one hundred percent devoted to their human family. They are quite fond of attention and love to perform, entertain, and get applause from an audience.
The personality of the Yorkshire Terrier resembles that of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. These dogs are small, hardy, and very friendly.
History
From the hard-working utility dog to the most adored cuddly lap dog, the Yorkshire Terrier, also known as the Yorkie, has quite the colorful history.
The Yorkshire Terrier, or the Yorkie, was brought to England in the early part of the 19th century along with the Scottish laborers who came to Yorkshire in search of jobs. The small dogs soon proved themselves to be quite skilled hunters, thus becoming utility dogs, or rodent hunters, in the mills and mines of Yorkshire. Some historians also claim that the Yorkie is related to the Skye Terrier, one of the most popular dog breeds in northern England.
The proud, elegant Yorkshire Terrier was soon noticed by the rich ladies of the court, and it wasn’t long before the small dog became the status symbol of the Victorian era, representing wealth, in the mid-1800’s. From this point on, the Yorkies arrived in America in 1870, where they were officially recognized as a breed, named the “Yorkshire Terrier”.
A show dog with numerous accolades to its name won, a war hero who saved lives during World War II, and the first-ever therapy dog in history, the Yorkshire Terrier has earned an incredible number of accolades over the course of history. Being greatly loved across the globe and having other notable fans such as President Richard Nixon and actresses Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Portman, who all owned a Yorkie at one point in time, the small terrier is and remains to this day one of the most popular toy breeds in the world.
Throughout the past few decades, as the breed’s popularity peaked, the Yorkie began to be used as a parent to various Yorkie mix breeds.
The most popular Yorkie mixes in the United States are:
- Morkie
- Yorkie Poo
- Yorkie Chon
- Shorkie
- Chorkie
- Yorkie Pom
- Havashire
Other Yorkshire Terrier mix breeds are:
- Snorkie
- Dorkie
- Yorkie Russell or Jorkie
- Pugshire
- Yorksky
- Corkie
- Borkie
- Carkie