INTERESTING AND FUN FACTS ABOUT YORKSHIRE TERRIER

Known for their tiny size and big personality, the Yorkshire Terriers are one of the most adorable and cute-looking canines present today on this planet. These pooches are immensely popular all over the world and they are affectionately called as Yorkies. But, did you know, this breed had a very different name up until 1870?

There are quite a few things about the Yorkshire Terriers that many people aren’t aware of and thus, in this article, we are going to discuss some of the most fascinating facts about Yorkies that every canine-lover would be delighted to know.

General Facts about Yorkshire Terriers

• Name:

  These dogs were called as Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers when they first arrived in England. But, because this breed was perfected in Yorkshire (England), many people felt this breed deserved a new name and thus to honor the place where this breed was improved and refined, its name was changed to Yorkshire Terrier in the year 1870.

• Popularity:

  The Yorkshire Terriers are currently placed at #09 spot in the list of most popular dog breeds that is formulated by AKC and features a whopping 190 distinct canine breeds from all around the world.

• Purpose:

  Like most other terrier breeds, the Yorkshire Terriers were also bred for hunting purposes. But their hunting skills were primarily focused on rats. The workers in Scotland used these small-sized canines to keep their workplaces free of rats and their tiny structure and plucky personality definitely helped them a lot to hunt down their prey in very small spaces and areas.

Facts about Yorkshire Terriers’ Body

• Coat:

  This is probably the most talked about feature of this breed. Yorkies have a long and beautiful coat that can easily reach to the ground if left unattended and uncut for a long time. These pooches don’t shed their fur that often and their coat can become 2 feet long if it is not trimmed regularly.

• Size:

  In the past, the Yorkshire Terriers were fairly bigger in size. They used to weigh around 5 to 6.5 Kilograms, but as the breeders wanted a smaller breed to hunt rodents in small spaces, these canines were crossed with other tiny breeds. And, that led to the creation of the Yorkshire Terriers that were perfectly suited for hunting as their size decreased and now, their average weight would lie somewhere between the range of 2-3.5 Kilograms.

Historical Facts about Yorkshire Terriers

• Origin:

  At the time of industrial revolution, numerous Scottish Workers moved to Yorkshire, England for work-related reasons. These workers brought several different canines with them to England and they used them to hunt down small preys like rats and other rodents. These pooches were bred with other terrier breeds like the Tan Toy Terriers, the English Black Terriers, and the Waterside Terriers so as to improve the existing breed and decrease its size. The result of this breeding led to the formation of the Yorkshire Terriers and gradually these canines developed into the Yorkies that everyone knows and adores today.

• Smoky, the Yorkie:

  During the Second World War, a Yorkie named smoky is believed to have saved the lives of numerous American Soldiers. This pooch was rescued by an American Soldier Bill Wynne from a foxhole and he took her in as his companion. Smoky, due to its small size, helped the American soldiers by dragging the communication cables through long and slender pits and this allowed the soldiers who were trapped in the pits to radio for help. Smoky also acted as a Therapy dog for the wounded soldiers and it helped them to overcome the stress and pressure that a war has on someone’s mind and body.

• Huddersfield Ben:

  The Father of all Yorkshire Terriers is considered to be a ratting champion and an excellent show-dog named Huddersfield Ben. This pooch laid the foundation for the whole Yorkie breed and he won over 70 awards in various canine competitions.

• AKC Recognition:

  This breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in the year 1885.

Temperamental Facts about Yorkshire Terriers

• Courageous & Reliable:

  Although they are very small in size, the Yorkies are still considered to be great watchdogs. These pooches have a bold and courageous character and they are known to effectively alert their owners in case of any intruders by means of barking.

Miscellaneous Facts about Yorkshire Terriers

• President Nixon:

  The 37th President of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon was also a Yorkie admirer. He had a Yorkie named Pasha who lived with two other canines in the white house but Pasha was the favorite of the bunch and was immensely adored and loved by the whole Nixon family.

• Celebrity owners:

  Over the years, several celebrities have owned these cute little pooches. These include Miley Cyrus, Tom Brady, Heather Locklear, Hilary Duff, Jay Mohr et cetera.