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Some Yorkie Bits...
Yorkies are a long-haired toy terrier with blue and
tan coats. They do not shed their coats as they have hair not fur. This is a
real plus for people with allergies. They should have a neat, compact and well
proportioned body. They have a black nose and their eyes are medium in size,
dark, and sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression. They have small ears
that are V-shaped, carried erect and set not too far apart. The tails are docked
to a medium length and carried slightly higher than the level of the back. The
puppies are born black and tan and show an intermingling of black hair in the
tan until they are more mature. A Yorkie must not exceed seven pounds.
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The History of the Breed:
According to the AKC the Yorkshire Terrier first
appeared at a bench show in England in 1861 as a "broken-haired Scotch Terrier."
The earliest record of a Yorkshire Terrier born in the United States dates to
1872 and became an AKC-recognized breed in 1885.
Some believe the Yorkie
was probably developed for catching the rats that infested the mines, mills, and
factories in Yorkshire and possibly as a hunting dog for badgers and foxes.
Several types of terrier (Skye, Clydesdale, Paisley, English Black, Tan
Manchester, Dandie Dinmont, and Waterside) were crossed to produce the blood
lines of today. Some believe that the Maltese also contributed to the line. The
Yorkie was a much bigger animal then but breeders selectively breed the smallest
animals to obtain the smaller size. Another view was published by Mr. Ed.
Bootman of Halifax, England in a journal called the "English Shopkeeper" in
1887. The article relates the breed to 3 specific dogs. The dogs were reported
to be a cross-bred Scotch Terrier, a Skye, and an Old-English Terrier. I do see
a lot or simularity between the Yorkie and the Scotch Terrier.
The end
result is that most people today consider them a "glamorous dog" and they are
reported to be the number one toy breed (in terms of being the most popular) in
America.
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