Yorkshire Terrier

History/Origin
The Yorkshire Terrier that we know today is considered a product of the English and Scottish terriers when the Scots were moved in England because of the Industrial Revolution.

Although the dog breeds from which the early Yorkshire Terrier came from are still unknown, there has been speculations that it could have been originated from the Old English Black and Tan. The Old English Black and Tan is also believed to be the ancestor of Welsh Terrier, the Waterside Terrier, and the Clydesdale Terrier. The early Yorkshire Terrier was once called "Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier" since it has a wire hair that can catch rats and vermin. It was only in 1870 when this dog type was renamed Yorkshire Terrier. It was named after the country where it was thought to have came from -- Yorkshire, England.

Description
The Yorkshire Terrier has a small, compact body and weighs 5 – 7 lbs. It is often called Yorkie and it belongs in the toy dog types. It can be observed that it looks self-assured and confident because it stands itself upright. It has a tan and steel blue coat, which hangs and parts down in the middle of its back. Some dogs may have black and gray coats, but all of them have hairs that are generally wavy. It is advisable to trim its soft and long hair for them to have good grooming. The standards for this dog type also recommend the Yorkshire Terrier to have darkly pigmented paw-pads, eye-rims, and nose.

Temperament
Although the Yorkshire Terrier is classified as a toy dog, it retains its strong characteristic from its Terrier predecessor. It is very intelligent and territorial despite its small built. It usually attacks bigger dogs but can get along with some dog breeds and even with cats. This dog breed is also a good companion for kids but they have to be supervised for safer playing. The Yorkshire Terrier is lively, spunky, and independent, which labels this dog type to have a strong personality. It is advisable for owners to always look after this dog because they can get hurt and injured easily. Albeit smart and active, this canine is quite hard to train because of its prey drive instinct and its nature to act without human involvement.