Yorkies, or Yorkshire Terriers, as they are formally known, are fascinating dogs. They have great personalities and are very smart. They are designated in the toy group of dogs because of their small size. According to their breed standard they must not exceed seven pounds.
They have a very characteristic coat as well. Almost all Yorkies have a blue and tan coat. Their coat is also very long and silky if left to grow out.
They are always one of America's favorite breeds of dogs consistently ranked in the top ten. According to the latest statistics from the American Kennel Club (AKC), they are the number two most popular dog breed in America, second only to the Labrador Retriever.
The Yorkie originated in Yorkshire, a territory in northern England. It is believed that Scottish miners coming to England for work brought along several small long haired terriers that would go on to form what we know today as the Yorkie.
Huddersfield Ben, is the dog that is believed to be the foundation sire of this breed. He was born in 1865 in the county of Yorkshire. Legend has it that he won over 70 prizes at ratting contests, thus earning him popularity throughout the region and making him a highly sought after stud dog.
Yorkshire terriers were not their original name. Originally their name was Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers. It wasn't until 1870 that their name was changed.
The Yorkshire Terrier did not arrive to the United States until 1872, and was not recognized until 1885 by the AKC. In fact, this breed is one of the first breeds to be recognized by the AKC. Since their arrival Yorkies have always had widespread popularity in America.
This breed is considered on of the more intelligent dog breeds. In fact one study of dog intelligence ranked them 27 out of 132 breeds. Yorkies are very easy to train and pick up commands quite quickly.
Due to their popularity, breeders are always trying to cross them with other breeds. Some popular combinations are crosses with the Maltese (Morkie), the Miniature Pinscher (Yorkie Pin), and the Poodle (Yorkie-Poo).
Yorkies have also enjoyed a lot of popularity on TV and in movies. In fact one the original dog from the Wizard of Oz was a Yorkie, although it was later played by a Carin Terrier.
As you can see there are many interesting facts about Yorkies. If you want to learn more about this great breed be sure to check out websites and books about this breed.
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