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A very brief history of the Yorkshire Terrier

It's hard to believe that the Yorkshire Terrier, commonly known as a "Yorkie", was originally bred in England over 100 years ago to serve as a working dog catching mice and rats. Today, Yorkies typically are loveable, loyal pets that want nothing more than to be with their human at all possible moments. If your Yorkie isn't on your lap, he'll probably be following you around waiting for a chance to get there. I've also found that the Yorkies I've met have a strong desire to "kiss" everyone. The habit of licking everyone can be stopped, but why? The Yorkshire Terrier is a small breed with a very small tongue that is almost cat-like in it's dryness – they don't slobber.

Yorkie Rescue

There are many Yorkshire Terrier Rescue agencies, some are even non-profit, that can help if you decide this is what you would like to do. Some yorkies end up in shelters due to health complications that the owner is unwilling to undertake, others come from "puppy mills" or pet stores. Sometimes an owner will just give up a dog due to relocation or having childern. No matter what the case, there are some yorkies out there that just need some love and a good home.

There are no "Teacup" Yorkies!

The Standard for the Yorkshire Terrier breed is between four to seven pounds and is classified by the American Kennel Club to be in the Toy Group. Be aware that there is no such thing as a "teacup" Yorkie. Any Yorkshire Terrier bred purposely to be under four pounds may ultimately suffer from health issues. The breed is small to begin with, and although they are brave and curious by nature, they are obviously more delicate than larger dogs, even the size of a Beagle. Keep in mind that they may not be able to jump into bed with you (depending on the height of your bed). Most Yorkies require a step of some sort – I made one so ours can get on and off the couch. I do not recommend sleeping with your Yorkie simply due to the danger of it's small size.

Can a Yorkie be trained?

By all means, yes. They are a breed of Terrier, so they can be stubborn at times. A little patience and the proper training program is required. Since we can't be without him, we take ours on vacation. He spends hours in his carrier without a peep. And since he's paper trained, you can take him into an airport restroom, get out a "wee wee pad", and have him do his business. You will get some strange looks, but most people just laugh.

About the paper training. A four pound dog – well, let's just say not much goes in or comes out. We paper trained ours and gave him a location in the basement that's his restroom. (Note that it's a finished basement – no dangers. Actually, I built him his own bedroom, but that's another story). When he feels the need, he runs downstairs and does his job. Usually he comes back up and alerts us. We go downstairs, praise him, give him a treat, and clean up. It's small and doesn't sit long so there's no odor. We live in a climate that is not very fun to walk a dog in at times. And we never have to. When we go on vacation, we take "wee wee pads" with us and show him where they are – he does the rest.

For more info on training:

The legal stuff

Well, in today's world I have to say it: The owner of this website will not be held responsible for the content or use of any information contained herein. The purpose of this website is for a little fun and information, it is by no means meant to be used as a reference.

In summary

If you're still with me, thanks for listening. I'm only hoping to give a little insight and hopefully some help. If you've already got a Yorkie, you understand why people love to talk about them. If you don't have one yet, get ready to have a dog that has more love and personality than you can imagine!

Where I think you should go...

I suggest that you take a look at the American Kennel Club website (www.AKC.org) and the Yorkshire Terriers of America website (www.YTCA.org) for more information. They latter can also help connect you with a local, reputable breeder.