Overview

The ultra long, fine, silky coat parts along the spine and falls straight down on either side.  It is steal blue on the body and tail and tan elsewhere.  Puppies are usually black and tan.  The tail is usually docked to half its length.  If the dog is not for showing, the owners usually go for the shaggy look.  A Yorkie has a flat head, medium-sized length muzzle, a black nose and regular teeth.  The eyes are extremely vivacious and the ears are v-shaped, erect or semi-erect.  The tail is docked to medium-length and is so abundant that it is almost always necessary to gather it in a band to keep from going into the dog's food bowl and to give the animal maximum visibility.  Some owners choose to trim the hair on top of the head.

Temperment

A Yorkshire Terrier seems oblivious of its small size.  It is ever eager for adventure and trouble.  This little dog is highly energetic, brave, loyal and clever.  Affectionate with its master, but sometimes suspicious of strangers.  They can be aggressive to strange dogs and small animals.  In other words, they have true terrier heritage.  A Yorkshire does best with older, considerate children.  Yorkies are easy to train, although they can sometimes be stubborn.  The breed is demanding and dependant and needs alot of human attention.  They are an excellent watchdog, defending its territory in no uncertain manner.  They can get snappish if surprised, frightened or over-teased, but are usually very sweet and loving.  They are easy to house train.  A Yorkie should not be over-protected, for they may become neurotic.  Yorkies also like to bark but can easily be taught not to.

Grooming and Exercise

Yorkshire Terriers require regular grooming.  A clipped coat needs daily to weekly combing and brushing.  Topknot is usually tied back with a ribbon.  Full show coats need hours of grooming.  They should have their teeth cleaned regularly.  Yorkies shed no hair and require very little exercise time.  Ten minutes a day outdoors is plenty.

Origin

This breed is only 100 years old or so, but its origins are not entirely certain probably because the working men of north England, who developed the Yorkshire Terrier for catching the terrible rats that infested the mine shafts and as a hunting dog that could penetrate into badger and fox burrows, avoided divulging the secret of their success likely that Scotsmen seeking work in the woolen mills of Yorkshire brought with them various types of terrier, including the Skye and the now extinct Clydesdale.  These were then crossed with local types, such as the long haired Leeds Terrier.  The Maltese, Black & Tan Manchester and Dandie Dinmont Terriers may also have contributed blood lines.  At first, the Yorkie was a much bigger animal than the one we see today, but by selectively breeding the smallest individuals, the dog was gradually miniaturized over the years.  They were made into a fashion dog.  Women carried these little dogs in their bags and under their arms.  The first Yorkshire Terrier, with the characteristics demanded by its standard today, appeared in a dog show in 1870.