Fun & Interesting Yorkshire Terrier Dog Breed Facts

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Yorkshire Terrier History in Scotland

The history of Yorkshire terrier dogs is quite interesting. You might not have guessed it from looking at today's primped little princesses, but at one time, these live status symbols were, well... just regular old dogs! They were in fact, Scotland's own live exterminators destined to chase down and kill off rodents. Otherwise known as "ratters," Yorkies kept mice, rats, and other unpleasant vermin away from bedrooms and kitchens.

"The average Yorkshire terrier can learn a new trick after about 15 repetitions."

History of the Yorkie Breed in England 

In England, Yorkies played a different role. England Yorkies helped poachers hunt down and kill rabbits. Although it's a theory, the history of Yorkshire terriers claims that hunters took advantage of the Yorkie's natural ability to chase after things, and of course the Yorkie's size. Then they used the Yorkie's naturally long hair to either pull both the dog and its catch out of rabbit holes, or to quickly grab the dog on their way to run from the law.

The Yorkshire Terrier Dog as a Miner 

No, the Yorkie didn't search for gold, but the gold in its coat helped coal miners see it inside dark mines. Here, Yorkies were responsible for transporting wire through tubing, and they replaced both the white and black dogs that originally held this position. Prior to "Yorkie Mining," white dogs got too grimy and the black dogs couldn't be seen. The Yorkie's black hair however hid the soot inside the mines that they worked, and its gold hair made them visible.

History of the Yorkshire Terrier Dog Breed in Contests 

Yorkies also participated in unusual contests that involved chasing after rats! Imagine a bunch of rats caged in a huge open-top box. Then imagine a few Yorkies chasing those rats inside this box. Long ago, men would bet on which Yorkie would catch a set number of rats in the least amount of time. If you think these events were the pastimes of the poor and uneducated, think again. These were the pastimes of rich Yorkshire hunters.

It wasn't until 1861 that the Yorkie appeared in the first dog show even though at the time, it wasn't known as the Yorkie. It was known as the Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier instead.

Yorkie Pole 

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Great calendars to fill your life with Yorkies even more: 

2009 Yorkshire Terrier Wall Calendar

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Yorkshire Terrier 2009 Wall Calendar

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Yorkshire Terrier Playing Cards

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Yorkshire Terriers 2004 Calendar

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The Yorkshire Terrier in America 

We started calling this breed "Yorkshire" in 1870 as a way to credit the history of Yorkshire terriers and their origin. This is also when the first Yorkie landed on American soil. The very first Yorkie registered with the AKC entered the registry in 1878 and the breed managed to maintain its role as a status symbol ever since. Its popularity only fell during the 40s, but it sharply rose during World War II thanks to "Smoky," a famous war Yorkie.

Learn more about the Yorkshire Terrier dog breed with these books: 

Yorkshire Terriers for Dummies

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Yorkshire Terrier: Your Happy Healthy Pet

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The Yorkshire Terrier (Terra Nova Series)

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A New Owner's Guide to Yorkshire Terriers (JG Dog)

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"For more details about the Yorkshire terrier, use the 1st link below to go to MinistryOfDogs.com."

Yorkshire Terrier on the Web 

Yorkshire Terrier Dog Breed Profile
Learn more about the amazing Yorkshire Terrier breed in this detailed profile.
Yorkshire Terrier Club
Yorkshire Terrier Club of America
Wikipedia
Yorkshire terrier entry on Wikipedia.

Yorkshire Terrier Doing Tricks 

Yorkies are smarter than the average dog. This is a big part of their great appeal.

Yorkshire Terrier Felix cute tricks performance

This is Felix again... he`s getting more and more cute. Here you can watch all the tricks he knows so far. Sometimes ge gets stubborn, but he tries him best to make you smile!!! Enjoy it, tell me what you think about it??

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Funny, Silly, Wacky Yorkies 

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I hope you enjoyed learning more about Yorkie dogs. Please leave a comment below. You can tell me what you love most about this great dog breed or about your own Yorkie.

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Share your favorite Yorkie story. Tell us about your own Yorkie dog. Comment about what you think of this lens.

tdove wrote...

Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!

ReplyPosted January 15, 2009

naturegirl7 wrote...

Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens link to the appropriate plexo and vote for it.

ReplyPosted January 10, 2009

danismom97 wrote...

We were the proud parents of a Yorkie for 3 years. He, unfortunately, is no longer with us he passed away last year. Yorkies truly are a entertaining breed. I'll never forget the first time Yorkie (my daughter named him) dropped a field mouse at my feet..he was so proud of himself. LOL..Great lens! Thank you for submitting it to my ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS GROUP. 5*'s

ReplyPosted January 02, 2009

WhippetTalk wrote...

Great Yorkie information and worthy of a Purple Paw Award! Thanks for submitting it to my Secret World of Whippets Lens!

ReplyPosted September 02, 2008