Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and of all dog breeds, weighing no more than 3.2 kg (7 lb).

The coat is tan on the head and dark steel-grey on the body. No other colour is accepted by The Kennel Club or the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. The hair is glossy, fine, straight and silky, and is traditionally grown very long and parted down the middle of the back.

The Yorkshire Terrier is playful and energetic, and is usually kept as a companion dog.

The breed began in the nineteenth century in the English county of Yorkshire, which gave it its name. In the mid-1800s, workers from Scotland came to Yorkshire looking for work and brought several varieties of terrier with them. The breed was developed mostly by people working in the cotton and woollen mills of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Miners wanting a ratting terrier are also said to have bred Black-and-Tan Terriers with Paisley and Clydesdale Terriers.

Details are scarce. The breed is traced to a male called Old Crab, a female called Kitty and another female whose name is unknown. The Paisley Terrier, a smaller relative of the Skye Terrier with a long silky coat, also played a part, and some authorities believed the Maltese was used too.

In the late 1860s a show dog called Huddersfield Ben, owned by Mary Ann Foster, defined the breed type. He is still called the father of the breed. The Yorkshire Terrier reached North America in 1872 and was a popular pet and show dog in Victorian England. It has since helped create other breeds such as the Silky Terrier and the Biewer Terrier.

Yorkshire Terriers are playful and energetic. The Kennel Club describes the ideal character as having a very upright carriage that conveys an important air.

In Stanley Coren's ranking in The Intelligence of Dogs, the breed comes 27th.

Yorkshire Terriers have an above average life expectancy. UK studies have found about 12.5 to 13.3 years, compared with 12.7 for purebreds and 12 for crossbreeds in a 2024 study.

Conditions often seen in the breed include bronchitis, lymphangiectasia, cataracts, dry eye (keratitis sicca), distichiae (abnormal eyelashes), luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps) and portosystemic shunt of the liver, while Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease of the hip occurs in certain lines, bladder stones can be found, and tracheal collapse affects very tiny Yorkies especially. Periodontal disease is very common. Colour dilution alopecia is common in blue-coated dogs, and low blood sugar affects very tiny puppies in particular.

Yorkies often have a delicate digestive system, and their small size usually means a poor tolerance for anaesthesia. As a toy breed they are also more easily injured by falls and other dogs.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

What is a Yorkie?

A Yorkie is a Yorkshire Terrier, a British toy terrier from Yorkshire. It weighs no more than 3.2 kg and is usually kept as a companion.

How long do Yorkshire Terriers live?

UK studies have found a life expectancy of around 12.5 to 13.3 years, which is above average. A Japanese study found 14.3 years.

Are Yorkshire Terriers hypoallergenic?

They are often listed that way and do not shed to the same degree as many breeds. However, allergic reactions are typically triggered by dander and saliva, and allergists say one person's luck with a dog cannot be applied to whole breeds.

Do Yorkshire Terriers shed?

They lose only small amounts of hair, mostly when brushed or bathed. The long coat is high maintenance and can knot if not brushed.

What colour is a Yorkshire Terrier?

The standard is a dark steel-grey body with tan on the head, chest and legs. Puppies can take three or more years for the final colour to arrive. Unusual colours exist, but colour alone does not affect whether a dog makes a good companion.

In 1997, Champion Ozmilion Mystification became the first Yorkie to win Best in Show at Crufts.

A Yorkshire Terrier called Sylvia, from Blackburn, was the smallest dog in recorded history. She stood 6.4 cm at the shoulder and weighed 110 g when she died aged two in 1945.

Smoky, a Yorkie and World War II war dog, is credited with reviving interest in the breed.

The breed's hair has even been used to measure metal content in the dog's body.