05/09/2024
"History Of Yorkshire Terrier "
The first Yorkshire Terrier on record is Huddersfield Ben, acknowledged to be the foundation sire of the breed. Ben was born in 1865 and hailed from the county of Yorkshire in northern England, from which the breed's name comes. This rugged region was notorious for its hardworking coal miners and mill workers, who needed these tough little dogs to keep vermin under control in the mines and textile mills.
The specific breeds that make up the Yorkie are not known. It is believed that the Skye Terrier, Maltese, black and tan Manchester Terrier, now-extinct Leeds Terrier, and possibly the Dandie Dinmont Terrier were the main forebears. Originally called Broken-Haired Scotch or Yorkshire Terriers, the name Yorkshire Terrier became official in 1870. Yorkshires were initially much bigger dogs, but as their reputation as good-looking and reliable working dogs spread, they quickly became more popular as companion pets for high society. As a result, they were bred smaller and smaller.
It didn't take long for the Yorkie to become popular all over England, and subsequently, in the United States.
