History of the Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie)
The beginnings of the Yorkshire Terrier breed appear to be something that has had a great deal of debate over the years. In my research I have found a number of variations of the stories of these early years of the breed. It is well known that in the 1800’s record keeping of the breeding of dogs was not a priority.
The Yorkie evolved from a number of different breeds of terriers. In the 1800’s during England’s Industrial Revolution, the Scottish people looking for work, travelled with their terriers which included the Skye, Clydesdale, and the Paisley Terriers. These breeds would soon breed with the Waterside Terriers already in England. This is the beginnings of our Yorkshire Terrier.
As the story goes the Yorkie was originally known as the ‘Broken Haired Scotch Terrier’, due to its Scottish origin. In the early years of this breed, the statue of the dog was bigger than what we know it as now. Around 1861 a man called Angus Sunderland decided they should be named the Yorkshire Terrier. He believed that so many of the refinements to this breed had come about in the county of Yorkshire and this justified the name change. In 1874 the name of Yorkshire Terrier became official in England. The popularity of the Yorkie grew, and it was no longer considered to be a working dog (in the mines or the factories as ratters), but became a very highly prized dog to have, often owned by Royalty and the upper class.
By 1872, the Yorkies were making their way over to America as their popularity increased in England. By 1878 the American Kennel Club (AKC) officially registered the breed.
This is a brief outline of the very beginning of the Yorkshire Terrier Breed. Much more information can be found on the internet.
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FAQ Yorkie Questions
Here you will find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Yorkshire Terriers.