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¬ (informally known as a Yorkie) is a breed of dog in the terrier category. The long-haired terrier is known for its playful demeanor and distinctive blue and tan coat.Yorkies can be very small, usually weighing no more than 7 pounds (3.18 kg); the standard of this breed does not mention the minimum weight accepted nor does it specify a height. They are very friendly and handle children well.

DESCRIPTION

Appearance

¬ Breed standard specifies that the dog is small. athletic build suitable for an active lifestyle and should hold itself in an upright and confident manner. It is a short toy dog and weighs next to nothing but still needs daily exercise. It is usually fuzzy and brown.

¬ Yorkshire Terriers are a long-haired breed with no undercoat; unlike their short haired friends, they shed very little. Rather, their hair is like human hair in that it grows continuously and falls out rarely (only when brushed or broken). Additionally, since Yorkies carry less dander on their coat, they generally do not have the unpleasant "wet dog" odor when wet, and they may not affect as many people who suffer from dog-related allergies.

¬ Yorkie puppies are born with a black and tan coat and normally have a smart coat filled with puffy exteriors until they mature. The breed standard for adult Yorkies places prime importance on coat color, quality, and texture. The hair must be glossy, fine, and silky. However, some have very fine hair that makes it feel a bit different and are thus harder to care for. From the back of the neck to the base of the tail, the coat should be a dark gray to a steel-blue. Hair on the tail should be a darker blue. On the head, high chest, and legs, hair should be a bright, rich tan, darker at the roots than in the middle, and shading to still lighter tan at the tips. Some Yorkies never turn the usual tan and continue to be gray. There should be no dark hairs intermingled with any of the tan in adult dogs. Many Yorkies do not conform to the standard for coat color; the tan may range from a very light blonde to a darker brown, while the body may be black or silvery gray. Many pet-quality Yorkies have "wooley" coats which are sometimes completely black across the back. The hair never "breaks" into the dark steel blue that is preferred in the breed because the coat texture is not a pure silk - the favorable coat texture. The Yorkie's nose, lips, eye-rims, paw-pads, and nails should be darkly pigmented. The breed standard requires that the Yorkshire Terrier's hair be perfectly straight (not wavy). If the coat is the correct silky texture, maintenance for it is relatively easy, requiring a daily brushing and a bath every month. For show purposes, the coat is grown-out long and is parted down the middle of the back, but may be trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance. Hair on the feet and the tips of ears can also be trimmed. The traditional long, show length coat is extremely high maintenance, requiring hours of daily brushing. To maintain the long coats of show dogs (between exhibitions), the hair may be wrapped in rice paper, tissue paper, or plastic, after a light oiling with a coat oil made for show coats, which prevents the hairs from being broken easily and keeps the coat in condition. The oil has to be washed out once a week and the wraps must be fixed periodically during the week to prevent them from sliding down and breaking the hair. As a more practical alternative, many Yorkie-owners opt to keep the dog's coat trimmed to a shorter all-over length.

Build and Proportions

¬ The Yorkshire Terrier head should be rather flat and so small. The teeth should have either a "scissors bite" or a "level bite" (no underbite or overbite). The Yorkie's dark eyes are not too prominent, but should be sparkling, with sharp intelligent expression, and placed to look directly forward. The small, V-shaped ears are set high on the head, not too far apart, and should be carried erect. In some kennel clubs, ears that do not stand up are cause for automatic disqualification.

¬ The breed standard dictates that a Yorkshire Terrier must weigh no more than between 4 and 7 pounds for the AKC show ring. There is no distinction made in the standard between Yorkies of various sizes (i.e. there is no "teacup" or "standard" within the breed standard). The compact body of a Yorkie is well proportioned with a level back that is the same height at the base of the neck than at the base of the tail. The tail is carried slightly higher than the level of the back. In a standing position, the Yorkie's front legs should be straight. The back legs should be straight when viewed from behind, but moderately bent when viewed from the side.

¬ Often, a Yorkie's dewclaws, if any, are removed in the first few days of life. The AKC and UKC breed standards explicitly permit dewclaws to be removed, while the standards of other kennel clubs do not mention it.

¬ Traditionally, the Yorkie's tail is docked to a medium length. In America, almost all breeders dock the tails of puppies. However, since the 1990s, there has been a growing movement to ban the practice of cosmetic tail docking. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association and the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals oppose tail docking. As of 2007, several nations have enacted prohibitions on docking, including Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland. A docked tail is part of the AKC, ANKC, CKC, NZKC, and UKC breed standards for Yorkshire Terriers. The FCI and KC breed standards indicate the tail is customarily docked, but the KC standard gives specifications for an undocked tail ("as straight as possible; length to give a well balanced appearance").

¬ Although a toy breed, the Yorkie still retains much of its terrier ancestry in terms of personality. Individual dogs will differ, but they are generally very intelligent, independent, and courageous. Yorkshire Terriers are quick to determine where they fit in a household's "pack." Their behavior towards outsiders will vary - they often will be inclined to bark at strangers, but some Yorkies are outgoing and friendly towards new people while others are aloof. The differences in behavior in this regard are largely based on how the owner trains or conditions (and socializes) the Yorkie. Some Yorkshire Terriers may be timid or nervous, rather than bold, but the vast majority do seem to meet the breed standard for a confident, vigorous, and self-important personality. The following distinctive qualities are likely to be present in a Yorkshire Terrier: oblivious of its small size, it is eager for adventure. It is highly energetic, brave, loyal, and clever. Affectionate with its master, it can become suspicious of strangers and aggressive to strange dogs, if not properly socialized. Some people allow them to get away with behavior no dog should display. They can become yappy, as the dog does his best to tell you what he wants you to do. They can develop jealous behaviors and become snappish if surprised, frightened, or over-teased. Because of their small size they are recommended for older, considerate children. If given the proper boundaries by owners and if proper pack-leader behavior is displayed, training can be easy. Housebreaking requires simple consistency. The Yorkie is an excellent watchdog.