Originally Posted by feminvstr
(Post 1642467)
The Yorkshire Terrier doesn’t look like a product of the working class, nor does it look like a ratter, but it is both. In fact, the Yorkshire area of England is known for producing fine animals, and it is thought that the Yorkie was no accident but rather the result of purposeful crosses between a variety of terriers, probably including the Waterside Terrier, Clydesdale Terrier, Paisley Terrier, rough-coated English Black and Tan Terrier, and perhaps even the Skye Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and Maltese. The Waterside Terrier was one of its major progenitors; these were small blue-gray dogs with fairly long hair, usually weighing around 10 pounds, brought from Scotland by weavers. Because of its modest roots, the Yorkshire Terrier was initially looked down upon by the wealthier dog fanciers. Even the most snobbish could not deny the breed’s obvious beauty, however, and in short order, Yorkies were gracing show rings and the laps of wealthy mistresses. By 1880, Yorkies had come to America, but the breed varied so much in size that there was great confusion concerning how big a Yorkshire Terrier should be. Many of these early Yorkies weighed between 12 and 14 pounds. By 1900, fanciers on both sides of the Atlantic had decided that the small size was preferable and made a concerted effort to breed a smaller Yorkie with even longer coat. They were successful, and the modern Yorkshire Terrier is one of the smaller and most luxuriously coated dogs in existence. These traits, along with its terrier heritage, have placed it as a consistent favorite with pet owners and show fanciers alike.
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