partycolor yorkshire terrier

Breed History

How The Breed Was Formed

Today's Yorkshire Terrier is very different from the early Yorkshire
Terriers of the USA. There are varying accounts of the
origins of this breed and its development.

Before 1750, most British people worked in agriculture. The onset of
the Industrial Revolution brought great changes to family life. In
Yorkshire, small communities grew up around coal mines, textile mills and factories. People were drawn to these areas to seek work from as far away as Scotland. They brought with them a breed known as the Clydesdale Terrier, or Paisley Terrier. These were primarily working dogs, much larger than today's Yorkies, and were used for catching rats and other small mammals.

These terriers were inevitably crossed with other types of terrier,
probably the English Black and Tan Toy Terrier, and the Skye Terrier;
it is also thought that at some stage the Maltese Terrier was crossed
with these breeds to help produce long coats. As the outline of the
Maltese resembles that of many of today's Yorkies, this is very
likely. Unfortunately, no records in the form of Pedigrees exist to
confirm these crosses (possibly because of the poor level of literacy
in these times), but a great deal is known about the type of people
who bred them, and there can be no doubt that early breeders had a
very clear idea of the type of dogs they were attempting to produce.
We can see in today's Yorkies how strongly the terrier temperament has been retained.

Early Yorkshire Terriers and Breeders

One of the most famous early Yorkies was Huddersfield Ben, bred by a Mr. Eastwood and owned by Mr. M.A. Foster. Huddersfield Ben was born in 1865 and died in 1871, and can be said to be the father of the modern Yorkie. In his day "Ben" was a very popular stud dog who won many prizes in the show ring, and had tremendous influence in setting breed type.

In 1874 the first Yorkies were registered in the British Kennel Club
stud book. They were referred to as "Broken Haired Scottish Terriers"
or "Yorkshire Terriers", until 1886, when the Kennel Club recognised
the Yorkshire Terrier as an individual breed. The first Yorkshire
Terrier breed club was formed in 1898. During these early years, one
who greatly influenced the breed was Lady Edith Wyndham-Dawson. Lady Edith was secretary of the Yorkshire Terrier Club for some time and did much early work for the improvement of the breed. Later, a Miss Palmer, who was Lady Edith's kennel maid, started her own Yorkie kennel under the "Winpal" prefix. When Lady Edith returned to Ireland at the start of World War I, Miss Palmer went to work for Mrs.
Crookshank of the famous Johnstounburn prefix, a name with a long list of champions, which is now in the care of Daphne Hillman, who was entrusted with this prefix, and still uses it along with her own
Yorkfold prefix.

Many others have worked very hard since these early years to improve this breed, and to these breeders much is owed. Many of their early dogs became the foundation stock of kennels in North America and elsewhere.

Yorkies Today

The Yorkshire Terrier now flourishes throughout the world and the
early breeders who were instrumental in producing the diminutive toy
terrier of today would surely be astounded at the success of this
delightful breed. In 1932 only 300 Yorkies were registered with the
British Kennel Club, in 1957 the number was 2313, and in the 1970's
Yorkies were the most popular breed in Britain. This trend continued
until 1990 with a record of 25,665 Yorkies registered. However, this
figure has now begun to drop, and in 1994 there were 12343
registrations, with the Yorkie being recorded as the 7th most popular
breed.

The most famous Yorkshire Terrier of modern times in the UK was CH Blairsville Royal Seal. He was by CH Beechrise Surprise and his dam was CH Blairsville Most Royale. "Tosha" to his friends (of whom he had many) was bred, owned and handled by Mr. Brian Lister and his wife, Rita. Tosha was definitely a 'King' among dogs and no one who saw him flowing around the ring could ever forget him. His prescence could be felt, even by a complete novice, and many say that just thinking of him brings a lump to the throat. During his show career Tosha won 50 CCs, all under different judges. He was 12 times Best In Show at all breed CH shows, and 16 times Reserve Best In Show. He took 33 Group wins, and went Reserve Best In Show at Cruft's in 1978, just as his dam had done before him. Tosha was Top Dog, all breeds, for two consecutive years. He became the sire of many prolific Champions and still features in the pedigree of many of today's Yorkies.

Ironically, when Royal Seal died, aged 15, in 1988, that year his
breed record for the highest number of CCs in the breed was broken by Osman Sameja's CH Ozmilion Dedication "Jamie", who finished his show career with 52 CCs, although a few of these were duplicated under the same judges. Jamie also has two all breed CH show wins, and his many Toy group wins helped him to win the Top Dog title in 1987. The Ozmilion kennel is the top Yorkshire Terrier kennel of all time, and holds the record for the number of Champions produced.

Following on from this, Jamie's grandson, Ch. Ozmilion Mystification
broke another record in 1997 by being the first Yorkie ever to win the
coveted Best In Show award at the most prestigious dog show, Cruft's. "Justin" was retired after this event, having to his credit a total 51 CCs, 48 with Best of Breed, 22 Group wins, 9 Club BIS, and at All
Breed Shows, 7 RBIS and 3 BIS awards. He was Top Yorkie from
1994-1997, Top Dog All Breeds 1996, Crufts Supreme Champion 1997, and Pedigree Chum Champion overall Stakes winner 1997.

Some record of achievement! In this same year, the great "Jamie" died.

Yorkies in North America

The first Yorkie to become an American Champion was Bradford Harry, who gained his title in 1889. He was the great-great-grandson of Huddersfield Ben, and was imported from England by P.H. Coombs of Bangor, Maine. Some of the most notable early American kennels are Janet Bennet and Joan Gordon (Wildweir) who imported many English Yorkies, including lines from Johnstounburn, Haringay and Buranthea. The Mayfield-Barban kennels owned by Anne Seranne and Barbara Wolferman have also done much to improve the breed.

Whilst CH Blairsville Royal Seal dominated the British show scene, his American counterpart, CH Cede Higgens was making his mark in the USA. These two dogs were both shown during the same era, and were inevitably, constantly being compared. However, although they were both outstanding specimens of the breed, those who had seen them both, agreed that they were totally different in type. Bred by C.D. Lawrence, Cede Higgens was closely line-bred to the Clarkwyns and Wildweir lines, by CH. Wildweir Pomp 'N Circumstance.

Another dog who had significant influence on the North American
Yorkies was CH Finstal Royal Icing, bred by Sybil Pritchard in the UK and exported to the Jentre kennels after Sybil died. He is by CH
Finstal Johnathan, who still has winning progeny in the UK today.
Johnathan was looked after by Wendy White (Wenwytes) after Sybil'sdeath, until he died in 1994 aged about 17.

The Yorkshire Terrier is also very popular in North America today. In
1992, Yorkies were #14 on the AKC's list of most popular breeds with
39,904 registrations. In 1994 they were #11, although registrations
had dropped to 38,626.

It may seem strange that Yorkies have risen in popularity in North
America while the number of registrations has dropped, but overall,
AKC registration, is down (as is UK registration), with some popular
breeds having dramatic reductions in the numbers now registered.
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Physical Characteristics

The Yorkshire Terrier Breed Standard
(British Kennel Club)

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Long-Coated, coat hanging quite straight and evenly down each side, a parting extending from nose to tail. Very compact and neat, carriage very upright conveying an important air. General outline conveying impression of vigorous and well proportioned body.

CHARACTERISTICS: Alert, intelligent toy terrier.

TEMPERAMENT: Spirited with even disposition

HEAD AND SKULL: Rather small and flat, not too prominent or round in skull, not too long in muzzle; black nose.

EYES: Medium, dark, sparkling, with sharp intelligent expression and
placed to look directly forward. Not prominent. Edge of eyelids dark.

EARS: Small, V-shaped, carried erect, not too far apart, covered with
short hair, colour very deep, rich tan.

MOUTH: Perfect, regular and complete scissor bite. i.e. upper teeth
closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Teeth well
placed with even jaws.

NECK: Good reach

FOREQUARTERS: Well laid shoulders, legs straight, well covered with hair of rich golden tan a few shades lighter at the ends than at
roots, not extending higher on forelegs than elbow.

BODY: Compact with moderate spring of rib, good loin. Level Back

HINDQUARTERS: Legs quite straight when viewed from behind, moderate turn of stifle. Well covered with hair of rich golden tan a few shades lighter at the ends than at roots, not extending higher on hindlegs than stifle.

FEET: Rounds; nails black

TAIL: Customarily docked to medium length with plenty of hair, darker blue in colour than rest of body, especially at the end of tail.
Carried a little higher than level of back *

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Free with drive; straight action front and behind,
retaining level topline.

COAT: Hair on body moderately long, perfectly straight (not wavy),
glossy; fine silky texture, not woolly. Fall on head long, rich golden
tan, deeper in colour at sides of head, about ear roots and on muzzle
where it should be very long. Tan on head not to extend on to neck,
nor must any sooty or dark hair intermingle with any of the tan.

COLOUR: Dark steel blue (not silver blue), extending from occiput to
root of tail, never mingled with fawn, bronze or dark hair. Hair on
chest rich, bright tan. All tan hair darker at the roots than in the
middle, shading still lighter at the tips.

SIZE: Weight up to 3.1 kgs (7lbs)

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicals fully descended into the scrotum **

* In the UK it is now possible to show animals with undocked tails. As yet there is no recognised standard for the presentation, type, length or carriage of a full tail.

** It may also be possible now in the UK to show neutered animals,
providing permission has been obtained from the Kennel Club in
advance.

Differences in the American Kennel Club Breed Standard

There is very little difference in the American standard. The main
differences are:
1. Neck: no mention is made in the Am. standard
2. Mouth: The Am. standard states: "the bite neither overshot nor
undershot and teeth sound. Either scissors bite or level bite is
acceptable" No reference is made to a full mouth.