Original
Works of art
|
Group: Toys
Breed Family: Terrier |
|
For years a fashionable pet, the origins of the Yorkshire Terrier are found among the industrial classes of England, who bred the dog as a ratter. The Yorkshire Terrier was first bred in Scotland, a mixture of a variety of Terriers brought to Yorkshire by Scottish weavers around the mid-nineteenth century. The original breed was much heavier than todays, weighing up to twelve or fourteen pounds. By comparison, todays American standard for the breed calls for a dog not to exceed seven pounds.
Known by a variety of names, this charming little dog was first called a Yorkshire Terrier around 1870. After a dog named Mozart won Fist Prize in the variety classes at Westmorland, a contributor to The Field magazine commented that "they ought no longer to be called Scotch Terriers, but Yorkshire Terriers." The breed quickly established itself in dog shows around the turn of the century, becoming known for its glorious long coat, sometimes so long that it trailed on the ground behind the dog. |