This Yorkie is not for eating. (Yorkshire Terrier)

Member Name: goosey

Product:	Yorkshire Terrier
Date:	10/09/09 (259 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They keep us happy and healthy

Disadvantages: Exceedingly difficult to part with.

When I was a toddler and looked a little disappointed when given a tiny gift, my mother would always say, "All the best things come in small parcels, you know." True enough, and in the doggy world, they don't come much smaller than Yorkshire terriers.

At long last, I can write a review about those tiny pooches and introduce you to Mollie, my little Yorkie. But first, a little about the breed and its origins.

HISTORICAL:
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Yorkshire terriers are one of the smallest breeds of dogs in the world; though not a particularly ancient breed, when compared with others.
Its' ancestors, the 'Scottish Waterside Terriers,' were introduced into Yorkshire in the mid 19th century, and the Yorkshire terriers, developed from them.

Despite their Scottish connections, Yorkshire terriers are an English breed, originally bred for their small size to catch rats and hunt underground for foxes and badgers. They were initially called 'Broken-haired Scotch Terriers,' because of their close links with their Scottish ancestors. But as the breed improved over the years, they were renamed Yorkshire terriers (Yorkies) and are now even smaller than their forefathers, albeit only slightly.

DESCRIPTION
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Yorkies are categorised as 'Toy-dogs,' Their height, from ground to shoulder, varies but on average they stand about 9 inches tall and approximately 13 to 14 inches from neck to tail, although there are smaller models, like Mollie, she only stands 6.5 inches tall.
The average weight is between 5 and 7 pounds (2.3Kg - 3.2Kg).
History has recorded much smaller Yorkies; one born in 1943 was a mere 2.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches long - about the size of a baby rat I would think. It lived for almost two years. The normal life span is between 10 and 15 years.

They have cute, pointed ears which stand erect until the dog is frightened, ill or in pain, it is then they seem to disappear into the sides of the head. However, when greeting another dog or person, the Yorkie's ears flag up and down signalling in unison with its wagging tail.
Their gorgeous brown eyes are round rather than oval, in shape.

COAT COLOUR VARIATIONS:
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Interestingly, ALL yorkies are born black and tan, it takes two to three years before the coat reaches its true and final colour.
The four officially recognised adult colour variations are: Black and Tan; Blue and Tan: Blue and Gold and Black and Gold.

Because they do not shed hair in the same way as some breeds, their silky coats can grow long enough to reach the ground, but should be kept much shorter, unless they are being shown in some dog competition.
Personally, I think they look much cuter when their fur is clipped - their features remain puppy-like. I am not keen on seeing the hair on their heads pulled back and tied in ribbons either, so often I have seen it pulled so tight that the little dog's eyes bulge.

PERSONALITY:
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Yorkies have many heartwarming traits; they are intelligent, sociable, fun loving, very brave, self-willed and also, I'm sure, have a highly developed manipulative nature; this being a significant trait in most terrier breeds. Some call it stubbornness. They almost bully you into submission by their sheer persistence.

Let me expand on that last trait, with one example of Mollies many manipulative ploys.

Incidentally, with a Yorkie in the house, you will not need a clock to tell you when it is time to get up, go for a walk, eat, or even retire.

Mollie is my cuddly, little 8 year old Yorkie; well practised in getting her own way because she rarely gives up on her quest for whatever she wants and will use her pal Moses to back her up and fight her corner, if need be, especially when she thinks her message is missing its target.

For example, she will remind me fifteen minutes before their usual feeding times, that I should be heading towards the kitchen.
She begins by giving one or two low, throaty grumbles - half growl, half groan - this is quickly followed by a short, high-pitched 'yip,' a furiously wagging tail and pleading eyes, just to complete the effect; all of which are almost impossible to ignore; but if I do, she runs to Moses, who until then is sitting quietly somewhere or gazing out the window, and draws his attention to her by giving another yip, but this time followed by a couple of hefty, imitation sneezes. Moses will then look straight at me in anticipation,obviously having got the message, loud and clear in the sneeze, that it is time for action. Is it for a walk, is it for food, or playtime?

Either way, hyped up for action, he prances around making a big nuisance of him self, whilst Mollie, by this time, has melted into the background, secure in the knowledge that it won't be long before HER demands are met; for believe me, it is impossible to ignore them when that happens.

She doesn't always get her own way, especially when it comes to choosing which route we take on our walks. Whilst she will make it perfectly clear that she will want to go in a different direction, does not demand in the same way as she does for food, playtime or time to get up in the morning. So for those who were beginning to suspect her to be a spoilt, disobedient dog, I can assure you she is normally very obedient.
She does tend, however, to wait for the second time of telling before reacting to my commands; almost as if to make sure she had heard right the first time.
Spoilt? Well- Ok, maybe a bit.

SOCIABILITY and LOYALTY:
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Mollie is a classic example of a loyal and sociable dog; it can be a tad frustrating at times, especially when out on our walks. She insists on greeting everything that breathes, and there are not many who ignore her friendly approaches.
Yorkies are very affectionate, loyal and good with children,yet can be intolerant of overly boisterous children, and may let them know in a snappy way, that they do not like their ears being pulled or being roughly handled. (Can't say I blame them.)
They are excellent watchdogs; nothing passes our home without me knowing about it.

Whether or not it is instinctive - having been bred to hunt rats, foxes and badgers, - Yorkies are not usually compatible with cats, which I suppose are similar to their ancesterol 'prey.' Mollie, seems to be an exception to that rule. Cats breathe and are therefore potential friends.

In my experience, from Yorkies that I have kept and also from those I have known, I find they do not seem to grieve as other dogs grieve when their owners or doggy pals die.

When my Cocker spaniel (Monty) died, I thought Mollie would be just as devastated as myself, for they were rarely apart and she would curl up beside him at every opportunity. But, Oh- no, Mollie just went about her usual routine, happy as Larry. It was almost as if he had never existed. Yet Monty grieved terribly when his previous little pal died.

Her nose was most definately put out of joint a few months later, when I introduced Moses, then a puppy, into the fold. His herding instincts came to the fore and Mollie was his new-found sheep; so her recently acquired 'top-dog' status was lost to this young bully, and although she accepted him into the home, it was a year before she would accept him as a buddy, and curl up to to him as she had with Monty. It was about then that she began employing his help in her manipulative antics. She was a good teacher, he, a quick learner.

EXERCISE:
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Although Yorkies are small and very active around the home, they still need regular exercise, about 20 minutes a day will be enough to keep them fit and healthy.
Mollie prefers to amble around fields and woodlands, rather than take a brisk walk. In fact I don't think the words 'brisk,' and 'Mollie,' have ever before shared the same sentence.

HEALTH:
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As with all breeds, each has its individiual set of common, or not so common health issues. Yorkies have their share. The two most common are cataracts and tracheal collapse. I am reluctant to list all the possible ailments because I feel it might give the impression that all Yorkies will suffer multiple problems. Some may, some may not. My other Yorkie Misty, didn't suffer any of the listed ailments, Mollie however,is developing cataracts and sometimes suffers mild episodes of tracheal collapse.

Tracheal collapse is an unpleasant, and not uncommon problem in Yorkies therefore, certainly worth a mention here. It is a condition where walls of the trachea are weakened and tend, occasionally, to collapse, causing the dog to gasp for air; the effort to inhale results in a honking sound. Excitement can sometimes bring on an attack, which can last from a few seconds to perhaps a minute or so.

It is therefore recommeneded that harnesses, rather than collar and leads, be used for ALL Yorkies,because the trachea of most toy-dogs are far more fragile than those of the larger breeds.

Another interesting problem which can occur in young puppies and the very smallest of Yorkies, is hypoglycaemia - a lowering of their blood sugars, caused by too long a fast between meals, although other factors such as stress, cold and tiredness, will also lower their sugar levels.
In such small animals, the muscle mass is not enough to store normal amounts of sugar, so will need more regular topping up to prevent the hypoglycaemic attacks.

SUMMARY:
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Yorkshire terriers make ideal pets for old and young alike. They are exceedingly brave, affectionate, loyal, trusting and feisty little bundles of fun. Strong-willed but obedient. Good watchdogs, whose only emotional requirements are that you return their loyalty, trust and love; give them a good home and leave room on your lap for them to relax on, in front of the telly.

Summary: All good things certainly do come in small packages.