As a member of the Yorkshire Reporter family, Poppy was featured in Wagging Tales two years ago. However, we have since increased distribution dramatically and thought it fitting to feature her in this month’s Yorkshire Special. In case you missed the first one, here is my original owner’s viewpoint. I can tell you nothing has changed since this time, she is still going strong at now 8 years old!
History: The Yorkshire Terrier was developed in England from the Waterside Terrier, a small Scottish breed with a long blue-grey coat. The Waterside Terrier was brought to Yorkshire, England in the mid-19th century. Originally the Yorkie was bred for the purpose of catching rats in mines. They were also used for hunting to burrow underground after badgers and foxes.
The Yorkie made its first appearance in England in 1861 during a bench show. At this time they were known as the “Broken-haired Scotch Terrier”. The Yorkie kept this title for 9 years until during one show a reporter commented that the breed should be known as Yorkshire Terriers, because the breed had improved so much since their arrival in Yorkshire.
Class: Toy
Height: 15-17cm/ 6-7 ins
Weight: Approximately 3.2kg/ 7lbs (Teacups less than 4lbs)
Lifespan: 13-16 years
Coat: Black/ Tan/ Silver non shedding
Health: Prone to joint problems, eye infections, early tooth decay, bronchitis and a delicate digestion. Do not have a good tolerance to anaesthesia.
Temperament: Intelligent, energetic, and courageous
Viewpoint by Poppy’s owner, Linzi Davies
Poppy is far smaller than the breed standard weighing only around 3lb but has a large personality. She is an intelligent, affectionate and playful dog. Yorkies are very communicative – Poppy has no qualms about yapping or touching my arm to let me know what she needs, and the big brown Yorkie eyes are hard to resist when they are staring intently at you! Yorkshire Terriers do bark a lot and for this reason make excellent guard dogs – you always know if someone is heading up your garden path.
Poppy mixes well with other dogs of all sizes and is not bothered by other animals such as cats, squirrels and birds. At the park she is happy to potter about off the lead and investigate the area but never straying far. However, if she gets the chance to escape the garden she will, and only comes back when she feels like it. She is a very stubborn dog! Poppy is not one for ball chasing or anything too energetic. At home she enjoys playing tug of war with soft dog toys and is quite vocal when playing.
Yorkshire Terriers do require frequent bathing and grooming to keep them clean and tidy, I find Poppy benefits from a bath once a week and she doesn’t seem to mind it. Yorkie hair does not shed like other dogs so they suit families with allergies, but because their hair grows it needs to be regularly cut, and brushed daily particularly if you prefer to keep it in the longer style.
Poppy has had joint problems as is common with this breed. She has knee displacement in her hind leg but this affects her only occasionally and I find that regular exercise seems to help strengthen her joints. Some Yorkies require operations to pin the knees but my vet has assured me that in Poppy’s case the operation would be very intrusive and doesn’t feel it would be in her best interests. The knee doesn’t appear to cause Poppy any pain. As well as this, Poppy also has a very delicate constitution. She does not respond well to changes in diet, as she can easily have a bout of constipation or diarrhoea. Again this is common with the breed. I find that keeping her to the same food and making sure she eats at a regular time resolves this.
Yorkies make excellent companions as they are very affectionate and love nothing more than cuddling up on your knee. The love they willingly give to you far outweighs the negatives that come along with Yorkshire terriers, I would highly recommend the breed for their size, intelligence and spirit – as long as you don’t mind a bit of noise!
