Dogs of the Yorkshire Terrier mini breed are popular due to the lively, cheerful temperament and quick wit. They have a silky, long coat, which needs constant care. Funny faces with bangs tied with children's bows and elastic bands always look with adoration towards the owner.
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History of breed origin
About 300 years ago, in the English county of Yorkshire, small long-haired dogs were kept by peasants who, by law, could not breed large breed dogs. Yorkshire terriers hunted rats at home and followed their owners everywhere.
At the end of the 19th century, this breed of dog was recognized by the English Kennel Club.
The best representative of the Yorks of that time was male Ben from Huddersfield. He is called the father of the breed, whose numerous descendants often won prizes at exhibitions.
York came to America in the 19th century. They were recognized by the American Kennel Club, but were not very popular. Interest in the breed increased after World War II thanks to the small dog Smokey. She was very smart and courageous, sharing with her master all the military hardships.
In Russia, the breed appeared in the 70s of the last century, the first Yorkshire Terrier was presented to the famous Soviet ballerina. York Cattery in the Moscow region was organized in the early 90's. Currently, there are more than 70 professional nurseries across the country.
Description of the Yorkshire Mini Terrier
This is one of the smallest breeds - the maximum weight of dogs should not exceed three kilograms.In this case, the minimum weight and height can be any. Straight silky coat is very long.
Yorkies have a regal posture, as if aware of their attractiveness, they can be important and proud at dog shows. In ordinary times, these are lively and immediate fidgets, to which any motor activity gives great joy. York is delighted with walks in the street, games with the owner and communication with other dogs and people. He enjoys learning various tricks, trying to please the owner in everything.
Life span
How many Yorkshire terriers live depends on the care, nutrition, emotional state. They benefit from communication with the owner and walks in the fresh air. The average life expectancy of York is 12-15 years, and the maximum is 20 years.
The breed has a predisposition to genetic diseases of the joints and bones, which are diagnosed only at the age of 8 months. Sometimes a fontanel on the crown does not overgrow in dogs, which increases the risk of head injuries. When changing teeth, constants often grow next to milk. This phenomenon requires surgical intervention, which is carried out in a veterinary clinic.
The purpose and nature of the dog
The character of the Yorkers is lively and sociable. They are inquisitive, very fond of attention. Well give in to training, never show aggression.
These are companion dogs who will happily follow their master everywhere.
You can take your pet with you on hiking trips and long trips. He fits perfectly in a small backpack over his shoulders, enjoys traveling in transport, is completely non-conflict, gets along well with cats and other dogs.
Breed standard and puppy selection
The standard does not divide Yorkies into different species according to size and weight. Non-professional mini and micro prefixes mean small animals, unsuitable for breeding and exhibitions.
Description of the breed:
- small head with a short muzzle;
- scissor bite;
- medium-sized eyes, brown;
- black nose;
- ears are small, erect with short hair;
- neck of medium length;
- the back is straight, strong lower back;
- limbs straight, long coat;
- the tail may be cropped or uncropped, covered with long hair.
York's coat is silky, straight, shiny, juicy golden color on the head and steel or black on the back to the tail. The limbs and chest are reddish brown.
You can buy a thoroughbred York with a good pedigree in the nursery. By the appearance and nature of the parents, one can judge how the chosen pet will become in the future. Puppies in each litter 3 or 4, they are born very small, weighing about 100 g each with black hair covered with tan spots.
It is interesting that Yorkie wool acquires the final color and silky structure in 2 or 3 years, and sometimes even later.
Pets with an unusual color or stiff coat are not allowed for further breeding.
When choosing a puppy, they pay attention to be active, moderately well-fed with shiny eyes and healthy coat. The breeder is asked for documents about the deworming of the animal and vaccinations, a puppy card and a contract of sale. It is advisable to take an interest in the regimen and diet of the puppy, and at home to get the same dry food that he was fed in the nursery.
Maintenance, care and feeding
Yorks are very convenient to maintain, as they do not require a significant area in the apartment, long walks and a large amount of food. Dogs have a balanced temperament, calmly tolerate daily combing and frequent bathing.
The only contraindication for the representatives of the breed is a long loneliness and inattention of the owner.
How to feed a mini terrier, each owner chooses for himself. It can be a natural feed or dry and canned wet.A dog weighing 3 kg eats about 50 g of dry food per day.
It is especially important for show dogs to receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals so that the coat is beautiful and shiny. Therefore, experienced owners most often prefer professional dry food of super-premium class intended for small breeds.
With Yorkshire terriers it is useful to walk on the street, although they can be taught to walk at home in a diaper or in a cat tray. Dogs are happy to walk, but quickly freeze in cool weather, since they do not have undercoat.
York in winter or autumn in the rain lead out walking in dog clothes. It also helps to keep the coat clean. After each walk, paws and stomach are washed if it is contaminated.
It is advisable to train the dog to harness. If you walk her on a leash with a collar, she may suffer from a sharp jerk. The breed, like other small dogs, has a tendency to tracheal collapse - an instantaneous narrowing of the trachea.
The developed hunting instinct in Yorks, inherited from the Pied Piper ancestors, can cause digestive upset. When walking, you need to make sure that the pet is not fond of catching and eating bugs, mice and other creeping animals.
Separate care requires pet hair:
- The dog does not shed, it has wool in structure, like human hair. If York will participate in exhibitions, he has grown wool since childhood. Only ears and tips of paws are cut.
- To preserve the coat, they wind the dog papillots of thin rice paper with rubber bands. In papillots, the dog spends most of the time, goes for walks, runs at home. It’s easier to take care of dogs that don’t participate in exhibitions - they are sheared.
- Sheared Yorkshire Terrier is bathed 1 time in 2 weeks or 1 time per month. Show dog wash once a week and twist the papillot.
- Bathe a special shampoo for animals using air conditioning.
- Yorks tie bangs with elastic bands, pin with hairpins. It is customary to decorate the dog’s head with red bows (the color of the Elizabethan ribbon).
- Comb the hair with brushes with iron cloves and a rubber soft base. Before combing, long hair can be moistened a little so that it is not injured. Brushed pets are combed with natural bristle brushes.
The dog’s eyes are washed daily with a moist cotton pad. Every day, comb and pin up the hair on the face so that they do not get into the eyes. Clean your ears by removing hair inside the ear canal. Be sure to brush your teeth with dog paste and brush, otherwise they may fall out when the pet is only 2 years old.
Yorkshire Mini Terrier Training
The dogs are smart, affectionate, they quickly catch everything. They are easy to learn for basic teams and tricks, even in adulthood. The encouragement for the execution of the order is usually a delicacy and sincere praise of the owner.
It is important to accustom the puppy to the commands: “It is impossible!” Or “Fu!”, “Place!”, “Come to me!”. On a walk without a leash, following these orders can save a pet's life.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
The merits of Yorks are obvious - they are miniature, beautiful dogs, very smart and loyal to the owner. Each animal has its own character, due to heredity. The Yorkshire Terrier boy has a more independent disposition, which can cause tragedy if the pet is poorly raised and walks without a leash. York girl loves the owner’s company more, monitors all his actions, is upset when she goes for a walk without her or is left without attention for a long time.
The disadvantages of the breed include the high cost of a thoroughbred puppy, the need for careful grooming. The small size of the animal makes it vulnerable.
It is undesirable to have a York family with small children.
The dog requires careful handling, it can not be thrown to the floor, strongly pressed, drop things on it.A child under 5 years old still does not know how to calculate his strength and can accidentally injure an animal during the game.
