The Yorkshire terrier originated in Yorkshire (and the adjoining Lancashire), a rugged region in northern England. In the mid-nineteenth century, workers from Scotland came to Yorkshire in search of work and brought with them several different varieties of small terriers. Breeding of the Yorkshire terrier was "principally accomplished by the people--mostly operatives in cotton and woolen mills--in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire." Details are scarce. Mrs. A. Foster is quoted as saying in 1886, "If we consider that the mill operatives who originated the breed...were nearly all ignorant men, unaccustomed to imparting information for public use, we may see some reason why reliable facts have not been easily attained."
What is known is that the breed sprang from three different dogs, a male named Old Crab and a female named Kitty, and another female whose name is not known. The Paisley Terrier, a smaller version of the Skye Terrier that was bred for a beautiful long silky coat, also figured into the early dogs. Some authorities believed that the Maltese was used as well. "They were all originally bred from Scotch terriers (note: meaning dogs from Scotland, not today's Scottish Terrier) and shown as such...the name Yorkshire terrier was given to them on account of their being improved so much in Yorkshire." Yorkshire terriers were shown in a dog show category (class) at the time called "Rough and Broken-coated, Broken-haired Scotch and Yorkshire terriers". Hugh Dalziel, writing in 1878, says that "the classification of these dogs at shows and in the Kennel Club Stud Book is confusing and absurd" in lumping together these different types.
In the early days of the breed, "almost anything in the shape of a Terrier having a long coat with blue on the body and fawn or silver coloured head and legs, with tail docked and ears trimmed, was received and admired as a Yorkshire terrier". But in the late 1860s, a popular Paisley type Yorkshire terrier showdog named Huddersfield Ben, owned by a woman living in Yorkshire, Mary Ann Foster, was seen at dog shows throughout Great Britain, and defined the breed type for the Yorkshire terrier.
In America
The Yorkshire terrier was introduced in the North America in 1872 and the first Yorkshire terrier was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1878, making it one of the first twenty-five breeds to be approved for registration by the AKC. During the Victorian era, the Yorkshire terrier was a popular pet and showdog in England, and as Americans embraced Victorian customs, so too did they embrace the Yorkshire terrier. The breed's popularity dipped in the 1940s, when the percentage of small breed dogs registered fell to an all-time low of 18% of total registrations. Smoky, a Yorkshire terrier and famous war dog from World War II, is credited with beginning a renewal of interest in the breed.
Health
A number of health issues, some of them hereditary, have been found in individual Yorkshire terriers, and are listed below. There is no data on the percentage of dogs with these ailments, and it is not suggested that all Yorkshire terriers have all of these ailments, or that any particular dog has any of these ailments. Puppy buyers are advised to ask breeders if tests have been done for these diseases.
Morbidity
Health issues often seen in the Yorkshire terrier include bronchitis, lymphangiectasia, portosystemic shunt, cataracts, and keratitis sicca. Additionally, injection reactions (inflammation or hair loss at the site of an injection) can occur. In addition they may have skin allergies.
Mortality
The life span of a healthy Yorkie is 12–15 years. Extremely under-sized Yorkies (3 pounds or less, and often promoted as "Teacups") generally have a shorter life span, as they are especially prone to health problems such as chronic diarrhoea and vomiting and are more easily injured. Even the normal small size of a Yorkshire terrier means that it can have a poor tolerance for anesthesia, and it is more likely to be killed or injured by falls, other dogs, and owner clumsiness.
Docking
Traditionally, the Yorkshire terrier's tail is docked to a medium length. Opposition to this practice began very early in the history of the breed; Hugh Dalziel, writing about Yorkshire terriers in 1878, declared that "There is no reason for mutilating pet dogs, and perfect ears and tails should be bred, not clipped into shape with scissors." Often, a Yorkshire terrier's dewclaws, if any, are removed in the first few days of life, another controversial practice.
Similar Breeds and Crosses
The Yorkshire terrier breed descends from larger but similar Scottish breeds such as the now extinct Paisley Terrier and the Skye Terrier. In its turn, other breeds have been created from the Yorkshire terrier, such as the Australian Silky Terrier and the Biewer Terrier, bred from a blue, white, and gold puppy they later named Schneeflocken von Friedheck, by Mr. and Mrs. Biewer of Germany. Demand for unusual pets has resulted in high prices being paid for Yorkshire terriers crossed with various other breeds, which are described with a portmanteau word made up of syllables (or sounds) from Yorkshire terrier and the breed name of the other parent. A list of such portmanteau-named crosses can be found on the List of dog hybrids page. It is fashionable to merchandise crossbreed and mixed breed dogs with the word hybrid, which implies two different animal species, but all Yorkshire terrier crossbreeds are just dogs.