History, Origen and Evolution

The original Yorkshire Terrier was not the charming and attractive breed of today.

It is a combination of breeds known as Terrier, whose evolution was in the fields and homes of servants, artisans and weavers of Yorkshire, the main Earldom of England.
In England, the servants were not allowed to have hunter dogs. They only had authorization to own small dogs, mainly used to kill rats and other little animals. One of them, the Waterside Terrier (fig.1) has been described as a small dog, long coated, usually of greyish colour (greyish blue), with a weight between 7 and 21 lbs., but regularly about 10 lbs.

Fig. 1

This Waterside Terrier was frecuently crossed with the old English or Manchester Terrier (fig. 2)

Fig. 2

a Terrier with black, silky and golden-brown coat, or blue and golden-brown, whose weight was about 5 lbs. and was also an exceptional rodents hunter all around the manor house.
The competitions of rats hunting used to be an enjoyable time organized by the local hosts so as to promote their establishments. The most longed qualities in those dogs were the small size and the ability of hunting rats.

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, at the end of XVIII century, Scotland artisans moved to Yorkshire, in the South of England, looking forward to work as weaver in the mills. Many "Scotch" Terriers were carried with them. Within them was the Paisley Terrier (fig. 3).

Fig. 3

a small dog, with silky coat, various blending of blue colours which weight more than 15,50 pound.

Another of them was the Clydesdale Terrier (see fig. 4),

Fig. 4

from Glasgow region on Clide River, described as "a dog whose desired colour was a shiny steel blue, that extended from its occiput to root of the tale; never mingled with fawn, bronze or dark hairs. The tale is black or very dark blue. The hair, as long and straight as possible, not wavy, glossy and silky texture".

The result of these crosses was the Yorkshire Terrier, because everything happened in Yorkshire Region (see pictures and text).

In 1873, the Kennel Club of England was instituted in order to register pedigrees and establish a set of laws for competition and field exercises that were beginning at that time.

Dogs were divided in two groups: sportive and non-sportive. The Yorkshire Terrier was added to the 40 non-sportive breeds chosen by the name of "Broken - Hair Scotch" and "Yorkshire Terriers".

Huddersfield Ben (fig. 5) has been considered the father of the breed.

Fig. 5

Born in 1865, it had the rarel capacity of transferring its qualities to the descendants. It was a great procreator and many of its lineage were winners in shows.

Ben was grown up by Mr. W. Esastwood from Huddersfield and died in 1871. Registered by Mr. Boscovitch, its parents were examples of Yorkshire which remounted to the majority Yorkshire and Landkshire males and females best known in that period.

It was acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Foster from Bradford (see fig. 6).

Fig. 6

who were fervent enthusiasts and presented it in various expositions in which it won. It was the best unquestionable specimen sawn in that epoch, and judges recognized its virtues, consenting it a variety of prizes.

It was the real groundwork of the breed.

Font: Complete Treatise of the Breed. The Yorkshire Terrier. Author: Janet Jackson.

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The history of the Yorkshire Terrier would be incomplete if the example of Smokey were not included and also mentioned.

It was a pure breed Yorkie, that was found in the crater of one explosion after the North American's attack against Japanese's files in New Guinea's jungle. Smokey became the pet of the soldier William Wynne and was witness of 150 air attacks; it flied in 12 shipwrecked air rescues and survived a whirlwind in Okinawa. Wynne, who did not have previous experience in teaching dogs, taught it to dance waltz, to cross lapse ropes and also how to pass through hoops. In Lingayen, the Signal Corps had to install a telegraphic wire all along a pipe line of 8,7 pulgs. under a landing field. Smokey climbed 25 yds. through the channel, carrying away a towrope attached to the above mentioned line. With its singular parachute Smokey learned to jump from a tower of 11yds. and also ate the soldier's provisions and bathed in Wynne's skull.

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