The ancestors of the Yorkshire Terrier are Scottish. At the turn of the 19th century, miners and workers from the Clyde region were breeding a small hunting terrier called the Clydesdale, a kind of Skye Terrier with a steel blue coat with golden head and legs. The industrial revolution led to mass migration of workers within the United Kingdom. The communities of miners and workers in the wool industry of Glasgow left Scotland for Yorkshire, bringing their dogs with them. These dogs were used to catch rats in mines and ferret out rabbits.
These Scottish Terriers were crossed with “Brokenhaired” dogs from Yorkshire, creating a new breed as small as a ferret with a silky black and tan colored coat, which became known as Yorkshire Terriers.
Yorkshire Terrier Famous Hunting Dog
The miners' living conditions were difficult and the pay low. Poaching was a vital necessity, but was heavily punished. This situation lead to the popularity of the Yorkshire Terrier. Many poachers, through selection by breeding, managed to reduce the dog’s size. As small as a ferret, they easily chased out rabbits which were then captured in nets. This black and tan terrier was the perfect support for British poachers. However, its silky hair was too slippery when the poacher needed to pull out his dog when discovered. They needed a much longer coat to facilitate the extraction from the rabbit holes.
The Yorkshire Terriers breed was then crossed with the Maltese Terrier that brought the famous coat length that we know today. This small blue and tan hunter, a result of various cross-breedings, was so beautiful that it rapidly became a big success and later a popular pet.
The Yorkshire Terrier is admired for its striking long coat, which is unusual for a dog. It’s actually a lot like human hair. The long hair of the Yorkshire Terrier (on average 5-9 inches long in general, and sometimes up to 14 inches in show champions, compared to about 3/4 inch for a short-haired dog) is perfectly straight, both fine and silky, and it falls from a parting along the ridge of the back, making you think of long straight
hair on a woman.
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The hair is a flexible and elastic filament that, like the skin, is mostly composed of keratin. Skin and hair renewal can account for up to 35% of the daily protein requirements in an adult dog. Any deficiency can lead to a dull, brittle and faded coat.
* An increased supply of amino acids containing sulfur (cystine and methionine) are essential for keratin synthesis
* An increased supply of chelated trace elements (iron, copper, zinc, manganese) are essential for initiating enzyme reactions.
* A supply of unsaturated fatty acids:
Omega 3 from fish oil for an anti-inflammatory action, combined with Omega 6 from borage oil with a high nourishment factor. A deficiency in Omega 6 fatty acids can lead to a dull coat. Borage oil is also one of the rare omega 6 fatty acids to combine both a nourishing and anti-inflammatory effect.
* Increased supply of biotin
Biotin is a vitamin of the B Group, also called vitamin H (from the German word "Haut" = skin), which is essential for fatty acid metabolism. Biotin also helps improve the softness of the coat, reduce dandruff and combats skin dehydration.
It is known that many Yorkshire Terrier breeders have traditionally added unsaturated fatty acids either in the food or directly on the coat (in the form of oils or lotions) to make detangling easier.
The Yorkshire is less protected against the cold than other breeds, due to its lack of undercoat and low hair density. This predisposes them to heat loss and skin dehydration, which in combination with their lively temperament explains the breed’s higher calorie requirements. This special breed characteristic has led us to increase the fat content of the Yorkshire 28 diet. This supply of fat, suited to the high energy needs of the Yorkshire Terrier with its high levels of activity and heat losses, also has a very positive effect on a glossy coat and a healthy skin.
In the Yorkshire Terrier, the milk teeth frequently appear late (they erupt under the gums at about 2.5 months) and sometimes remain present longer than normal, leading to an incorrect alignment and position of the teeth. All these characteristics favor the accumulation of food debris leading to the growth of a layer of bacteria (called dental plaque), which gradually turns into tartar deposits. Deposits of dental plaque and the accumulation of tartar can start very early in the Yorkshire Terrier, (as soon as the teeth erupt) and loose teeth, gingivitis and even loss of teeth can occur from the age of four years.
Furthermore, in contrast to humans where the tartar formation occurs almost simultaneously over all the inner surfaces of the teeth, in dogs, tartar accumulation starts by attacking the base of the outside parts of the teeth. This leads to an early risk of the teeth becoming loose even though the tartar is not yet very evident towards the crown of the tooth. The Yorkshire Terrier is a very fussy dog in terms of its food, for two main reasons.
Lifestyle
The Yorkshire Terrier is a breed that has a very close relationship with its owner and which is often used to receiving table tidbits or special treats. This behavior makes the dog more difficult to feed.
Yorkshire Terrier Character
Because of its origins, the Yorkshire is a demanding and dominant dog. For example, it often picks at the food it is given to demonstrate its dominance and show who is the final master.
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