The Yorkie was the result of deliberate crosses, in the Yorkshire area of England, between several different terriers, including the Waterside Terrier and the old English terrier. The "Scotch" terrier, the "Clydesdale", and the "Paisley" terrier - from Scotland - and the Australian terrier, were later added to the breeding program. All of the original dogs involved were patterns of tan, blue, black and grizzle. There were no dogs with white or white markings. They were attempting to breed a dog that was good at killing small vermin and rats, not a show dog!
When the Yorkie initially came to America, there was a large disparity in size. They ranged from 12 to 14 pounds, but the standard eventually settled on an even smaller size. The AKC standard today is for less than 7 pounds with a long, lustrous coat. The "Teacup Yorkie" is unusually small - typically under 4-5 pounds as adults.
These extra tiny dogs are often susceptible to a range of health problems, including vomiting, skin problems, allergies, falls, being stepped on and being attacked by other dogs. They need routine teeth cleaning to prevent tooth and gum problems and their small size may cause a poor reaction to anesthesia.
