History of the YORKSHIRE TERRIER BY KATHLEEN KOLBERT TURYANNE AKC REG.
T his little knight of the carpet is eminently an English pro- duction, or manufacture, if we may us the term, and occupies a most prominent position in the canine world of being considered by many the handsomest of all long-haired Terriers, and has been appropriately termed by one writer “ the little Yorkshire swell.” The charming, aristocratic little dog we now know at the Yorkshire Terrier has been identified as such for but a comparatively short period, the Kennel Club adopting this nomenclature in their Stud Book in 1886. Prior to this date the name had been hanging about him for some few years, because the titles of rough, broken-haired, or Scotch terrier, under which he was first known, were most misleading.. During the early days of dog shows the classes in which he competed included ter- riers of almost any variety, from the cross- bred mongrel to the Dandie Dinmont, the Skye terrier, and the Bedlington. It was not uncommon sight to see wire- haired Fox terriers, with others of a silkier coat under the one common heading of “ Rough or Broken-Haired Terriers. As a fact, a Broken-Haired Terrier should have been altogether a short-coated dog.. The Yorkshire is a long coated to a a greater extent than any other variety of the terrier, nor was the title Scotch terrier, by which he was most frequently known, at all adaptable to him. How the name of “Scotch terrier” became attached to a dog which so thor-
oughly had its home in Yorkshire and Lan- cashire is somewhat difficult to determine, if it can be determined at all, because it was noted that the first of them originally came from Scotland, where they had been acci- dentally produced from a cross between the silky-coated Skye terrier (the Clydesdale) and the black and tan terrier. One could scarcely expect that a pretty dog, partaking in a degree after both its par- ents, could be produced from a first cross between a smooth-coated dog, and a long- coated bitch or vice versa. Maybe, two or three animals so bred had been brought by some of the Paisley weav- ers into Yorkshire. There, suitably admired, took pains to perpetuate the strain. There appears to be something feasible and practi- cal in this part of the history. Originally the Yorkshire was a bigger dog than he is to-day, specimens from 10 pounds to 14 pounds were not at all uncom- mon, so repeatedly classes had been provid- ed for them in two sections – dogs over 8 pounds and dogs under that weight. A Yorkshire Terrier Club was formed in 1886 and the comparatively few peo- ple keep the variety. The Club however issued a description, which is as follows: GENERAL APPEARANCE: The general appearance should be that of a long-coated pet dog, the coat hanging quite straight and evenly down each side, a parting extending from the nose to the end of the tail. The animal should be very compact and neat, the carriage being very sprightly, bearing an important air. Although the frame is hidden
Mrs. M. A. Foster’s immortal Huddsersfield Ben, bred by W. Eastwood of Huddersfield was born in 1865 and died in 1871. He is the progenitor of all our best Yorkshire Terriers, and will ever remain the greatest pillar of the breed.
Huddersfield Ben (1865-1871); bred by Mr. W. Eastwood
312 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2019
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