According to the AKC Registration statistics, the Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most popular breeds. In both 2006 and 2007 they were ranked second in the number of registrations through the American Kennel Club. The Yorkshire Terrier has been recognized by the American Kennel Club since 1885.

So though these days there are more dog breeds than ever before, one of the most popular breeds of dog you will find is a Yorkshire Terrier. Yorkshire Terriers belong to the toy group. Although being a small dog doesn't mean it has a small personality. Yorkshire Terriers are brave, energetic, investigative, and determined. Yorkshire Terriers are originally from England. They are named after the English City. In the nineteenth century they were put to work in clothing mills catching rats. The Yorkshire Terrier breed first appeared in 1861 at a bench show in England. At that time it was called the Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier. The Yorkie was introduced in the United States in 1872. In 1878, the first Yorkshire Terrier was registered with the American Kennel Club. It was one of the first twenty-five breeds to be registered by the AKC. They obtained the Yorkshire Terrier name in 1874.

For someone considering a pet they must take a few things into consideration before deciding on a Yorkshire Terrier. The Yorkshire is small and does not require as much exercise as a large breed dog. However, it does require companionship. They naturally have long coats that require time or money for grooming. Unlike some other dog breeds which remains short and falls out, the Yorkie has hair much like a humans. It grows continuously and needs to be trimmed. If you decide to keep the hair long, it will require much more care. The coat can become dirty easier and require more washing. They are independent by nature so it may be more difficult to train a Yorkie than other dog breeds.

Yorkshire Terriers have long coats, usually black and tan in color. Because they do not have an undercoat they do not shed as much as other dogs may. Yorkshire Terriers have hair similar to human hair. It grows continually and rarely falls out. They have less dander on their coat, which means when wet they normally don't have a wet dog smell. Also because of this not as many people who are afflicted with dog allergies will have reactions to them.

Some health issues that may afflict the Yorkshire Terrier include bronchitis, lympangiectasia, Portosystemic Shunt, cataracts, and keratitis sicca. Lymphangiectasia is an intestinal disease found in dogs. It is characterized by dilation of the lymphatic vessel, chronic diarrhea, and loss of proteins. A portosystemic shunt is a bypass of the liver by the circulatory system. This condition can either be present at birth or acquired over time. Yorkshire Terriers can also have dry eyes which is known as kerratitis sicca. Because of the Yorkshire Terriers small size it can be injured due to falls, owner clumsiness, or other dogs. It may not be a good idea to have a Yorshire Terrier if you have small children because they may accidentally hurt the Yorkie. Small children do not always understand how to treat animals and because of this it is very easy for the Yorkie to become injured.