Yorkshire Terrier History
About the History and Origins of Yorkshire TerriersWhat is the history of the Yorkshire
Terrier dog breed and where does it come from? Learn about the Yorkshire Terrier history and
origins through this informative profile.
The Yorkshire Terrier dog breed originated in United Kingdom. The Yorkshire Terrier owes his existence to a
now-extinct breed of dog, known as the Waterside, or Weaver, Terrier. Created from a cross of Scottish Clydesdale
and Paisley Terriers, which were then bred with the English Black-and-Tan Terriers, the Waterside was well-known
for his long blue-gray coat and petite size of about 10 pounds. A favored pet of many of the weavers who journeyed
from Scotland into England, during the 19th century, he would then cross with the local dogs in the area and
eventually produce the small Yorkshire Terrier.
At the time, Yorkies were considered a part of the working class themselves. In a time when a dog earned his keep,
the Yorkshire Terrier was commonly employed in the weaving mills as a chaser of vermin. Skilled ratters, their tiny
bodies were able to squirm and wiggle their ways into places that larger dogs and even cats couldn't go, and the
Yorkshire Terrier's feisty temperament made him a ferocious fighter. The presence of the Yorkshire Terrier in the
mills became so common that it was often joked that the Yorkie's long flowing coat was the finest product to be
produced on the looms.
Huddersfield Ben is generally recognized as the founding sire of the Yorkshire Terrier dog breed. Born in
Huddersfield, County Yorkshire, Ben lived a short existence from 1865 to 1871. Although an accident claimed his
life at a mere 6 years, he was the winner of more than 70 prizes in a variety of dog shows and ratting contests,
and he was also known to breed true-to-type, the offspring that he sired consistently weighing under 5 pounds and
bearing his unique characteristics. While the breed was originally known as the Broken-haired Scotch Terrier, the
name would be changed to the Yorkshire Terrier, in honor and recognition of how much development of the breed had
occurred within this small area.
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