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Breed Guide

The Yorkshire Terrier: What They Were Bred to Do

The work was catching rats in mills and in mines.

What drives your dog?

Breed is a starting guess. Take the free drive test to see which job your dog actually runs on, with three ways to give them that job this week. We email you the result.

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Where the Yorkshire Terrier came from

The Yorkshire Terrier started in northern England in the 1800s. Workers from Scotland moved to Yorkshire for jobs in mills and mines and brought small terriers with them. These dogs were used to catch rats in the mills and mines.

Local breeders mixed in other terriers. A show winner named Huddersfield Ben, from the late 1860s, helped set the breed type and is still called the father of the breed. Over time the dogs got smaller and their coat got silkier.

The AKC recognized the breed in 1885. Today the Yorkie is mostly a lap and show dog, but still has terrier spirit.

  • 1800s Workers in Yorkshire breed small ratting terriers
  • Late 1860s Huddersfield Ben, a show winner, helps set the breed type
  • 1885 The first Yorkshire Terrier is registered with the AKC
  • 1944 A Yorkie named Smoky is found in a New Guinea foxhole and goes on to serve with a US Army Air Forces soldier

The job a Yorkshire Terrier was bred for

The work was catching rats in mills and in mines. The dog had to be fearless and fast. At home you see a small dog who acts big, barks at visitors and likes to chase.

Sports that fit a Yorkshire Terrier

  • Scent work. It lets a small dog use a big nose.
  • Trick dog. They are smart and love attention.
  • Rally. Good for focus and bonding.
  • Barn hunt. Their rat-finding past fits well.

Training tips for a Yorkshire Terrier

  • Teach quiet and calm greetings. Barking is a Yorkie specialty.
  • Use treats and gentle handling. They are small and sensitive.
  • Use a harness instead of a collar, since their windpipes are delicate.
  • Practice grooming and tooth brushing from the start.

Body and health

Yorkies are tiny and fragile. They can have knee and windpipe trouble, so avoid big jumps and pulling on the collar.

Fun fact. A Yorkie named Smoky was found in a New Guinea jungle foxhole in 1944, went on to serve in World War II with Corporal William Wynne, and is often called one of the first therapy dogs.

Breed is where we start

A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Yorkshire Terrier is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.

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Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.