We want to know everything about dogs. Everything! But there are countless breeds of dog out there, and each one is a unique animal with its own history. That's why every week, we shine a spotlight on a different breed. This week, learn some fun facts about Yorkshire Terriers.
YORKSHIRE TERRIERS ARE BORN EXTERMINATORS
Today, Yorkshire Terriers are popular companion dogs, but when originally bred in mid-1800s, they were well-regarded for being effective ratters. Today, the breed has been bred slightly smaller and is seldom used for killing vermin, but Yorkies still retain plenty of the feistiness that made them great exterminators.
THE YORKSHIRE TERRIER USED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT NAME
For its first few years, the Yorkshire Terrier breed was called the Broken Haired Scotch Terrier, Broken Haired Toy Terrier or simply Toy Terrier. By the 1970s, the name Yorkshire Terrier was adopted to honor the place where the breed began.
THE YORKIE IS THE SIXTH MOST POPULAR DOG IN AMERICA
According to the American Kennel Club's registration statistics for 2013, Yorkie are the sixth most popular dog breed in the U.S. They trail only Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Beagles and Bulldogs.
THE SMALLEST DOG IN HISTORY WAS A YORKIE
The smallest dog alive today is a 4-inch Chihuahua named Miracle Milly, but Milly is still bigger than Sylvia, a Yorkshire Terrier who for 70 years has remained the smallest dog in recorded history. Sylvia was 2.5 inches tall, measured 3.5 inches long and weighed only 4 ounces.
AUDREY HEPBURN'S BELOVED YORKIE APPEARED ON SCREEN WITH HER
Legendary actress Audrey Hepburn was famously attached to her Yorkshire Terrier, Mr. Famous. Lots of photos exist of Hepburn toting the dog around with her on studio lots, and he even made an appearance in one of her most popular movies, "Funny Face."
RICHARD NIXON AND HIS FAMILY HAD A PET YORKIE IN THE WHITE HOUSE
The dog most closely associated with Richard Nixon was Checkers, the subject of Nixon's famous 1952 speech during his run for the vice presidency. While Checkers didn't live to see the White House, Nixon and his family did have other pet dogs during his time in the Oval Office, including a Yorkie named Pasha.
A YORKIE NAMED SMOKY WAS A WORLD WAR II HERO
An America soldier fighting in the Pacific theater during World War II found a Yorkshire Terrier puppy lost in a foxhole. She was named Smoky, and she went on to become an American war hero. At first, Smoky visited injured American soldiers, making her one of the first therapy dogs. She later advanced to even more tactical work, stringing communication lines between outposts in the Philippines.
YORKSHIRE TERRIERS ARE AS BRAVE AS THEY ARE SMALL
Judging by their bravery and boldness, Yorkies have no idea how small they are, or else they have the confidence not to let their diminutive size hold them back. Loyal to the bone, Yorkies have been known to protect their owners from any threat. Last year, a 6-pound Yorkie in New Jersey even chased off a hungry bear that wandered into the dog's home.
