Breed Clubs - South Africa
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- Yorkshire Terrier
January/February 2011Order the Yorkie back issue ...
Yorkshire Terriers
It is recommended that only reputable breeders should be approached when seeking breed information or if you wish to purchase a puppy.
See the advertisements in either this month's issue, our classifieds section, or our back issues featuring your breed of choice. Alternatively contact one of the clubs listed below for breeders in your area.
Gauteng & Tshwane |
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| Yorkshire Terrier Club | Yorkshire Terrier Club of Gauteng
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Toy Dog Club |
Jubilee Toy Dog Club of SA Johannesburg:
Toy Dog Breeders Association |
Kwazulu Natal |
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| Toy Dog Club | Natal Toy Dog Club
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Western Cape |
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| Toy Dog Club | Victory Toy Dog Club |
Fact File - Yorkshire Terriers
| KUSA Group | Toys | |
| FCI Group | Group 3 – Terriers | |
Original Function |
Bred to catch rats & other small mammals. | |
| Modern Function | Pets, companions, showing. | |
Appearance |
Long-coated, intelligent toy terrier. Very compact and neat, carriage very upright conveying an important air. General outline conveying the impression of vigorous and well-proportioned body. | |
Weight |
Up to 3,2kg (7 lb) |
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| Height | The Yorkie is a toy terrier which should be bigger than the Chihuahua but smaller than the Chinese Crested Dog. |
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| Coat Colour | Adult’s body colour should be dark steel blue with rich, bright tan hair on the chest. Ears very deep, rich tan. Forequarters and hindquarters should be covered with hair of rich golden tan, a few shades lighter at ends than at roots. Tail should be darker blue than rest of body, especially at the end. The fall on the head should be long, rich golden tan, deeper in colour at sides of head. Puppies are black with small tan points when they are born. |
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| Coat Texture | Coat should be a glossy, fine silky texture, not woolly. | |
Grooming |
The long silky coat should be brushed daily and washed weekly. A show dog must be wrapped, washed and oiled regularly to enhance coat growth and keep it in show condition. |
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| Personality/Temperament | Spirited with even disposition. | |
Compatibility with other dogs |
Can be very possessive over their owners but they can live with other dogs (not terriers) if raised with them. | |
| Compatibility with cats and other animals | Gets on with cats when raised with them, but is still a hunter and might attack fowl or other smaller animals. | |
Compatibility with people/children |
Amazing with children of all ages if brought up with them. | |
Living Space – Indoors/Outdoors |
Yorkies are definitely not suited to be outside in a kennel. They do not have an undercoat and will feel the cold very easily if left to stay outdoors. They are very good companion dogs and prefer to be with their owners indoors. | |
Space and Exercise |
Do not need a big garden to exercise but love to be taken on regular walks. | |
Trainability |
Intelligent and relatively easy to train but do have a mind of their own. | |
| Suitability as Watchdog
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Extremely good 'watch' dogs. They will alert their owners to the slightest sign of intruders. | |
Noise Factor |
They can be very noisy. | |
| Average Lifespan
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14 – 16 years. | |
| Feeding | They eat very little therefore it is preferable to give them a good quality dog food to ensure they get all the vitamins they need. | |
Health |
They are normally healthy and long-lived dogs. Small Yorkies can often have serious health and behavioural problems. Special attention should be given to dental care. | |
| Availability | Enquire via the Clubs for reputable breeders and healthy puppies. Due to popularity of the breed, a lot of indiscriminate breeding is taking place. Be prepared to wait for well-bred puppies! | |
| Some questions to ask Breeders | ALWAYS ask the breeder lots of questions, especially where health is concerned. A good breeder will be happy to answer any queries you may have. Ask about temperaments of and, if possible, to see both parents. Are the puppies registered with KUSA; are they de-wormed and vaccinated; what health guarantees come with your puppy? |