There are varying hypotheses regarding the origins and ancestry of the breed due to limited historical information. The only thing one can know with any certainty is that the Yorkshire resulted from a crossing of established breeds of terriers; dogs indigenous to the British Isles which had adapted and been selected to hunt rats and other small prey. We also know that the breed was developed by Scottish workers who settled in the Earldom of Yorkshire seeking jobs in the wool industry. By crossing three distinct terrier breeds they developed in time the Yorkshire Terrier, easily recognized for its unique exterior and fine temperament.

The people had a chance to see the breed of Yorkshire Terrier at the Dog show for the first time. Good length of hair marked some of the best of the early dogs. One well known specimen bred by Madame Troughear de Leed weighed two and a half kilograms and had hair sixty-one centimeters long. He was known for the beautiful color of his coat and the quality of his hair. It should be noted that the first Yorkshire Terriers were larger than those bred today. We can conclude from various judge reports that the weight of the early dogs was not consistent and could vary anywhere from 1350 grams up to 3150 grams . Often there were appreciable size differences in puppies from the same litter, with some puppies even reaching a size of 5400 grams . It was important that the dogs have a steel blue coat color on the back and a gold tint to the hair on the head and extremities. Again, the quality of the hair was and continues to be important; long and silky is the standard. Also the dogs should have a straight back and small ears. Today the Yorkshire Terrier is most often a woman''''s companion.

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I thank my friend, David Moore for his help in translating the text from Russian into English.