Photo: Pekka Kaplas
Yorkshire Terrier
Top-Winning Yorkies in Finland in
Today's Yorkshire Terrier is not only a popular pet but also a glamorous show dog in its floor-length silky coat and beautiful steel blue and golden tan colors are a far cry from its working class origins. It developed from small English working terriers and was named after Yorkshire in England in 1876. Its first breed standard was adopted in 1898.The Yorkie made its way to the United States in the late 19th century. The first Yorkies came to Finland in the 1930's, but the breed disappeared until it was reintroduced in the early 1960's. Since then, the breed has maintained its position with annual registrations around 100 dogs and a few dedicated breeders and exhibitors who are now facing the challenge of cheap, unregistered imports from dealers in the neighboring countries in the east and the south..
Since Finland is an FCI member, Yorkshire Terriers compete in the Terrier Group unlike in Britain, the United States and Australia, where the breed remains a toy dog. And it is a toy with a spirited, terrier-like temperament, a small size of seven pounds (3.1 kilos) and a characteristic long, flowing and silky coat that requires elaborate care and grooming to come to its full glory.
Note: Although Yorkshire Terrier tails were traditionally docked and continue to be docked in the U.S. and Britain, Finland has a tail-docking ban. No dog with a docked tail, born after Jan.1, 2001, may be entered at shows in Finland.
The breed has its own breed club affiliated with the Finnish Toy Dog Association, the Yorkshire Terrier Club of Finland.
For more information, visit the Yorkshire Terrier Club's website.
