If you are looking for a dog that weighs only a few pounds with a big spirit, the Yorkshire terrier or Yorkie may be just for you. The background of the Yorkie goes back to the 18th century. During the Industrial Revolution in England, Scotsmen left their country and headed south looking for work in England. They brought their families and dogs. Their dogs included Skye Terriers, Paisley Terriers and Clydesdale Terriers. The breeds ranged in size from 6 pounds to 20 pounds. They were all fairly heavily coated. Some had a silky texture to their coat. All carried blue-tan or gray coat colors. A common breed in Yorkshire, England at the time was the Waterside Terrier.

The present-day Yorkshire Terrier is a combination of these four breeds. The beautiful long-coated dog with a silky steel blue and tan coat is prized as one of the smallest dogs in the world and the most popular toy breed.

By the 1850