The Yorkshire Terrier originated in Yorkshire (and the adjoining Lancashire), a rugged region in northern England. In the mid-nineteenth century, workers from Scotland came to Yorkshire in search of work and brought with them several different varieties of small terriers. Breeding of the Yorkshire terrier was principally accomplished by the people--mostly operatives in cotton and woolen mills--in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.Details are scarce. Mrs. A. Foster is quoted as saying in 1886, "If we consider that the mill operatives who originated the breed...were nearly all ignorant men, unaccustomed to imparting information for public use, we may see some reason why reliable facts have not been easily attained".
What is known is that the breed sprang from three different dogs, a male named Old Crab and a female named Kitty, and another female whose name is not known. The Paisley Terrier, a smaller version of the Skye Terrier that was bred for a beautiful long silky coat, also figured into the early dogs. Some authorities believed that the Maltese was used as well. They were all originally bred from Scotch terriers (note: meaning dogs from Scotland, not today's Scottish Terrier) and shown as such...the name Yorkshire Terrier was given to them on account of their being improved so much in Yorkshire. Yorkshire Terriers were shown in a dog show category (class) at the time called "Rough and Broken-coated, Broken-haired Scotch and Yorkshire Terriers". Hugh Dalziel, writing in 1878, says that "the classification of these dogs at shows and in the Kennel Club Stud Book is confusing and absurd" in lumping together these different types.
In the early days of the breed, almost anything in the shape of a Terrier having a long coat with blue on the body and fawn or silver colored head and legs, with tail docked and ears trimmed, was received and admired as a Yorkshire Terrier. But in the late 1860s, a popular Paisley type Yorkshire Terrier showdog named Huddersfield Ben, owned by a woman living in Yorkshire, Mary Ann Foster, was seen at dog shows throughout Great Britain, and defined the breed type for the Yorkshire Terrier.
Huddersfield Ben is considered to be the father of the modern Yorkies. Born in 1865, Huddersfield Ben was one of the first Yorkshire Terrier stud dogs to be shown. He won numerous shows before he died in 1871. Yorkshire Terriers were first shown at the Kennel Club shows in 1870, and the British Kennel Club officially listed the breed in 1874 as Broken Haired Scottish Terriers and Yorkshire Terriers. In 1886 the Kennel Club recognized the Yorkshire Terrier breed, and entered this name into the registry. In 1898 a Yorkshire Terrier Club was formed, with Lady Edith Wyndham-Dawson being one of the most influential members. Several other individuals including Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Crookshank and Mrs. Hillman, all served to promote and standardize the breed.
In 1932 there were only 300 Yorkshire Terriers registered with the Kennel Club, but by the 1970’s they had become the most popular breed in Britain. This has dropped off since then, but they are still in the top 10 breeds in England. The first Yorkshire Terrier to become a champion in the United States was Bradford Harry in 1889. He was a direct descendent of Huddersfield Ben, and had the same characteristics as his great-grandfather. Yorkshire Terriers quickly gained popularity in the toy dog section of the American Kennel Club. They are consistently in the top 20 dog breeds by registration numbers in the United States.
The first Yorkshire Terrier came to Brisbane Australia in the year 1872. Punch, like Bradford Harry, was a direct descendant of the famous Huddersfield Ben. Yorkshire Terriers continue to be a popular breed for people that like a smaller dog that has a fun loving and intelligent demeanour. Yorkies are excellent for many people that have allergies, and Yorkshire Terriers are well equipped to deal with apartment life provided they have some daily exercise. They continue to be popular with older people, as well as families with more mature children.