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CHAPTER XXI. 



THE YORKSHIRE TERRIER. 



A NATION has been before now congratulated upon the non-possession of a history, and we 

 are not at all sure in our own minds that the Yorkshire Terrier is not fortunate in finding 

 itself in the same lucky category. So many breeds have been the subjects of acrimonious and 

 narrow-minded disputes and petty quarrels, that a variety which has, comparatively speaking, 

 been let alone, is certainly not to be commiserated with when it finds itself permitted to stand 

 or fall on its own merits. Whatever the varieties of dog may have been which were called 

 upon by breeders to combine and form the present beautiful Yorkshire Terrier, it is proved by 

 results that the judgment of their earliest supporters was sound, and the trouble spent is amply 

 repaid by the successful termination of their labours. There is no reference to be found in 

 any of the earlier writers to a dog which resembles the modern Yorkshire Terrier, and we 

 have, moreover, no recollection of ever having come across an admirer of the variety who 

 claimed that the breed was anything but a manufactured article. It is surprising, therefore, 

 when one comes to contemplate the immense amount of trouble that lovers of this remarkably 

 beautiful dog. must have been at to produce such good results. It is freely admitted by 

 almost all writers on dogs that judicious selection of parents can produce almost anything in 

 the shape of dog-flesh ; but the difficulty always has been to get these productions to breed 

 true, and obviate the inclination to throw back to some remote ancestor, which is so prevalent 

 in all cross-bred creatures. The Yorkshire Terrier breeders seem to have overcome this 

 obstacle by some means or the other, for though first-rate specimens are in this, as in other 

 breeds, very difficult to obtain, there is an identity of type about the offspring of certain of 

 the best strains which tends to prove that the breed is practically established amongst us, and 

 may be looked upon as one of our national varieties of dogs. 



The origin of the breed is most obscure; for its originators Yorkshire-like were discreet 

 enough to hold their own counsel, and keep their secrets to themselves. Whether this 

 reticence on their part has had the effect of stifling the inquiries of curious persons, or 

 whether the merits of the breed have hitherto been sufficiently unappreciated by the public, we 

 cannot pretend to say ; but we are aware of no correspondence or particular interest having 

 been taken on the subject of the Yorkshire Terrier's origin. In certain works on the dog 

 however, deductions have been drawn which, no doubt, are more or less worthy of respect. 

 The Black-and-tan Terrier, the Skye, and the Maltese, are all credited with the paternity of 

 the Yorkshire Terrier. That the breed in question resembles the Skye in certain details is 

 evident, but in many important points the two varieties vary widely. For instance, the back 

 of the Yorkshire Terrier must be short and the back of a Skye Terrier long ; so, as regards 

 shape at least, the Yorkshireman cannot be accused of a great resemblance to his Northern 

 neighbour. In our eyes the breed much more closely resembles the Maltese dog, save in 

 colour ; but there is no doubt but that some of our more typical breeds of Terrier have been 

 also drawn upon for his production. Many persons who are ignorant on "doggy" subjects 



