The Yorkshire Terrier: More than just a Pretty Face
There is something about a Yorkshire Terrier that makes people stop and smile.
Maybe it is the silky coat, the little topknot, or the way such a small dog can walk into a room as though they own it. But anyone who has truly lived with a Yorkie knows there is so much more to this breed than a beautiful face.
At LuxTails, we believe that the Yorkshire Terrier is a breed worth preserving—not simply producing. That means looking beyond colour, size, or a pretty picture and paying attention to the qualities that make a Yorkie a wonderful representative of the breed.
A Little Dog With a Big History
The Yorkshire Terrier may be small today, but its history is anything but delicate.
The breed originated in Yorkshire, England, where early Yorkies were developed as working terriers. They were valued for their courage, determination, and ability to hunt vermin in mills and other working environments.
That terrier character is still very much alive in the breed.
Our Yorkies may spend their days being pampered, shown, and cuddled, but underneath that beautiful coat is a confident little dog with plenty of personality.
Beauty Is Only One Part of the Picture
A beautiful Yorkie is wonderful to look at—but structure, temperament, health, and breed type matter too.
When we plan a breeding, we look at the whole dog. We consider pedigree, structure, movement, temperament, health history, and how each dog may complement the other.
The goal isn't simply to produce puppies that are cute.
It is to produce Yorkshire Terriers that reflect the qualities we value in the breed and that can become wonderful companions for the families who welcome them home.
Beauty is only part of the picture.
Responsible Breeding Starts Before the Puppies Are Born
One of the most important parts of responsible breeding happens long before a puppy arrives.
We health test our breeding dogs and use that information when making breeding decisions. Testing cannot guarantee that every puppy will be free from every possible health problem, but it gives breeders important information and allows us to make more informed choices.
For us, breeding is about generations—not just one litter.
We look at where our dogs came from, what they can contribute to the next generation, and how a particular pairing fits into our long-term goals for the breed.
What Does Preservation Breeding Mean?
Not long ago, I met someone at a pet store who was walking a dog down the aisle the that was at least 20 lbs at mid size canine height (this dog was adult hip height), a nice looking dog. When I asked what breed it was, they proudly told me it was a “Yorkie" and added “purebred”—because that is what the seller had told them.
Stories like that sound extreme, but they happen every day. They are the direct result of what happens when breeding strays from a standard.
Preservation breeding is about protecting the fundamental qualities that define a breed while actively safeguarding its future. For Yorkshire Terriers, that means honoring correct breed type, sound structure, stable temperament, robust health, and the distinct traits that make a Yorkie unmistakably a Yorkie. It means having the discipline to resist short-lived market trends.
Right now, the market is flooded with non-standard dogs sold as "purebred" for premium prices—marketed as rare chocolate, parti, merle, blonde, all-black, or "teacup."
Here is the truth: there is no such thing as a teacup Yorkshire Terrier. It is neither a recognized variety nor an official standard under the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) or American Kennel Club (AKC). It is simply a marketing gimmick designed to sell unnaturally small, often health-compromised puppies at higher prices. A true Yorkshire Terrier has one official standard: blue and tan, weighing under 7 pounds.
Beyond trendy colors and sizes, preservation stands against unvetted breeding practices:
High-Volume & Unregulated Breeding: Kennels that cross whatever dogs they happen to have in stock without asking the vital question: Should this dog actually be bred?
Without active selection for the breed standard, generations of unchecked breeding lead to “severe genetic drift”. Snouts elongate, ears flop, coats lose their silkiness, and frame sizes explode—resulting in dogs that are purebred on paper, but completely unrecognizable in person.
Casual "Backyard" Breeding: The common scenario where two pet owners decide to pair their dogs simply because they have them. Without health screenings, genetic evaluations, structural assessments, or pedigree analysis, buyers bear the risk of inherited conditions and unpredictable traits.
There will always be demand for the tiniest puppy or the latest exotic coat trend. But responsible, preservation-focused breeding isn't about chasing fast sales or fashionable labels. It is about protecting the integrity of the Yorkshire Terrier—and having the integrity to say no when a dog shouldn't be bred.
Preservation isn't about staying stuck in the past; it's about protecting the breed for the future.
The Yorkie Personality
If you've ever owned a Yorkie, you probably already know this:
They have opinions.
Yorkies are intelligent, alert, affectionate, and often surprisingly confident for their size. They can be playful and entertaining one minute and perfectly content to curl up beside you the next.
Their small size can sometimes fool people into thinking they are low-maintenance little lap dogs.
They aren't.
They are terriers.
They need interaction, socialization, training, and a family that appreciates their intelligence and personality.
And that is part of what makes living with one so much fun.
Small Doesn't Mean "Better"
One of the things we feel strongly about is the obsession with making Yorkshire Terriers smaller and smaller.
A healthy, well-structured Yorkie should not be defined simply by how tiny they are.
The breed standard exists for a reason. Responsible breeders should be thinking about soundness and longevity rather than competing to produce the smallest puppy.
A tiny puppy may look adorable, but responsible breeding means asking a much bigger question:
What kind of adult dog are we trying to create?
That question should always come first.
Why We Breed
For us, breeding Yorkshire Terriers is a commitment to a breed we love.
We show our dogs. We study pedigrees. We health test our breeding dogs. We learn from experienced breeders and continue to grow in our knowledge.
Most importantly, we care about where our dogs go and what they bring to the families who choose them.
Our puppies are raised in our home, surrounded by the sights, sounds, and routines of family life. We aren't trying to produce as many puppies as possible.
We are trying to produce the right puppies.
Because a Yorkshire Terrier isn't just a pretty little dog.
It is a breed with history, character, intelligence, and a future worth protecting.
And that is what preservation means to us.
