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Could that little perky dog in the local animal shelter actually be a purebred Yorkshire Terrier? Most likely, yes. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that twenty-five percent of all animals given up to shelters are purebreds.

One of the advantages of getting purebred dogs is that their physical and personality temperaments can (for the most part) be predicted. You will also be aware of the needs for the dog in order to happy and healthy.

Knowing the Yorkshire Terrier breed standard can help you determine if the dog in your shelter is indeed a Yorkshire Terrier. Keep in mind that no dog can live up to the breed standard. A breed standard is the written description of a perfect representation of the breed. Just see if your shelter dog compares for the most part to the breed description. Odds are it will likely be off in only a few physical features.

You can find the Yorkshire Terrier breed standard in a variety of places. All breed dog books are not very good if you are looking for a detailed description. They only give the most general descriptions of breed standards. You need to go the American Kennel Club or a Yorkshire Terrier rescue group website in order to find the most recent Yorkie breed standard (which can be updated occasionally). There are also books focusing on just the Yorkshire Terrier that may available in your local library.

So, in order to identify a purebred Yorkshire Terrier, you need to know the breed standard other than that of a really long blue and tan coat. If this upcoming description seems hard to grasp, don’t worry. There are many websites and dog magazines that have pictures of clipped Yorkies. Going to a Yorkshire Terrier rescue is a great source of Yorkshire Terrier information. In time, you will learn the difference between Yorkies and other toy breeds.

But the physical appearance is perhaps the only way you can tell a dog’s breed at your local animal shelter. The Yorkshire Terrier is small, averaging just seven pounds. They have V-shaped ears which usually (but not always) stand straight up.

They should stand squarely. Although blue and tan is the official color, other colors or white markings have cropped up in pet quality animals.

Yorkshire Terriers are famous for their silky coats. In show champions, the coat is about twice as long as the dog. In the shelter, most likely the dog you are trying to identify has a clipped coat, making him or her look like a cross between a teddy bear and a ragamuffin. Another fault that disqualifies a Yorkie from a show ring is having black hairs mixed with the blue and tan. Also, if the blue of your Yorkie is silver blue instead of steel blue, he or she will also not be considered good enough for the show ring.