You can’t talk about Yorkies without beginning with the official founder of the registered Yorkie line, Huddersfield Ben. Then there are the unfortunate Yorkies which variously held the record for the Smallest Dog in the World: Sylvia (recorded to be the smallest ever in the world), Thumbelina,
Former US President Richard Nixon’s infamous dog Checkers was the subject of a speech. Pasha, owned by Nixon’s wife, succeeded Checkers. Then there is a Yorkie who was a World War II hero: Smoky, who served in the Philippines for a while!
Toto in The Wizard of Oz is thought to be a Yorkie, based on the illustrations by W. W. Denslow.
FAMOUS YORKIE LOVERS
A lot of international celebrities are known to have Yorkies. The most famous one would be screen legend Audrey Hepburn’s Yorkie named, well, ‘Mr. Famous.’ She loved him so much that he came out in a scene in her movie ‘Funny Face’ and also appeared with her on magazine covers. Ms. Hepburn might as well be credited for Hollywood’s love for the Yorkie.
A-list actor Johnny Depp has a deep bond with his Yorkies. He made the news in 2015 when he brought his dogs to Australia when he was filming the fifth ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie.
Other famous people that have been spotted with Yorkies include Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Ivanka Trump, and Natalie Portman. Even ‘real men’ such as Justin Timberlake and Bruce Willis have fallen for this fancy breed.
IF YOU LOVE DOGS…
Respected show judges with extensive Yorkie experience, reputable and careful breeders, dog experts, and animal welfare activists alike agree: STAY AWAY from teacup Yorkies, which are prone to genetic disorders and are more likely to die or fall prey to painful diseases. To create a “teacup Yorkie,” a runt is bred to another runt; runts are runts for good reason and should not be bred because they have various genetic disorders they can pass on to their offspring—which can die painful deaths due to their deformities.
This story appeared in Animal Scene’s February 2017 issue.
