9781422279410

The first Yorkies to be regis- tered in the USA (in the Nation- al American Kennel Club, the predecessor of the AKC) were Butch, born in 1882, and Daisy, born two years later. Among the earliest breeders

were Henry and Lena Kisteman of New York City. They first showed at the Westminster Ken- nel Club show in 1877, where Dandy was entered as a Skye Terrier and Lucy was shown in the class for Toy Terriers not exceeding 5 pounds (2.2 kg). The following year Dandy was shown as a Toy Terrier, while Lucy was entered in the class for York- shire Terriers not exceeding 5 pounds (2.2 kg). The first American Champion was Bradford Harry, who was sold by Mary Foster to Peter Coombs of Bangor, Maine. Bradford Harry was born in 1885 and was a grandson of Huddersfield Ben on his dam’s side and great-grandson on his sire’s side. But his significance was as a sire; he produced top-quality offspring and put his stamp on the development of the breed in the USA. The Modern Era The dual charms of the Yorkshire Terrier—her loving, mischie- vous temperament combined with her stunning good looks—has ensured worldwide popularity. She is a brilliant companion dog, adapts to a variety of lifestyles, and remains one of the most spec- tacular show dogs. The Yorkie is consistently in the top 10 in AKC popularity, combining the best features of a toy dog companion and a big dog personality.

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