The Yorkshire Terrier is admired for its striking long coat, which is unusual for a dog. It’s actually a lot like human hair. The long hair of the Yorkshire Terrier (on average 5-9 inches long in general, and sometimes up to 14 inches in show champions, compared to about 3/4 inch for a short-haired dog) is perfectly straight, both fine and silky, and it falls from a parting along the ridge of the back, making you think of long straight hair on a woman. The Yorkshire Terrier is one of those rare breeds, together with the Maltese, the Toy Poodle, the Shih Tzu and the Lhasa Apso, which do not shed and whose hair grows continuously (from about 3/4 inch per month). Because of the length of its coat, the Yorkshire Terrier therefore has 3 times the length of hair (measured end to end) than a dog of the same bodyweight with medium length hair.

The hair is a flexible and elastic filament that, like the skin, is mostly composed of keratin. Skin and hair renewal can account for up to 35% of the daily protein requirements in an adult dog. Any deficiency can lead to a dull, brittle and faded coat.

adapted from the Yorkshire Terrier by Royal Canin