THE YORKSHIRE terrier, or Yorkie as it is commonly known, is part of the "toy" group of dogs which also includes the King Charles, the Pomeranian and the Chihuahua, writes Michael Kelly
I've often thought that toy group is an unfortunate name for a collection of dogs and in the Yorkie's case it's actually kind of misleading - sure it's small, usually weighing no more than 3kg (7lb), but the Yorkie is far from toy - it's a tough, athletic little dog that thinks it's a Rottweiler.
Peter Banks, who shares his home (and his bedroom, but more on that later) with five Yorkies including a new arrival called Lindy-Lou, agrees. "She's only eight inches tall," he says of the seven-month-old pup, "but in common with the rest of the breed, she has a Napoleon complex - she is small, but she doesn't know that. She is very adventurous and doesn't really know fear."
Banks and his wife Antoinette have been dealing with the breed for 25 years, having received their first as a wedding present. A pedigree Yorkie, he tells me, will cost in excess of €500. "People should bear in mind though that we are talking about a companion for the next 14 years."
Grooming is confined to a weekly hair-brush and a twice-yearly visit to the dog groomer. They also seem to be relatively undemanding when it comes to exercise. "We live on an acre and a half, so they get out first thing in the morning for a run and then again when we come home from work."
Lindy-Lou and her pals, it would appear, have the run of the Banks household. "They wouldn't survive outside, certainly in colder weather, so there's a cat-flap in the door and they can come in and out of the kitchen. There are certain limits - they aren't allowed on the couch, unless we tell them it's okay."
Rather than feed them tinned dog-food, Banks gets a specially made "doggie roll" from his local butcher. "It's a roll made up of tripe, liver and offal and other off-cuts that humans won't eat any more. They cost about €3 for an 18-inch roll which lasts our dogs about a week. They get some dry food, too, and leftovers. There's a bit of a dispute about whether it's okay to feed pets leftovers, but honestly, dog food has only been available for 50 years. What were they fed before that?"
Let's address the bedroom thing - do they really sleep in the couple's room? "Yeah," he laughs, "we tried to exclude them but they scream and shout and in the end you give in. In truth, it doesn't bother us much, but they do snore for Ireland. They have little hammocks by the radiator and they are very happy there, though Lindy-Lou likes to be beside the cat."
There's a cat in the room too?
"Yes, but luckily we have a very large bed."