Meet Olive.

But before you do, can we just take a moment to collectively “awww” at how adorable this Yorkie portrait is? Seriously, we can’t even look at these photos without getting warm and gooey feelings all over; she’s that cute! Olive is a spunky little sweetie that visited our downtown Sacramento pet portrait studio, and we are so glad she did! She came in with her mama, Meli, and we love this duo more than words can say.

Olive is a Yorkshire Terrier, whose breed is categorized as in the “Toy Group”. From the American Kennel Club’s website:

The Yorkshire Terrier is a compact, toy-size terrier of no more than seven pounds whose crowning glory is a floor-length, silky coat of steel blue and a rich golden tan.

Don’t let the Yorkie’s daintiness fool you. Tenacious, feisty, brave, and sometimes bossy, the Yorkie exhibits all the traits of a true terrier. Often named the most popular dog breed in various American cities, Yorkies pack lots of big-town attitude into a small but self-important package. They are favorites of urbanites the world over.

Yorkies are long-lived and hypoallergenic (the coat is more like human hair than animal fur), and they make fine little watchdogs. This is a true “personality breed,” providing years of laughs, love, and close companionship.

A historical breed.

The Yorkshire terrier breed has a long and extensive history dating back to the mid-1800s. Originally used as working dogs, the breed eventually became well suited as companions to Victorian ladies. From the AKC website:

The Scots weavers were proud of their tough little terriers, bred small enough to squeeze into the nooks and crannies of textile mills in pursuit of rodents. Jokes were made about the Yorkie’s long, silky coat, inferring that its finely textured hair was a product of the looms. The Yorkie’s home region was a center of mining as well as textile making, and many Yorkies were employed in coal mines as exterminators.

The turning point in breed history came in 1886, when the Kennel Club (England) granted the Yorkie recognition. With this splash of publicity, the Yorkie became fashionable as a ladies’ companion. And, as the Yorkie’s popularity among the fashionable increased, its size decreased to better meet its new job description: adorable, amusing companion sitting in the lap of luxury.

The above description fits little Olive perfectly! She’s the very picture of adorable elegance, and we can just picture her snuggled up alongside her mama, enjoying a luxurious afternoon in the sunshine.

Thanks for stopping by, Meli & Olive!