I would add that there are breeds that have been identified and separated by the coat alone. One pertinent example would be the Clydesdale and Skye Terrriers, both the same dog distinguished only by their coat, yet different breeds. There were instances, also, of different pups from the same litter being classified as different breeds. With those factors at work at that time, early Parti fanciers (and their dogs) may have been better served by going the separate breed route, rather than being linked to the Yorkshire Terrier, whose clubs rejected them. |