Firstly, welcome to YorkieTalk, I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do. Almost all of the members here are shiny red delicious apples...there are very few bad ones in the barrel.
Your Bam is a dollbaby!
...there's no such thing as a dollbaby Yorkie either. It's a term of endearment I like to use.
I'm sorry you've had criticism in regard to your Bam...he certainly is adorable.
Ears don't make the breed unless you want to show them, in which case I believe they need to stand erect in accordance with the AKC standard.
A lot of times ears stay down because the hair on the ears weighs them down, making it very difficult for them to stand on their own. Throughout puppyhood, the cartilage thickens and sets, and their ears stay floppy permanently. This doesn't mean your dog is not a purebred Yorkie.
That being said, the people who told you there is only 1 'type' of Yorkie, are indeed correct. I've learned a LOT since joining Yorkie Talk, that being one of the things I've learned, thanks to the great people here!
There are no teacups, minis, micro-minis, teddy-bear, miniature, or even toy...Yorkies. Yorkies are classified as a toy breed, but there are no "toy Yorkies" as a legitimate prefix type - unless it's a stuffed animal or a literal play toy. There's only one type, the standard Yorkshire Terrier. According to the AKC they can be 7 lbs and under
(although I have met some purebred Yorkies myself that are over 7 lbs and they are JUST as much a Yorkie as their standard counterparts). Some people have lovingly named them "Teapot" Yorkies (a Yorkie over 7 lbs). These people know there is
no such thing (just as there is no such thing as a Teacup)...but it is a term of endearment.
I think when people place Yorkies into subclasses that don't exist for the purpose of a selling point or false advertisement, or misinformation is when most of us get irritated. That and misinforming other people when there is only one Yorkie type - the standard. It really helps to know your facts before informing other people who may truly be interested in the Yorkshire Terrier breed. That way you can inform them correctly.
There's nothing wrong with calling Bam "Your little teddy bear"...nothing wrong with that at ALL and don't listen to people who tell you otherwise. It is a term of endearment, and as long as you are NOT using that word to misinform people or as a type of Yorkie, there's nothing wrong with it.
I call Bella teacup sometimes as a nickname. I also use Tinkerbella or Bellaboo, etc. Teacup Yorkies do NOT exist...but there is nothing wrong with using it as a nickname for your own pet. (Bella is a Yorkie mix, not a purebred..and I love her regardless of what is in her blood).