Yorkshire Terrier is genetically a Black/Tan (B/T) dog that turns blue later in
life. The blue color is created at another loci by the GG or Gg genes.
Whenever you have a dog born one color that turns blue later in life, it is the
GG or Gg genes that cause this to happen.
Unfortunately with blue born puppies the situation is usually fatal. Very few
live beyond the 1st few days. The ones that do survive almost always at the
time they would normally break blue, lose all their blue body coat and get a
very leathery skin that is like an elephant hide and causes the dog to be in
extreme pain. At that time the dog has to be humanely put down.
The red or chocolates are affected by the bb genes. The red or
chocolates or referred to as liver in some breeds will also have self colored
pigment, such as red, chocolate or liver nose. They should only be carrying
the dominant BB genes. Most of these situations occur with backyard
breeders and puppy mills and they are not likely to share the history of
problems with the show breeders. Once again this is a recessive being passed
on to the puppies from the parents. This breeding should definitely not be
repeated. Blue born puppies and red/chocolate born puppies are not
acceptable colors in the breed. They should only be born Black/Tan and later
turn to a dark steel blue. The blue born puppies and red/chocolate born
puppies are recessive colors being passed to the progeny and a repeat
breeding should never occur. Puppies of these colors should not be sold as
rare colors. These are totally unacceptable colors and it's not so much that
they are rare, as that they are not true representatives of the breed. Do
not be misled by unscrupulous breeders about these dogs. Makes one
wonder if there is more in the background of these dogs. Concerned breeders
would only want to breed dogs that are producing the only acceptable color
of the breed which is a Black/Tan puppy that as an adult dog will be blue and
gold. As an owner or potential owner of one you should only want the blue
and gold, because that is the Yorkshire Terrier. Any other color really makes
it something other than this breed. As a breeder, you should not knowingly
breed a dog that is producing such a known defect. The breed could shortly
become other than what it is. For instance, the tri colors that are
produced in some of Europe. This is not what a Yorkie should be. If you want
a tri color dog then get a breed that should produce tri colors.
The standard laid down by the YTCA is very specific about them. It states
the puppy should be born Black/Tan and change color to a Blue/Tan dog later
in life. No where is it written that the dog should be born any other color
than Black/Tan. Standards are written to protect our breeds. The blue born
is a perfect example of why. The health problems associated with this color
make it critical that we stick to the color the breed is suppose to be, which
means being born Black/Tan and later changing to a Blue/Tan dog. |