[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by manolos mom

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.

Exactly, thank you for posting.