[Mike1975]

First of all, i want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy new year.


This topic refers to http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/4516157-post14.html


I will explain why and on what I disagree with the "History of Parti" written by Sue White
HISTORY OF PARTI`S

My basic objection concerns this quote :

"The Yorkshire Terriers breed standards have changed over the years. The "Standard" color is slate blue and tan, any other color is considered to be "Off Standard." Until the new color disqualification rule went into effect, off standard colored, black and tan and black and gold yorkies have entered the show ring and won their champion status. Standards have changed and not only do we now have smaller sized dogs than in the late 1800's, but some of our "off standard," darker coated dogs have been allowed into the show ring.
Hopefully these types of changes along with a better understanding of color genetics, will open the door for the continued, growing acceptance of the Parti colored Yorkie.
Parti Yorkies ARE RARE, they are hard to find and as supply and demand goes, they do cost more than the traditional colored Yorkie."

First of all the Yorkshire Terrier's color from the very beginning of the breed till now, has always been BLUE AND TAN. Any other color is considered a fault. A FAULT THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BREED.

I frankly don't understand why some people trying to make virtues out of faults. Faults not in minor traits but in THE ULTIMATE trait in our breed : color and texture.

I don't understand the reason why they are quoting old books with the history of our breed in order to convince their audience that these traits were desirable. These traits were FAULTS then and are FAULTS now.

No dog is perfect. Actually no living creature is. Every dog, even grand and multi champions, have faults. Faults and of course virtues.

A purebred Yorkie is any yorkie bred by purebred parents. This doesn't mean that it possesses all the desirable traits - according to the standard.
Its the breeder's responsibility to evaluate these traits (faults and virtues) and respect the gene pool. Disrespecting the standard and breeding faults simply leads to something else, similar to yorkie, but certainly not the breed we are striving for.
Partis carry faulty genes, genes that a Yorkshire Terrier should not have in its genotype. And because they express these faulty genes in their coloring they do not model the standard and they are not correct in TYPE.

Mrs White advertises them as "RARE" in order to sell them more expensive. For me this is not different from all the other "RARE" yorkies that some irresponsible "breeders" bring to this world to make a fast buck. Merles, Goldens, Chocolate, Creamy and God knows what else they will come up with in order to make money. The problem at least in my point of view is that all these people, are not just breeding to supply an unhealthy demand, but they support these breedings with theories to fool their audience. And thats even worse.

How would you all feel if I found the dropped eared Yorkie cute and sold them as the "rare" "FlopyYorkie". I could easily support my breeding with the first standard that required "semi erect" ears and could also provide historical facts to justify all this...



As far as the standard is concerned.

The standard is a written description of the ideal yorkie. The PERFECT dog that does not exist and never will. The standard was written in order to serve as a guide to dedicated breeders. Breeders that will strive for perfection in every aspect. Conformation, health and temperament. This is the healthy purpose of breeding dogs. Without these breeders the breed wouldn't survive and be admired as it is in our time.

Joan Gordon wrote that "The standard abides as a GUARD. If we loose the concepts tailored by those who originated the breed's identity, we wind up with dogs that -albeit sound - are lacking in the qualities that distinguish them as Yorkshire Terriers."

Color and texture historically were of prime importance. BOTH were the "trademark" of the breed. Long, straight, silky hair, blue and tan in color.

Henry Webb in his 1872 book "Dogs: Their points, Whims, Insticts and Peculiarities" wrote that
"the blue and tan should contrast so well as to please the eye, rich and decided in color, and not a sickly silver color all over".


According to Joan Gordon's research there was disagreement among the fanciers of the breed in the North and in the South, concerning the saturation point of the blue color. The Northerners believed that the color should be bright steel-blue and that this represented the ideal yorkie. "Bright" was used because it gives illumination to steel-blue, thus reflecting light.

On the other hand, the Southerners believed that the desired color should be a dark steel-blue (as it was showed then in the South of England) and that it was a great improvement over the pale colored dogs which were preferred in the North.

All these were written on the book "The Twentieth Century Dog (Non Sporting) written by Herbert Compton in 1904.

Mr Compton in his book, shared both opinions; Mr Fred Poole's opinion, who represented the Northerners and the "Halifax and District Yorkshire Terrier Club", and Mr. F. Randall's who represented the Southerners and was the first Secretary of the Yorkshire Terrier Club.

| The Yorkshire Terrier Club |

In 1891, Mr P.H. Coombs wrote the Yorkie article in the book "The American Book of the Dog". In this article he provided us with a standard that was accepted by the "Yorkshire Terrier Club of England". The standard that Mr. Coombs provided us with, was the one of the Northerners.

https://archive.org/stream/americanb...arch/yorkshire

Other writers claim that the first standard was accepted by the "Yorkshire Terrier Club" in 1898 without mentioning the other club that Mr Coombs is referring to. Others that the first standard was drawn up by the "Yorkshire Terrier Club" in London, in 5 January 1911.

The first standard that was laid down by the Yorkshire Terrier Club that was represented by Mr. F. Randall, was described in Leslie William's book "A manual of toy dogs" written in 1904.
A manual of toy dogs; how to breed, rear, and feed them


With the exception of the ears, the weight (please read Weight History Of the Yorkshire Terrier ) and the "silver yorkie" which was never a desired color, the standard has not changed over the years. It has remained basically the same with slight changes in the words used. This concerns the FCI standard and the (English) Kennel Club's standard.

As far as the color DQ is concerned for the American Standard, I couldn't agree more. This was established in order to protect the ONLY TRUE COLORS of the breed; BLUE AND TAN.

Ann Seranne, wrote a wonderful book in the 80s called "The Joy of breeding your own show dog". Like Julia Gasow, I was also touched by her unselfishness when I read that :

" The challenge before us is to capture all the qualities in one gorgeous, animated package and lock those genes into our genetic lines so that our dogs will eventually breed true. We may not be able to accomplish this in the remaining span of our lives, but we hope that we will be able to leave the foundation for such a dream to an equally interested person who will be able to accomplish in his lifetime what we will attempt to strive for in ours. "

Why can't we just strive for perfection and keep this wonderful breed alive?
Why can't we just respect the breed that some dedicated breeders entrusted us with?
Why can't we just BREED TO THE STANDARD???
Is it so difficult?

WE keep in our hands the fate of Yorkshire Terriers. The future of the breed. Its up to us to keep this breed alive and hand it to the next generation better or at least the same as it was entrusted to us.