THANK YOU!! What a wonderful post.. very informative and nonjudgmental. Exactly the way a discussion should start.
You expressed your opinion but stated that it was your opinion.. perfect! Your post was spot on. It was correct in history, quoted well know breeders and it was easy to understand.
When Sue wrote the piece that started this discussion, the Parti’s and the other colors were harder to find, she used the word “rare”.. they are now much more common place. The colors have grown considerably in popularity and AKC registration. Sue is very knowledgeable regarding color genetics and she is someone to whom many of us go to when we have a question regarding color combinations, recessive genes or just basic questions. We are learning things every day on the color “front”, it is a fascinating subject and adds another whole dimension to the breeding equation.
Yes, these “colors” are considered a fault based on the Yorkshire Terrier Standard, they are a COLOR fault, not a structure fault, not a health issue, not a character issue, they do not cause blindness, lameness or any other life threatening problems. But yes, they ARE considered a fault.
These dogs are able to be registered through AKC. They have been DNA’d as full Yorkshire Terriers. They have been proven to be full Yorkshire terriers. We are not breeding mutts, we are not mixing other breeds together to “make” a dog. Even Joan Gordon, who you quoted in your post, produced a tri colored puppy in 1976 with her sister named Wildweir Triplicate and registered him AKC (TB426843).
I totally understand and applaud your dedication to keeping the Standard. The Yorkshire terrier is a magnificent dog. Believe me when I tell you no one is trying to lessen the beauty of this breed. Allowing the colors to flourish will not harm the beauty of the traditional. Even if a traditional “carried” the piebald gene (which some do) it is not expressed unless bred to another that also carries. If you know your lines, and you know your breeders, by reading pedigrees, you will know what is in your dog. Color Testing is also available for those who are unsure.
I do have to disagree with you on one point however, not ALL breeders of colored yorkies are out there breeding these dogs for a “fast” buck. We show are dogs where we can, we do health screening, we do not sell to breeders,(unless we know them personally) we know our lines, we only breed top quality dogs, we don’t breed the females until they are two years old and stop breeding prior to 6, we check references on all of our placements, we don’t PUMP out puppies, we strive for the best, we don’t keep our dogs in cages, we feed top quality raw food, the dogs live in the house etc etc etc..
This is a passion, not a business to most of us. We have goals we are striving to achieve, and to lump us all together and say that we are all in this to capitalize on “an unhealthy demand” is unfair.
To me there is Beauty in the well bred Black and Tan Yorkie, but if you can produce a Well bred Parti with a thicker coat and good color or a Chocolate with a silk coat and a sweet face or a Golden with good texture…AND the health and structure was there well, now that would be saying something!!
In our standard.. the FIRST thing the dog needs to follow is the yorkie standard.. EVERYTHING except the color is the same.. the temperament, the size, the character, the structure. A good breeder of colored yorkies looks for the same thing in their litters as any good Yorkie breeder does, they are just open to all of the wonderful color possibilities this breed has to offer.
Diana
