[gemy]

Head: Small and rather flat on top, the skull not too prominent or round, the muzzle not too long,
with the bite neither undershot nor overshot and teeth sound. Either scissors bite or level bite is
acceptable. The nose is black. Eyes are medium in size and not too prominent; dark in color and
sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression. Eye rims are dark. Ears are small, V-shaped,
carried erect and set not too far apart.

This is what the AKC standard actually says about the head. And here is where interpretation comes into play. Muzzle not too long does not stipulate a *short muzzle* - If the creators of the standard wanted a short muzzle they would have stipulated to have a *short muzzle*

Ears are small- Again how small is small? Obviously should not be like a rabbits ears - but I think that one way to judge are the ears in proportion to the head. When I look at the dog do I only see first the ears? Ear set is pretty important and many Yorkies I have seen in the ring have a natural ear set too wide apart - which is why some exhibitors when doing the top knot pull the ears closer together. They take a small bit of hair from the side of each ear and gather it into the top knot. This can mean the top of the
head is too broad and or the ears are set in too far to the side of the head.

Yorkies are not meant to be broad headed. That is with a wide forehead.

But here is what I absolutely love and that is the statement about General Appearance. This is so very important to any breed standard.

General Appearance: That of a long-haired toy terrier whose blue and tan coat is parted on the face and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail and hangs evenly and quite straight down each side of body. The body is neat, compact and well proportioned. The dog's high head carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance.

To me that last sentence says it all about the Yorkie attitude. Vigor and self-importance!!! Yeah in spades is what a well bred Yorkie should have. Think for a minute. You can't have vigor without a healthy structure and a correct temperament. And then they point out the dog should be self confident - again commenting upon the temperament of the dog.

So very much is said in that first paragraph of the breed standard. And how many breeders of Yorkies actually breed for temperament?? Ummm