[goldenray]

First understand what a standard is.
A standard is a picture of what a dog of a certain breed should look like. The standard is so that one breed will look like the breed in question rather than another. With the Yorkie being so close in looks to the Silky, the standard is more important than ever. Without a standard, the Yorkie very easily would look just like the Silky.

As for the standard changing, we are making some minor changes, which is all that is needed. Why would it change? No reason at all. No one should ever change a standard to fit fads. Has the Yorkie improved in the last 40 years? Certainly it has, thankfully to dedicated breeders striving to improve the breed as a whole.

Now just because AKC registers a color other than the proper color does not mean that is an acceptable color for show. It is not, and AKC doesn't decide the standard, YTCA does. AKC is only a registration body that issues registration papers, the parent clubs such as YTCA decides the standard for each breed and what they consider acceptable colors within the breed.

An improper color is just that, an improper color, to be placed s/n as a pet just as I would place as a pet, a dog with a bad bite, bad topline, etc. You can't expect to produce the very best unless breeding from the very best.

Can the breed improve more? Well I would hope anyone that breeds can answer yes to that question. Responsible breeders can and do try to protect the breeds from fads. They at all times breed to improve on the breed. How can they improve on the breed? This is an easy answer and should be for all breeders. They goal is to produce puppies where every single puppy is healthy, has great toplines, tailsets, front & rears, pretty heads with good earsets and bites and fabulous temperaments and that all are in size. Until every puppy falls in that category, there is still improvement that can be had in the breed overall. That improvement will come by breeding responsibly.