There are no easy answers. But you can bet the ytca is busy coming up with a more strict standard concerning color as we debate, which means they will have to do more enhancing coats to show their own dogs.

No, that post was intended to address another issue. Here's what I said on post 220.

Okay this seems to be a very hot and emotional topic. So I would like to clarify a few points and hope for some education here.

The Yorkshire Terrier has been a breed with a standard for approximately 150 years or more? Is that correct?

At this point in time, there are "purebred" Yorkies with a recessive "parti gene" that if two recessives breed together will produce "faithfully" a certain colour pattern.

These partis have no more health risks associated with them then the traditional Yorkshire Terrier? If so please quote Health Stats and links to a reputable agency such as OFA.

Beyond the answers to these questions; I would like to point out that if you want to support the Yorkshire Terrier breed you should breed to the standard, and then do all the work necessary to get another color approved. After all there are many breeds with different colors off the top of my head, Poodles, Bouviers, Spaniels etc. Is it too early to introduce a different color into the standard and if so, why so?
I'm sorry but I can't agree with any Parti breeder knowingly going into the show ring, to finish a dog, and then go on to again disillusion reputable standard color Yorkie breeders into putting with them a breeding dog. These breeders are trying to protect the Yorkie standard as written and approved.

Should there be health checks mandatory in the breeder code of ethics by YTCA? I'm sure that is a hotly debated topic. I believe ALL breeds should have mandatory breed specific health checks as part of the requirement to be an ethical breeder/member.

I have posted before in different threads on here the ramifications of PureBred Dogs exposed, which aired on BBC about 2years ago, which was a damning although one sided view of purebred dogs, generated a whole rework of the standards at the British Kennel Club. The Kennel club. This rework included mandatory health testing on a breed specific basis. The USA and Canada will not in the long term be immune to this change.

And yes we as breeders of purebred dogs have a huge task ahead of us. Our first and paramount responsibility is to breed healthy dogs, to help fund research to find genetic markers and tests for our breed. We then have the responsibility to breed to type, to temperament, to colour and all the other factors we want to preserve in this wondrous breed.

Again I stated that the half dozen or so YTCA members I know are not like that. They only breed for themselves and they are very very selective who their dogs go to. I think the larger the breeding kennel the more apt you are to find fault in some of the dogs. A show breeder can be producing very nice dogs then suddenly they may develop problems in their lines and they have to start over or go in another direction. When breeders outcross you don't know what you will get. There are no perfect lines and there are no perfect breeders. Again it comes down to ethics and you can't let a few rotten apples spoil the whole barrel.

Again it is not the club that is hypocritical of breeders that do not show, it is some of it's members. The first rule in the YTCA rule of conduct states:

BRAVO Donna!...Very well stated!...I couldn't agree with you more!

I wonder how the color patterns of poodles, cockers, poms, danes, on and on.. started? Where they only one dominent color, then breeders developed other colors...or did they always have them in a variety of colors..

Hey Pat you want to see something that has surprized us.:D

I think so...
Is it fit for mixed company...LOL?

I hope I didn't send the wrong pictures!:eek::D

These pups are 5 weeks old, Melissa has been really working hard with them. I know you can't tell much at this age, and we weren't expecting it from this litter, but let me know what you think, are we on the right course of action. She has been putting them on the grooming table for a couple of weeks now.:)

Attachment 322435 girl
Attachment 322436 girl
Attachment 322437 boy

I think we will be ok, but who knows:p

Right there lies the problem. We cannot get the coloir approved withlout breeding them, we cannot breed quality dogs without quality stock.

The original registered parti colored dog, Nikko's Mickey Spillane, was sired by a champion. I imagine he was a very well built dog, with silk coat and all. But over the years they have been bred to some poor quality dogs.

We would like to try to get them back to the standard, in every way except the color. in order to do that we need some quality dogs to breed to. Silly me I was going about it the hard way, by looking for someone to sell me a nice dog. apparently others are trying to champion their carriers in order to get quality dogs.

We are told over and over to show your dogs, so you know you are breeding quality dogs. Oh but don't show them in our show ring.

So that leaves us in a bit of a pickle. I guess the YTCA will have to figure out a way to identify and DQ the carriers.

Sorry :lol tears I know this is a serious thread but these two posts just cracked me up LOL.....ok back to reading...

I will PM you tomorrow...just saw the pic's..I think they have lots of promise..exciting to watch their progress.

But that is the sole purpose of producing carrier's nice enough to show and finish. To set a foundation capable of producing a parti with the quality and conformation of today's show yorkie. When and if we are given a venue to show our parti's...there will be some parti's with the quality to step into the ring...and go head to head with the traditional's in the group ring.