Getting discouraged here...

[Minniesmthr]

Recently, I set out to find a dog to fill the empty space here in our home and hearts, after losing the last two of our Yorkies this past spring and their mother 3 1/2 years ago.

InItially, I considered a rescue dog, then an older retiring dog, but have finally decided that it would probably be best to just bite the bullet and get a puppy, so I can housebreak it myself.

We love all Yorkies regardless of their colors. The parti colors are really different though and I love the way they look. (Please remember here that I do not breed or show, so coloration would make no difference to me.) I see criticisms posted all over this site about these dogs and also numerous breeders, yet this is a big site and many people appear to be very happy with their wonderful babies wherever they came from.

Recommendations posted suggest checking the AKC site for breeders, but there must be others who sell puppies that are not a part of that list, yet are still responsible breeders. I do not see how the number of breeders on the AKC list could provide the number of dogs to happy owners on our website. So, where are you all getting your babies?

There are so many nasty comments about coloration and breeders, it makes me wonder if I really even want to purchase another dog. Welcome to the confusing world of the Internet.

We attended a dog show last weekend. To the untrained eye, so many beautiful dogs looked alike to us, it was difficult to tell them apart. I am probably not going to make a lot of friends here with the following comment, but we wondered if all of these dogs were turned loose in one room, if the breeders/owners or handlers could even identify their own dogs.

The way I understand it, is the parti colored dogs originally came from a kennel or kennels not attempting to breed for color-they just happened due to an invisible, recessive gene that showed up unexpectedly, at least in the beginning. Breeders who produced these puppies were not happy to produce this "surprise" and the resulting puppies were either "disposed of" or given away to people who promised not to reveal the kennel source. That is, until there was some interest in the off coloration. I suppose breeding these offspring back to one of the parents was probably the beginning of the brouha that now transpires, since there were more produced to meet demand for the new colors.

While those of you who show attempt to breed as close to the perfect Yorkie possible, there doesn't seem to be any tolerance for those who might enjoy a little difference in coloration. I don't understand. They are still Yorkies and are still wonderful. Would you quit having children if your firstborn turned out to have red or blonde hair?

I sure wish I had been around looking for a baby then. If someone had called me up to say they had a purple baby or some other unusual color they were embarrassed to produce, I would have been at their back door in a heart beat.

Please try not to bash me too hard here. I don't feel well today, am getting frustrated, wish I had a baby to curl up with, and will probably be kicked out of the local Yorkie club before I even get to join. Meanwhile, if anyone turns up with a purple baby, please leave it on our front porch and run, knowing it will be loved to death...

Cathie
Texas

[kjc]

Hi and Welcome to YT!

Good Luck on your search....

[lynzy420]

[magicgenie]

Yorkshire Terrier Club of Ethical Hobby Breeders includes reputable Parti color breeders. I think Marsha at Miracle Yorkies in North Carolina just had a couple of Partis born. Always check references---it's a good sign if a breeder can give references from vets, customers and other breeders.
Parti breeders are generally not well regarded by those breeding strictly to the standard as established by the YTCA. Personally, I'm partial to the traditional colors and have my hands full trying to breed those correctly, but I try to understand and appreciate the efforts of those who wish to cultivate the differences in the breed rather than cull them as faulty.
I sure hope a fight doesn't break out on here because we're talking Parti.
Good luck. There are good ones, but check them out well.

[Yorkiemom1]

Excellent reference....I am a member of YTCEHB and can say for sure Marsha did have a litter recently.....beautiful babies.

[ironmike86]

I've been in a place with 20 Yorkies. They belong to ~ 8 owners. But after a few days I could tell each on apart. So I believe an owner knows there dog. JME

[magicgenie]

Are you a Parti breeder? Since you're in Texas you may be a good contact for this OP.

[tjdmom]

Lol, I just had to chime in and say that yes, at least I can tell all my dogs apart. (I have 4) To me, none of them even look alike but I had a politician at my door the other day and he asked if they all came from the same litter? I said no, not at all and then he said, they all look exactly the same how can you tell them apart? I just smiled but thought, what is he crazy? And then I thought, maybe to strangers, they do look alike....

[Verbena]

Originally Posted by tjdmom

Lol, I just had to chime in and say that yes, at least I can tell all my dogs apart. (I have 4) To me, none of them even look alike but I had a politician at my door the other day and he asked if they all came from the same litter? I said no, not at all and then he said, they all look exactly the same how can you tell them apart? I just smiled but thought, what is he crazy? And then I thought, maybe to strangers, they do look alike....

I so agree. I have two Russsian Blue brothers, same litter. Whenever anyone sees them, they always say they are identical. No one can ever tell them apart. I look at them, I see two totally different cats. I laugh and think they are crazy.

[Minniesmthr]

I had 6 at one time, and I could easily tell them apart, but this was a show loaded with lots of beautiful Yorkies. Bitty, Beavis, and Minnie all turned silvery in color later in their lives. Rose, Will and Kissi stayed dark.

I was wondering if the dogs we saw at the show would end up turning silver or would they stay dark as they get older?

None of my little dogs were what one would call show quality by a long shot, they were just lovers. I didn't have a clue asto what constituted good conformation.

Cathie

[MyFairLacy]

Were you at the bluebonnet Yorkie specialty & Dallas Toy shows last weekend? Most people that are unfamiliar with the breed do say that they think all Yorkies look alike, but to those of us that know the breed well, they do not. I had three Yorkies at the show last weekend and would easily be able to tell which ones were mine. I could probably also pick out several of the other exhibitors Yorkies as well. While there are some that are similar in type, there was a pretty wide range of "types" so far as coloration (dark vs. lighter blue), face, bigger vs. smaller, leggy/elegant vs. more compact, coat textures, etc. I think even following the standard for the Yorkshire Terrier you are going to find that different breeders & judges interpret some things differently and have their own preferences...for example, some prefer a more traditional "terrier" head while others prefer a "pretty" head (shorter/softer muzzle). some prefer a more leggy/elegant Yorkie that may be on the upper end of the size standard, while others prefer a more compact Yorkie that could be on the smaller end of the standard. Anyway, my point is that there is plenty of "variety" among your standard blue/tan Yorkies...I don't ever see two Yorkies at a dog show that look exactly alike.

[McheleM]

I'm not a breeder or a shower, however I can tell all my dogs apart and have been to several specialty shows and could tell the dogs apart, some of the, by their looks, others by their coat and still others by their gait and walk.

Not all yorkies look alike.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh my goodness and LOL, think again if you think those people at the dog show wouldn't know their dogs from the others if all turned loose! When you know a dog as well as Yorkie owners & probably most non-owner handlers know their dogs, you would know him in the dark! hehe - Yorkie owners spend so much time with our babies & looking into their little faces, sometimes I think we know their distinctive little faces better than our own husband's. (Just kidding but not much!)

Hope you find your special baby to cuddle soon!

[Minniesmthr]

There were quite a number of dogs at the Bluebonnet show. Please note, I did say "to the untrained eye." My dogs didn't resemble these, probably because they were not from quality stock, so mine would have been easy to spot. They were sweethearts though and sooo special. I would give anything to have them back.

Cathie

[Oddsock]

Originally Posted by Minniesmthr

Recently, I set out to find a dog to fill the empty space here in our home and hearts, after losing the last two of our Yorkies this past spring and their mother 3 1/2 years ago.

InItially, I considered a rescue dog, then an older retiring dog, but have finally decided that it would probably be best to just bite the bullet and get a puppy, so I can housebreak it myself.

We love all Yorkies regardless of their colors. The parti colors are really different though and I love the way they look. (Please remember here that I do not breed or show, so coloration would make no difference to me.) I see criticisms posted all over this site about these dogs and also numerous breeders, yet this is a big site and many people appear to be very happy with their wonderful babies wherever they came from.

Recommendations posted suggest checking the AKC site for breeders, but there must be others who sell puppies that are not a part of that list, yet are still responsible breeders. I do not see how the number of breeders on the AKC list could provide the number of dogs to happy owners on our website. So, where are you all getting your babies?

There are so many nasty comments about coloration and breeders, it makes me wonder if I really even want to purchase another dog. Welcome to the confusing world of the Internet.

We attended a dog show last weekend. To the untrained eye, so many beautiful dogs looked alike to us, it was difficult to tell them apart. I am probably not going to make a lot of friends here with the following comment, but we wondered if all of these dogs were turned loose in one room, if the breeders/owners or handlers could even identify their own dogs.

The way I understand it, is the parti colored dogs originally came from a kennel or kennels not attempting to breed for color-they just happened due to an invisible, recessive gene that showed up unexpectedly, at least in the beginning. Breeders who produced these puppies were not happy to produce this "surprise" and the resulting puppies were either "disposed of" or given away to people who promised not to reveal the kennel source. That is, until there was some interest in the off coloration. I suppose breeding these offspring back to one of the parents was probably the beginning of the brouha that now transpires, since there were more produced to meet demand for the new colors.

While those of you who show attempt to breed as close to the perfect Yorkie possible, there doesn't seem to be any tolerance for those who might enjoy a little difference in coloration. I don't understand. They are still Yorkies and are still wonderful. Would you quit having children if your firstborn turned out to have red or blonde hair?

I sure wish I had been around looking for a baby then. If someone had called me up to say they had a purple baby or some other unusual color they were embarrassed to produce, I would have been at their back door in a heart beat.

Please try not to bash me too hard here. I don't feel well today, am getting frustrated, wish I had a baby to curl up with, and will probably be kicked out of the local Yorkie club before I even get to join. Meanwhile, if anyone turns up with a purple baby, please leave it on our front porch and run, knowing it will be loved to death...

Cathie
Texas

I can understand why you think folks might not be able to tell the dogs apart, but can assure they can. As a teenager (many many moons ago) I lived and worked with a toy poodle breeder and groomer. When first seeing all the little black dogs, I couldn't imagine telling them apart. There were about 30 of them, 8 running around in one run. Apart from one large dog, I just didn't know how they could identify each individual dog. After a few weeks, I couldn't imagine, not being able to tell them apart. The stood, walked, looked so different than each other. Just like when someone you know is walking in the distance, you recognise the stance, movement, walk etc.

Hope you find your perfect dog soon.