Do you approve of different colored yorkies?
 

I just want to know people's opinion on breeding different colored yorkies that aren't the AKC standard such as gold or chocolate.

I'm not a breeder, just a new yorkie owner! My opinion is this, New breeds and colour variations of existing breeds can become recognized as standard. This will only happen if there are people out there breeding them and fighting for them to become recognized! Labradoodles are a relatively new breed, I remember reading about The Guide Dogs for the Blind here in the UK, purposely cross breeding to produce the perfect guide dog! Now the Labradoodle is a KC registered breed.
There are many breeds that have different colour variations, how has the Biewer come about? I actually don't know much about this breed, are they a colour variation of the yorkie? Many breeds of dog can have mixed colour litters and all the pups can be registered, maybe this is because at some point in the breed's history there were breeders fighting for the standard to be changed! Here in the UK our standards have changed to ban tail docking (a great move in my mind!).
I'm no expert but aren't there some breeds with colour variations that are recognized by the AKC but not by our KC? And maybe vice versa! Personally I love all yorkies regardless of colour and I think that if reputable breeders were to set up breeding programs to improve the different colours maybe there could be a change in the standard! Just a thought!

I'm pretty much a stickler for the standard. Yorkies are supposed to be blue and tan (although I'm not opposed to the look of a black and tan yorkie as I personally like darker colors over ones that are too light). I'm a little undecided on the partis...the ones that are bred with the standard in mind (besides color) and look like a yorkie in features are beautiful but I'm not convinced that they originated from two purebred yorkies at this time. I'm 100% against breeding chocolate (liver) yorkies for many reasons... I can understand how all blue and all golds come about, but they should not be bred either. I know some standard yorkies that lightened over the years to almost all gold though, but that is a different situation from a yorkie born all golden.

I LOVE seeing all the different colors, and I think the goldens are so so pretty. I love all yorkies. But if I was breeding, I would only breed for the standard. For me, the most challenging and fun part of breeding would be always striving for the very best....since there is no such thing as "perfect".

Yes i agreed that different colour yorkies are lovely.I have two different colour male one is brown and black with thick curly hair my female one is silver and brown she is long straight hair.

I think that if you can accept one color than you might as well accept others unless you can prove that a different color is producing unhealthy pups. After all, It's just colors. At the end, You're trying to produce a healthy pup to put into a loving home (no matter the color)

While I think the odd colors are beautiful and love them, as a breeder, I would never breed them. I would love to have a golden but as long as I havestandard yorkies, I will never own one.

i like the different colored yorks.

I can't 'approve' or disapprove - but I LOVE yorkies just the way they are - what attracted me to them was their 'colors' ...I love the dark and light together -

What DOES bother me is the people who breed/broker and advertise "Rare colors" and charge outrageous prices. :thumbdown

I love the different colored yorkies!! :) Different strokes for different folks...;)

I cant breed my female yorkie because when we rescued her. We did not know she had mange we know it can transfer to the puppies so we dont want to take the chance with her.The only problem she as got now is recourrance of is infection and she is always scratrching her self we have been to the vets an number of time about hrtis but they only give her another course of antbiotics.Which work for a while they we have to start all over again with her.We know its not her fault
My male yorkie as been done so there is no chance with him either.Max my older yorkie as got an aggression problem the vet told us that if we had him done it would carm is aggression down.But it as not worked he is still the same to visitors and small children

I dont "approve" the breeding of off colored Yorkies. They are not to the standard and never have been.The Yorkie has always been a tan dog with a blue saddle. The breeds used to create the Yorkie were not parti colored, blond or chocolate. There is alot of controversy over how and when the off colors came to be and since there was no DNA or kennel inspections back then, who knows if they are 100% Yorkes or a few mixes that started being bred in and over the years actually started to resemble Yorkies.

I do think that some of the parti colors ar pretty but shouldnt be bred for specificall and should never be sold as "rare" just so greeders can get a high $$$ from un-educated buyers which, it seems to me, is usually the case

I think parti's and biewers are cute! If they were only cheaper :(

I just love all the colors. I wish I knew they came in so many varieties when I started looking. Lola is very pale and gets tons of compliments on her beauty. Talula is standard color which makes her look dark next to her sister. The goldens and the chocolates, the parti's and the very dark are all so beautiful!

They're all adorable and have such cute faces.

When we purchased Rigger we did not know much about Yorkies and thought they were all black and tan. Both of his parents were black and tan. He has gradually lost all of his black hair. He is now two shades of gold and we love him just the way he is. We always get comments from people about how pretty he is when we are out.

Different Colors
 

If the AKC standard were the "save" button and we were working on a very important project would we use it? Then if we decided to make copies and use them in different ways we would still have the original, uncompromised.

I don't personally have a problem with different color variations, or coat textures, as long as the AKC gene pool is protected from recessive genes. The gene pool is a limited and shared resource, kind of like a swimming pool. How clean do we want it to be?

When something new and unique comes along it will catch someone's attention, but for how long, and what is the effect on the breed as a whole. Are we willing to compromise the entire breed on the temporary desires of the day? Why not pursue new variations under a different registry, leaving the tried and true original intact? JMHO :)

Rigger is neutered. Someone told us that the "off color" Yorkie's can have health and skin problems. We did not want to take a chance of passing anything along.

The thoughts above mimic my thinking as well. And at least for chocolates I KNOW there is work being done to have them recognized.

[QUOTE=yorkiekist;2009913]I dont "approve" the breeding of off colored Yorkies. They are not to the standard and never have been.The Yorkie has always been a tan dog with a blue saddle. The breeds used to create the Yorkie were not parti colored, blond or chocolate. There is alot of controversy over how and when the off colors came to be and since there was no DNA or kennel inspections back then, who knows if they are 100% Yorkes or a few mixes that started being bred in and over the years actually started to resemble Yorkies.
/QUOTE]

It's been documented 2 or 3 times on YT in the last 5 months, that a surprise litter of parti or chocolate pups came out of 2 registered, traditional colored parents. These were lines that had never produced anything but the standard colors.

Even though the dogs used to start this breed, may not have been parti, chocolate or blond, it doesn't mean that the founding dogs did not carry the recessive genes of other colors besides tan with blue saddles. Some of the dogs used to start this breed did not have saddles, some were solid colored like Kershaw’s Kitty who was blue with no tan - according to YTCA's history page. Does anyone know what color Kershaw’s Kitty's parents or grand parents or great grand parents were? How about Swift's Old Crab who was a cross bred scotch terrier?

The different breeds and types of dogs who began the breed, were not purebred or papered and it's their hodgepodge of unknown genes that have been passed down through our yorkies for many, many generations. The more prolific a line was, the more chances of passing on their recessive genes.

In other Yorkshire terrier history writings, it states that the Maltese was crossed with the early Yorkie to enhance the coat length and texture, if that is in fact the case (which is different than the YTCA's views) than that's very likely how the parti color wound up in some of our yorkies.

Off colors have been happening since the beginning of the breed but due to people's lack of knowledge in the old days with regards to genetics, it was assumed that mom was messing with the wrong stud. We know today, it takes both parents to carry the recessive genes in order for the parti, chocolate, golden or blue colors to appear.

I feel that a good quality yorkie, isn't a bad color as long as there are no health issues (i.e.: blue borns).

[quote=Pinehaven;2010824]As usuall, you will not change my mind nor I yours. Why would a Maltese create a parti color when they are not a parti color, they are a solid white with no spots? Length of hair also came from the Waterside Terrier(know extinct)and the Skye Terrier which, back then, were very much smaller dogs than they are today and they also got the blue color from them. I believe someone posted the history of the Yorkie by the Wildweir ladies. Its interesting to read.

As you all know, I love the colors. I agree with Sue. They are all yorkies. The yorkie breed carries many hidden genes so when two yorkies, carrying that same hidden gene, are mated, they can produce a variety of colors. Not good, not bad, just different.

They pose no threat to the "standard" traditional colored yorkies, and they do not have any more health issues than any other yorkie.

The information on the YTCA website is not complete. They post what they want people to know.

At one time the maltese was shown in the same class as the Yorkishire Terrier, "Broken Haired Scottish Terriers". It only stands to reason that if they were considered the same type of dog, that they were bred to each other.

A yorkie in any other color is still a yorkie. It's not the color that makes a yorkie, it's the personality.

So, is the Maltese a parti colored dog?

I know this is going to get critized but I believe as long as someone does the research on the genetics and health issues they should not be critized for putting their money time and effort into a particular color or trying for a certain look then let them. For all we know someone who may even come on here and get fussed at and critized could very well be the founder of a breed that in 100 hundred years from people will love as much as we love our yorkies! And yes I love the color of a golden yorkie.

I have wondered about the color variations for a long time. I believe there really are very few "standard" yorkies by color. Winston is without a doubt 100% Yorkie...but yet is he the standard...no, he is not...
So in other words he is no different than the goldens, chocolates...or parti's. So to me a Yorkie is a Yorkie...no matter the color.
Now we are talking color not other health issues, don't get me wrong...I do believe breeders should strive for healthy pups when breeding. But color? I don't know, I've seen a lot of Yorkies and again very few are the breed standard. But I still love them!!!

Agree!

Maybe everyone should just give their opinions and not call anybody out on theirs.

[quote=yorkiekist;2010839]I'm not trying to change your mind but I am trying to educate those who are on the fence so they can see all sides of the story and decide for themselves.

There are several different spotting genes. Dogs can carry one type of spotting gene or a combination of spotting genes, the Maltese would be an example of extreme white spotting. Maltese do have pigment around the eyes, nose, paw pads and when wet, they have freckling on their body.

Some of our parti yorkies are being born now, that are all white (extreme white expression), it will be interesting to see if two solid white parti's will produce litters of all white parti pups? Guess time will tell. :rolleyes:

you want to know something so funny! I have 4 yorkies and out of all of them, Baby get's the most attention! Everyone is always coming up to me and telling me how much they love her dark coloring.

I know a lot of people think you should stick with the standard and not breed other colors but in all honestly, I think people really love the darker colored ones.

You know, I always wondered that. Will someone try to strive for an all white parti (which it will then not be called a parti) or try to go for an all Black parti?

I am with V (good post):D

My perspective is a bit different. First and formost I think we all agree that the health of the offspring is of utmost important.

With that said, AKC is a "club" with rules and regulations. If we are breeding Yorkies with the intent to register them under the AKC Registry, then breeders should breed within the standards. I copied the following exerpt from the AKC site regarding color: Disqualifications: Any solid color or combination of colors other than blue and tan as described above. Any white markings other than a small white spot on the forechest that does not exceed 1 inch at its longest dimension.