In my humble opinion, if this goal is realized it will be a disaster for the Yorkie. The breed will cease to exist in its intended form. The other half of this coin is the im- pact that said disqualification is having upon judging of the breed at AKC events. As a judge, aswell as breeder, I do real- ize that the addition of certain words to the new disqualification paragraph would have been helpful. As that can- not be done at this point, I ask that when judging the Yorkshire Terrier, you remember that parti-colored, brindled or spotted exhibits must be disqualified. If you read the new disqualification, you will notice that the color specified as prohibited is white; not pale gold, not lemon, not beige, not black. While none of these colors may be desirable, they are still not white. Therefore, whatever the size of the area involved, the disqualification cannot be ap- plied. The area can also be as large as one inch, which on a Toy dog is fairly large. Please also remember that a few white hairs are not an issue. Additionally, be aware that many Yor- kies do not fully clear to the proper colors until the age of two, while it is also true that some, unfortunately, never completely do so. While Yorkie breeders appreciate the necessity of AKC’s rule that puppyhood ends at one year, we are also fully aware of the fact that this is procedural determi- nation and doesn’t reflect the actual maturation of the Yorkie coat. Given these factors, the most chal- lenging aspect of judging the breed comes when one is presented with a number of puppies, no two of which will ever break color in the same way. A very dark black puppy coat will likely have a deep red-gold head with heavy, dark black thumbprints, and even a black strip up the front of the head. As previously noted, this coat may not clear until two, and actually may never do so. On the other hand, puppies may also present with a light body color coupled with a head color so pale that it may, at first glance, ap- pear to be white when, in fact, it is not.
Now, you may well ask yourself, “How can I possibly determine correct body color, especially on puppies, if all these other factors can show up?” Happily, my 46 years in the breed can provide you with a few tips. When judging puppies, I apply the steps outlined below. One of the easiest ways to check color on a puppy is to look at the front legs. By parting the hair in this area, you will be able to see the new growth that’s coming in. If it’s the correct color, it will be darker at the roots and will gradually lighten towards the tips. This is the first sign of shad- ing, which is one of the determining factors in correct Yorkshire Terrier coat color. The second good place to check is at the base of the ear at the back of the head. If at the base of the ears you see a good tan starting to grow, this will be an indication of the tan that will be on the head. However, if this area is completely black to the very back of the ear, the head has a small chance of clearing to the proper shaded tan as outlined in our Standard below: “ A rich golden tan, deeper in color at the sides of the head, at ear roots and on the muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan... All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to still lighter tan at the tips. ” Our standard has in no way changed the wording pertinent to puppy coat color. It still states: “ Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermin- gling of black hair in the tan until they are matured. ”This should also be con- sidered when judging puppies. Finally, please bear in mind that the Yorkshire Terrier reaches its full bloom between the ages of three and four. At this age, you will see that gor- geous, rich tan head fall to the floor and the equally impressive floor- length, dark steel blue body coat. With its trademark color combina- tion, flowing in motion and shining at rest, the Yorkie makes a truly unique and remarkable picture and one that should not be tampered with.
place this puppy in a pet home. Rather, they embarked on a campaign to get the puppy recognized as the progeni- tor of a new “Yorkie.” The breed stan- dard for the Biewers is the same as the Yorkshire Terrier except for coloring. If their vision is realized, Yorkies will be allowed into the show ring in any color or combination of colors. The second group is The Biewer Terrier Club of America. It has obvi- ously dropped the word “Yorkshire” from its name. They state that Mrs. Biewer joined The Biewer Terrier Club of America in November of 2007. They also state that her knowl- edge and development of the Biewer breed has been invaluable in their breeding program. They also make the following state- ment: “We have tested almost 100 dogs and substantiated the rumors of other breeds being introduced in the development of the Biewer Terrier. Thanks toscience,wehaveundeniable proof that we have a distinctly sepa- rate breed from the Yorkshire Ter- rier.” This is a complete reversal of a statement made in January of 1984 by The Biewer Yorkshire Terrier Na- tional Club regarding the develop- ment of this breed. The American Rare Breed Associa- tion has accepted the Biewer Terrier as a rare breed. Biewer Terrier Club members will be able to registers these dogs with this organization. Further, the American Rare Breed Association is making great strides in gaining acceptance into the Ameri- can Kennel Club. The third group is known as The Col- orful Yorkshire Terrier Club. Their mission statement follows: “The Of- ficial Colorful Yorkshire Terrier Club has been established for breeders of all Non-Traditional, off-colored Yorkshire Terriers. Our mission is to educate the public about the recessive gene that produces the off-colored Yorkshire Terriers; to promote selec- tive and healthy breeding practices of all off-color Yorkshire Terriers. The ultimate goal is for all Yorkshire Ter- riers to compete in the show ring, re- gardless of color.”
56 • T op N otch T oys , J uly 2021
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