“THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIATIONS OF WHAT DARK STEEL BLUE FOR THE BODY COAT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE. I can tell you real quick and in a hurry silver and robin egg blue are not the new dark steel blue!”
The only DQ in your standard is for color. How difficult is it to attain and keep correct coat and coloration? Per our AKC standard: (On color) Colors: Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured. Color of hair on body and richness are of prime importance in adult dogs, to which the following color requirements apply: Blue—Is a dark steel—blue, not a sil- ver blue and not mingled with fawn, bronze or black hairs. Tan—All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to a still lighter tan at the tips. There should be no sooty or black hair intermingled with any of the tan. Color on Body—The blue extends over the body from back of the neck to root of the tail. Hair on tail is a darker blue, especially at the end of the tail. Headfall: A rich golden tan, deeper in color at sides of head, at ear roots and on the muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan. Tan color should not extend down on back of neck. Chest and Legs: A bright, rich tan, not extending above the elbow on the forelegs nor above the stifle on the hind legs. 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 one inch at its longest dimension. This was approved July 7, 2007. I don’t think I would be the first Yor- kie breeder say they Yorkies are a hard breed to breed an well as judge. There are a lot of variations of what dark steel blue for the body coat should actually be. I can tell you real quick and in a hurry silver and robin egg blue are not the new dark steel blue! While I never wish you to be looking down the barrel of a gun, that is exactly the color we are looking for to represent dark steel blue. The stan- dard says dark. There is nothing dark about silver. Nor robin egg blue. But it is not black either. I’ve always said it takes an “eye” to truly see a correct color coat. It’s easier in my opinion to get good silk with a silver coat. But then again. That’s not what the standard calls for. True dark steel blue can be elusive. And almost non existent for an un- trained eye thinking that black is it. Black is not it...... Another issue is coat texture. A true dark steel blue coat will be silk. It will have a shine and a blue hue when light strikes it. It will be cool to the touch
and fall when pulled out from the body. A soft ormodified coat is doesn’t feel cool and doesn’t fall easily when lifted and will not reflect light. At least not without a lot of shine making products to produce a shine of sorts. But it’s just not the same beautiful color nor texture. I do think that over the past ten years color as a whole has improved. Maintaining the coat color and tex- ture is what makes the Yorkshire Ter- rier a little difficult to breed and get the correct results. Is the Yorkie’s popularity an advantage in the Toy Group? Maybe a small amount. I imagine that it boosts puppy sales more than any- thing. Just my opinion. showmemory? Probably when my bitch GCh Sug- arfoot’s Living Th’ Good Life— Paris, won her BISS under Judge Carl Yochum. Is there anything else you would like to share about the breed? Please elaborate. Yorkies are great companion dog’s whether they are shown or just your bed buddy. You will definitely have a friend for life. What is your favorite dog
58 • T op N otch T oys , J anuary 2020
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