How Parti Yorkies Came to Be
Many skeptical Yorkie owners and breeders, absolutely refuse
to believe that the Parti colored Yorkie is anything other than
a recent "behind the kennel bred" mutt. They say: "There is NO
white gene in our Purebred Yorkies" or "There is NO record of
any Yorkie ever breeding to a white or parti colored dog" or "No
show breeder who's been breeding and showing for 30 or 40 years,
has ever produced a parti colored Yorkie." I'm going to try to
educate people on color genetics, recessive genes and how the
Parti gene remained hidden in the Yorkshire terrier breed for
years.
We know from our Yorkie history, that early
records were not kept on the foundation breeding stock. I
seriously doubt, that back in the days where spaying and
neutering was not done, that the farmers and working class
families didn't have the "occasional" unplanned pregnancy in
their canines. If anything, it happened more then, than it does
today. History also notes that the Maltese was bred to the
Yorkshire terrier to enhance the texture and length of the
Yorkshire terriers coat, since most of the early dogs thought to
have started the breed, were broken haired dogs with shorter,
coarser coats. It's documented in some of the earliest records
that the foundation stock of our breed, were cross-bred dogs and
dogs without pedigrees (who's heritage is unknown). Even if
these dogs didn't look parti colored they could very well have
harbored the recessive Parti gene in their DNA makeup. Whether
their mother/father, grandmother/grandfather or great
grandmother/great grandfather ... was parti colored, no one
would really know, since record keeping at that time in history,
was little to none.
The Parti gene can only be expressed
if a parti gene carrier is bred to another parti gene carrier. A
carrier will look like a traditional colored Yorkie but is born
with maybe some white on it's chin, chest and/or feet. In this
case where a parti carrier is bred to another parti carrier, 25%
of the offspring will be traditional Yorkies (not carrying the
gene), 50% will be traditional colored Yorkies who do carry the
recessive parti gene and 25% of the offspring will be actual
Parti colored dogs. AKC has allowed Parti colored Yorkies to in
the late 1800's, but some of our "off standard," darker coated
dogs have been allowed into the show ring.
be eligible for
registration since 2000. Prior to that time, parti colored
offspring were normally given away without papers or destroyed
(yes, destroyed). I know of several breeders who have destroyed
a litter of "surprise" parti colored pups.
The most
prolific known line of Parti Yorkies is the "California line" or
Nikko's line. These dogs are all descendants of an AKC Champion
named Nikko's Rolls Royce Ashley. Two dedicated breeders in
California, fought to get this line of Parti colored Yorkies,
registered by AKC. This line of Parti carriers and Parti colored
Yorkies comes from a well known show breeder who's been breeding
and showing for over 40 years. Forty-two litters and generations
of dogs from this line were DNA'd prior to AKC's approval of
registration.
The Yorkshire Terriers breed standards
have changed over the years. The "Standard" color is blue and
tan, any other color is considered to be "Off Standard." Until
the new color disqualification rule went into effect, off
standard colored, black and tan and black and gold yorkies have
entered the show ring and won their champion status. Standards
have changed and not only do we now have smaller sized dogs than
Hopefully these types of changes along with a better
understanding of color genetics, will open the door for the
continued, growing acceptance of the Parti colored Yorkie. Parti
Yorkies ARE RARE, they are hard to find and as supply and demand
goes, they do cost more than the traditional colored Yorkie.
Parti colored Yorkies are healthy animals and they are
not a genetic freak of nature as some people, groups or websites
suggest. In this day of scam artists and people looking to make
a fast buck, my suggestion is to buy from reputable breeders who
have their dogs DNA'd and/or their dogs are from known lines of
Parti producing dogs. There are other Yorkie lines of parti
carriers and producers but the California line is the best
known. So do your research, get references and have an open
mind. This gene has been in some of our Yorkie bloodlines for
years and years and years ... and if you think it's not
possible, don't be surprised if one day, your own purebred
Yorkie produces a pup of a different color!
Pictured below is a Group of
Terriers from the 1860 Book of Field Sports by Henry Downes
Miles and illustrated by DJ Watkins-Pitchford, pictured running
freely together. The Skye Terrier, The Scotch Terrier, The
English Smooth Terrier (also known as the Black and Tan
Terrier), The Crossed Scotch Terrier, The Dandie Dinmont and The
Bull Terrier. These are some of the type dogs who were thought
to begin the Yorkshire Terrier breed. Two of the 6 dogs pictured
are parti colored ... the Crossed Scotch Terrier and the Bull
Terrier.
The Terrier Group
Named after its place of origin, the Yorkshire Terrier roots are in Yorkshire, England, tracing back to the 19th century. The exact combination of breeds that the Yorkshire Terrier originated from is unknown, however, it is believed that they are a mix of several terriers brought over by Scottish craftsman. The Paisley Terrier, Clydesdale Terrier, Waterside Terrier and Skye Terrier are Scottish breeds suspected of contributing to the creation of the Yorkshire Terrier. The Maltese and the Black and Tan terrier are also believed to have contributed to this breeds bloodline. The Yorkshire Terrier breed was first known as “Broken-Haired Scotch Terrier” as well as “Toy Terrier”, and is now popularly known simply as “Yorkie”.
