September 16, 2008

Yorkshire Terrier 101: The Yorkie Standard

by Susan Bailey

The point of a breed standard is to have a goal for all breeders to aim for. When a dog is judged in the show ring, it is judged against the breed standard and not against the other dogs.

Since the Yorkshire Terrier is the second most popular breed of dog in America, there are a lot of Yorkshire Terriers around that fall short of the breed standard goal.

They are most commonly in blue and gold coats, although a there are slight variations in color the blue and gold dominate. These coats naturally grow long and silky, getting to be almost twice the length of the dog, requiring that tiny red bow in top so the dog can see.

You can find the Yorkshire Terrier breed standard in a variety of places. All breed dog books are not very good if you are looking for a detailed description. They only give the most general descriptions of breed standards. You need to go the American Kennel Club or a Yorkshire Terrier rescue group website in order to find the most recent Yorkie breed standard (which can be updated occasionally). There are also books focusing on just the Yorkshire Terrier that may available in your local library.

So, in order to identify a purebred Yorkshire Terrier, you need to know the breed standard other than that of a really long blue and tan coat. If this upcoming description seems hard to grasp, don’t worry. There are many websites and dog magazines that have pictures of clipped Yorkies. Going to a Yorkshire Terrier rescue is a great source of Yorkshire Terrier information. In time, you will learn the difference between Yorkies and other toy breeds.

But the physical appearance is perhaps the only way you can tell a dog’s breed at your local animal shelter. The Yorkshire Terrier is small, averaging just seven pounds. They have V-shaped ears which usually (but not always) stand straight up.

They should stand squarely. Although blue and tan is the official color, other colors or white markings have cropped up in pet quality animals.

Another fault is if they are over seven pounds, which happens often, even in purebreds, since the Yorkshire Terrier ancestor was well over seven pounds. Another fault is if they don’t have the right color.

About the Author:

Susan Bailey is a passionate lover of the Yorkshire Terrier and owns a popular website where you’ll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved Yorkshire Terrier. Among other topics at this website, you will find out more about Yorkshire Terrier AKC Standard plus a whole lot more.