Yorkshire Terrier 101: The AKC Yorkie Standard

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.

A lot of Yorkshire Terriers are bought on impulse or as a gift that the receiver soon regrets. Although Yorkies are cute and need a bare minimum of exercise, they need money invested in their health and coat care. They also have very small bladders, making housetraining difficult. These dogs are also efficient bodyguards and will attack any one they think is threatening. So, most Yorkies are abandoned through no fault of their own. By knowing basic Yorkshire Terrier information, you can avoid this tragedy.
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.

In general, Yorkshire Terriers are lively, bright-eyed toy sized dogs that weigh an average of six to seven pounds. For the most part, their ears are pointed, but sometimes they are floppy in adults. Puppies almost always look to be black and tan, and lighten to the distinctive steel blue and tan as they mature. The spine is level, the muzzle pointed and the tail is usually, sadly, docked. Very rarely will you find a Yorkie with a long tail.
Other distinctive features of the Yorkshire Terrier include a black nose, a yappy voice and a bold personality. Unlike a sloping spine of, say, a German Shepherd, Yorkies have even spines with the shoulder in line with the rump. They should stand squarely. Although blue and tan is the official color, other colors or white markings have cropped up in pet quality animals.

Yorkshire Terriers are famous for their silky coats. In show champions, the coat is about twice as long as the dog. In the shelter, most likely the dog you are trying to identify has a clipped coat, making him or her look like a cross between a teddy bear and a ragamuffin. Another fault that disqualifies a Yorkie from a show ring is having black hairs mixed with the blue and tan. Also, if the blue of your Yorkie is silver blue instead of steel blue, he or she will also not be considered good enough for the show ring.

You can find many books on dog care, including care of the Yorkshire Terrier. Go to the library to find books that contain extensive Yorkshire Terrier information.