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by KATHLEEN B. KOLBERT, JUDGE Turyanne Yorkshire Terriers AKC Reg. YORKSHIRE TERRIER
D espite our many foreign importations, and in the opinion of this breeder/ judge, the Yorkshire Terrier is still the prettiest and most elegant of the Toy dogs in the American show ring today. As this name implies, he is a prod- uct of the “County of Broad Acres”, and his origin dates from the advent of dog shows in the middle of the 19th century. They were first bred by the workingmen/fanciers of Leeds and Halifax, though they were not designat- ed as “Yorkshire Terriers” at the time. When first exhibited the breed had sev- eral designations some of which were “Scotch Terrier”, “Rough or Broken Haired Terrier”, “Broken-haired Scotch” and “Yorkshire Terrier” and the “Toy Terrier rough”. In 1860 at the Birmingham show, crude Yorkie prototypes were all exhib- ited as Skye Terriers. The following year at the Leeds show the same pro- genitors of the breed were shown as “Scotch Terriers”. By 1886 the breed had attained a greater state of perfection causing the Kennel Club to adopt the classification still in use today — “Yorkshire Terrier”. The present-day Yorkshire Terrier has several outstanding breed charac- teristics, the most important of which are coast, color and texture. Let us first discuss head color. To quote the standard: “All tan is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to a still lighter tan at the tips”. In my opinion, the key word in this phrase is shading. Neither an Irish Red, nor a solid tan gold head is correct. This being said, it is true that some Yorkies, especially those with the requisite dark steel blue body coat, may take longer to clear in the head. However, even these specimens should have cleared by the
age of two. When in doubt by checking the color at the base of the ear may be helpful. Puppies should show signs of the head color that will be present at adulthood from the age of six months. Conversely, puppies six months or older having solid black on the back of the ear will very rarely clear in adult- hood. They will probably retain strong thumbprints and a very sooty head as mature specimens. Our Standard specifies one color for the body coat “Dark Steel Blue”. Further, “this Dark Steel Blue always lacks any approach to blackness”. In the ring today it is impossible to find entire entries possessing this much sought after color. This being the case what must be considered and deemed accept- able would be a distinct metallic color on a coat that is of a lustrous silky tex- ture. The colors should always reflect a certain amount of brilliance and light and never be drab and dull. The coat should also feel cool to the touch, even in great summer heat. Most importantly, remember that acceptable colors by range from above a pale gray to the highly desired dark steel blue, none of which bear the slightest resemblance to black patent leather. Remember Yorkshire Terriers do not have fur, they have hair just like you and I. This is a wash and wear dog and the hair should look like a person with clean long hair that sparkles and shines the texture will tell you when you have the real thing. Now we will discuss tails. These are to be docked to a medium length and, per the standard, to be carried slightly higher than the level of the back. How- ever, many Yorkies carry their tails in an upright position while gaiting, which is allowed. A tail that is carried in the “slightly higher” position mentioned in the standard should not be penalized,
nor should it be construed to indicate shyness in any form. A Yorkie with its’ tail flattened against its rump loses the breed’s proper outline. Such an exhibit also would be lacking the sparkle the Yorkie should display. As regards undocked tail carriages, in the author’s opinion such a tail should meet the same requirements as one that has been docked and as is noted above. Neither a long gay tail, nor a long squir- rel tail, are acceptable, the point being that the length of the tail should not alter the tail’s correct carriage. I will not delve deeply into structure in this article as it is my opinion that all dogs should have good fronts and rears, level top lines and good dentition unless otherwise specified by the indi- vidual breed’s standard. In the Yorkie balance is of particular importance, whether the exhibit is four or five pounds or six to seven pounds. Per the standard and by eye measure- ment proper balance is as noted here: Body Length: The forward point of the brisket to the after tip of the pelvis. Body Height: Top of the withers to the ground. Back: The five vertebrae between the withers and the loin, (ninth and thirteenth vertebrae inclusive). Backline: Also called the top line, from the neck to the base of tail, includ- ing withers, back, loin and croup. By Eye Measurements, this is a square dog the body height and body length all of equal measurements. The Standard does not describe eye measurement but it does say the following: The body is very compact, rather short, with a level back line and with the height at the shoulders the same as the rump. It also emphasizes that a well-balanced outline is very impor- tant and is obtained by having the
412 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , S EPTEMBER 2018
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