Colors of the Rainbow Yorkshire Terriers!
Here is a concise but incomplete explanation of the different colors of Yorkies our mommas may produce. A "carrier" means a dog has inherited a recessive gene and may not display that color but can produce that color when bred to another dog (depending on the mate's genes):
Traditional - Black & Tan (at/at)
Traditional Yorkies are always black and tan. Even though it's all the at/at gene, the AKC lists 4 color options when registering your Yorkie: Black & Tan, Black & Gold, Blue & Gold, Blue & Tan. Currently, these are the only colors that are allowed to be shown. As you can see from the pictures, sometimes black markings grow into a much lighter silver color (I believe the greying gene causes it). You'll also notice that the tan points seen on young puppies' faces usually grow out to be solid gold/tan. Below is an example of a Traditional Yorkie.
Parti (SS)
Parti refers to white markings. It can occur in any color. Some Traditionals that carry the parti gene will have large amounts of white. It's not uncommon for a parti carrier to have white toes, chest and belly, and sometimes a stripe across the back of the neck . The amount of white on a parti can vary from very little to mostly all white (breeders call this extreme white). Below is an example of a Parti Yorkie.
Chocolate (bb)
A dog with two copies of the chocolate gene will turn from traditional or golden to a beautiful brown color. They will still genetically be traditional or golden, the chocolate gene only alters their pigment. The chocolate gene turns the nose brown and sometimes lightens the eye color. Their shades range, and it's not uncommon for their coats to lighten as they mature. Below is an example of a Chocolate Yorkie.
Chocolate Parti - (bb plus SS)
I often hear chocolate parti referred to as one thing, but they are two different locus. When bred, a chocolate parti will always pass one copy of each gene to their offspring, making each puppy automatically a carrier of both genes. This also means that both parents must either be or carry chocolate and parti to produce a chocolate parti. This makes them harder to produce, rarer, and typically more expensive than Traditionals, Chocolates, or Partis. Below is an example of a Chocolate Parti Yorkie.
Blonde - (ee)
Blonde, although recessive, is essentially dominant over almost all other loci. A blonde can be genetically Traditional, Golden, Brindle, but will be all blonde. This makes it impossible to know from looking at a blonde whether it carries other colors. The only way to know what genes it will pass down to its offspring is through DNA color testing, or knowledge of their parents. Blondes can also be Parti and Chocolate. Below is an example of a Blonde Yorkie.
Golden - Sable (ay/ay)
Golden, more commonly called Sable, can produce a range of colors from light fawn to dark red. They sometimes look chocolate or almost black at birth, and can lighten to appear nearly ee blonde! It's a dominate gene, so only one parent needs to be golden to produce golden puppies. Offspring of a golden parent will not automatically be a carrier of the gene (unless a parent carries 2 copies of the gene). This is a common misconception because Parti, Chocolate, and Blonde are all recessive and if one parent is the above mentioned, all their puppies will carry at least one copy of the gene, making them a carrier. A golden will be golden colored even if they carry only one copy of the gene. There are some exceptions to this, such as if the dog is blonde or Kb black. Below is an example of a Sable (Golden) Yorkie.
Regardless of the color of the Yorkie puppy you choose, you will quickly fall in love with him/her. They all have the same temperament and fun personality, making Yorkshire Terriers a joy to have in your family!
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