Whether you are a prospective Yorkie owner or just looking into the breed, one of the first things many people will ask themselves is if they should go with a solid-colored Yorkie or one with markings. This decision is not always an easy one to make, but there are several points for both sides that can help sway your decision.
Parti Yorkies: What Are They?
While Parti Yorkies are not recognized by the American Kennel Club, this should not discourage someone from buying one. The Parti gene is a very interesting and appealing color, and the results can be stunning to look at. A Parti Yorkshire terrier is a dog that carries two different color genes, such as black and tan or liver and white. This gene will omit different colors throughout the body of a single Yorkie.
Beautiful Breed
Parti Yorkies can have anywhere from one to four colors in their coats. The more dominant the two colors are that a Parti Yorkie carries, the more likely it is to have a coat that is evenly distributed with the colors. A good example of this would be a Parti Yorkie that carries black and tan coloring. While these dogs can vary in shade, they will most likely have black spots on tan skin. If two different colored genes are present but one color is more dominant than the other, it’s possible for the same results to occur with liver and white Parti Yorkies.
A rare breed
These dogs will usually have liver or tan spots on their white or lighter-colored coats. Parti Yorkie coats are not necessarily rare since it is merely a recessive gene; however, finding one can be difficult since this special color configuration must be paired up at the time of breeding.
Status symbol
Since these dogs are rare, they can be considered a status symbol. Many people who want the best for their pets will only want to bring home the top-of-the-line breed, and owning a Parti Yorkie could be seen as having an edge over other dog owners. This color could be especially desirable to those who already own solid-colored Yorkies and want their pets to stand out even more than they already do.
Available in different breeds
If this is the case, these people should consider purchasing a Parti Yorkie puppy from a breeder that has both parents on site, since many breeders will dye liver and white Parti puppies to sell them as a solid color, especially if the Parti parent is either black or tan.
Registration paperwork ready
Currently, there are not many breeders who specialize in breeding these dogs since they are still fairly rare. This includes those who only have the registration papers from the American Canine Association (ACA) or United Kennel Club (UKC). While these organizations do not recognize Parti Yorkies as a breed, they will still register the litter with an “accidental litter” registration.
This can make finding one even more difficult for those who are trying to purchase a dog specifically looking for this color since many people believe that if it is not registered with one of the major organizations, it is not a real Parti Yorkie. Parti Yorkies are usually more expensive than their solid-colored counterparts because of this rarity factor.
Human-loving personality
Some people believe that the colors on a Yorkie’s coat are what determine its personality. While it may be fun to have an entirely different color dog, this belief could lead to disappointment. Parti Yorkies are still considered to be the same breed; therefore, there is no guarantee that these dogs will act differently than any other Yorkie would.