AKC Breed Standard

Yorkshire Terriers haven't been around forever--in fact only about 140 years!  The following sections explain the breed standard originally drafted by the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America and accepted by the American Kennel Club on April 12, 1966. This standard details the perfect representative of the breed.  The standard presents a dog that possesses the key features that every Yorkie should possess, not just show and breeding animals.   Pet owners are wise to read and understand the requirements set herein so that they are better informed when it comes to selecting a typical Yorkie, a dog that possesses all the aesthetic and temperamental qualities that attracted them to the breed in the first place.  

General Appearance

That of a long-haired toy terrier whose blue and tan coat is parted on the face and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail and hangs evenly and quite straight down each side of body.  The body is neat, compact and well proportioned.  The dog's high head carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance.  

Head

Small and rather flat on top,  the skull not too prominent or round, the muzzle not too long, with the bite neither undershot nor overshot and teeth sound.  Either scissors bite or level bite is acceptable.  The nose is black.  Eyes are medium in size and not too prominent; dark in color and sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression.  Eye rims are dark.  Ears are small, V-shaped, carried erect and set not too far apart.

Body

Well proportioned and very compact.  The back is rather short, the back line level, with height at shoulder the same as the rump.

Legs and Feet

Forelegs should be straight, elbows neither in nor out.  Hind legs straight when viewed from behind, but stifles are moderately bent when viewed from the sides.  Feet are round with black toenails.  Dewclaws, if any, are generally removed from the hind legs. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.

Tail

Docked to a medium length and carried slightly higher than the level of the back.

Coat

Quality, texture and quantity of the coat are of prime importance.  Hair is glossy, fine and silky in texture.  Coat on the body is moderately long and perfectly straight (not wavy).  It may be trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance, if desired.  The fall on the head is long, tied with one bow in center of head or parted in the middle and tied with on or two bows.  Hair on muzzle is very long.  Hair should be trimmed short on tips of ears and may be trimmed on feet to give them a neat appearance.

Colors

Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured.  Color of hair on body and richness of tan on head and legs are of prime importance in adult dogs, to which the following color requirements apply:

Blue:  is a dark steel-blue, not a silver-blue and not mingled with fawn, bronze or black hairs.

Tan:  All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to still lighter tan at the tips.  There should be no sooty or black hair intermingled with any of the tan.

Color on Body:  The blue extends over the body from back of neck to root of tail.  Hair on tail is a darker blue, especially at end of tail.  

Headfall:  A rich golden tan, deeper in color at sides of head, at ear toots and on the muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan.  Tan color should not extend down on back of neck.

Chest and Legs:  A bright, rich tan, not expending above the elbow on the forelegs nor above the stifle on the hind legs. 

Additional Information on Color

Some Yorkies are born all gold, blue, chocolate or parti-colored.  The AKC doesn't recognize any of these colors, and responsible breeders don't promote them because they may indicate a genetic problem that could affect the health and well being of the dog.  Some health problems associated with these colors include serious skin conditions, allergies, baldness and sometimes, prolonged illness.   

Weight

Must not exceed seven pounds. 

A Word of Caution About "Teacup" Yorkies

Yorkies are already small dogs--one of the smallest breeds around.  At 7 pounds, a Yorkie weighs little more than a bag of flour!  Some unethical breeders, however, deliberately have begun to produce even smaller Yorkies that weigh in the 2 to 3 pound range.  They call these little dogs "Teacup" Yorkies, leading unwitting buyers to believe that Teacups are an actual variety of the Yorkshire Terrier breed.  They are not!

In all fairness nothing is wrong with purchasing a smaller Yorkie if the Yorkie is the product of sound and ethical breeding practices.  Periodically, and for no apparent reason at all, very small dogs (runts) are born, and they steal your heart because they are so in need of love and care.  But be wary of any breeder who advertises or supposedly "specializes" in Teacup Yorkies.  Here is why:

1.  There is no such thing as a Teacup Yorkie.

A Teacup Yorkie is not an officially recognized AKC variety.  Anyone who tells you otherwise either doesn't know what she's talking about or is lying--neither of which is a quality that recommends this person as someone you can trust.

2.  A Yorkie who weighs 3 pounds or less often requires special care

Extra-small Yorkies are more prone to serious health problems and birth defects (like porto-systemic shunt or small kidneys--which you won't know about until much later). These Yorkies are more likely to have problems with anesthesia and often require special (and usually expensive) medical test before doctors can perform procedures.

3.  Although extra-small Yorkies are occasionally born, no responsible breeder breeds for this trait.

Most breeders believe that average Yorkie weight (between 4-7 pounds) maintains the optimum health of the dog and the breed.