The Yorkshire Terrier is a well-known dog throughout the world, but did you know that not all specimens are bicolor? The so-called parti yorkies are dogs belonging to the Yorkshire terrier breed that have a beautiful and characteristic tricolor coat, in which the traditional golden and bluish-black color is added to white, which covers most of their body.
If you already share your life with a white Yorkshire or would like to adopt one to become part of the family, in this tab on our site we tell you, among many other things, everything you need know about the temperament, care, education and characteristics of the parti yorkie in order to fully enjoy their invaluable company. Keep reading!
Origin of the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
There is some controversy about the origin of the white Yorkshire, because, on the one hand, there are those who claim that the first copies came from England, which is the country of origin of the standard Yorkshire, and, on the other hand, those who defend that Parti Yorkies were born in the United States and that they did so through a selection process and with a purely aesthetic purpose.
The truth is that the so-called "parti" coloration of these dogs (gold, dark blue and white) is manifested thanks to the activation of a recessive gene, so if both parents are carriers of this gene, they can have white offspring even if they look the standard color. As a consequence, tricolor yorkies have been around for as long as traditional yorkies, however, they weren't always as highly valued as they are now. In fact, in the past, breeders gave away or even sacrificed puppies that were born white, considering them to be of "low quality". But this changed when, thanks to pressure from some white Yorkshire breeders and lovers, the American Kennel Club (AKC) carried out an exhaustive genetic study that showed that Parti Yorkies are exactly as purebred as standard-colored Yorkshires and, Thanks to this, this variant was allowed to be officially registered for the first time in the year 2000.
Characteristics of the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
The parti yorkie is a small-sized dog whose weight does not usually exceed three or four kilograms and its height is around 20 centimeters up to the cross. The most distinctive feature of this breed is, without a doubt, its long and shiny coat which stands out for being very smooth, fine and with a pleasant silky texture On its body you can see a dorsal line that runs completely straight from its nose to its tail and separates the hair, so that it falls symmetrically on both sides.
The white Yorkshire has small erect ears, shaped like an inverted V and covered with shorter hair. His sense of hearing is exceptional and his muscles allow him to orient both ears individually in order to accurately locate the source of a sound. Their eyes are bright, black and medium in size, giving the Parti Yorkie an attentive and intelligent expression. For its part, its nose is also black and is located at the end of a not too long snout.
A few years ago it was common practice to dock the tail of Yorkshire puppies, both the standard and tricolor varieties. However, this practice is no longer frequent and, in fact, it is prohibited in several countries as it is completely unnecessary, cruel and responds solely to an aesthetic factor. The natural tail of this breed is long, set high and covered with hairs that they hang forming fringes.
Colors of white yorkshire
As its name suggests, the predominant color in this dog is white, combined with the traditional colors of the yorkshire terrier: tan and dark steel blue. The AKC recognizes this characteristic coat and gives it the name "parti-color" and therefore Yorkshires that are born tricolor are known as parti yorkies.
Sometimes, the parti yorkie is confused with the biewer yorkshire terrier, another breed with very similar characteristics and which, moreover, is also tricolor. However, the Biewer Terrier has a more stable color pattern included in its breed standard, while the Parti Yorkie's coloration and the arrangement of its markings are random
Character of the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
Despite its small size, the white Yorkshire is a strong, athletic and very brave dog Originally, Yorkies were bred to hunt rats and other rodents that sneaked into the humblest homes in England. Over time, this breed became one of the favorites of high society, who kept them at home as pets, and their hunting skills ceased to be valued, as they were no longer of interest. Despite this, these dogs still retain their decisive, cunning and lively character, typical of those dogs that have a great hunting instinct.
The Parti Yorkie is always attentive to what is happening around him and will not hesitate to bark to warn his guardians in the presence of strangers or of some event that seems strange to him. With good socialization, they are affable dogs and are usually friendly, although they can be somewhat stubborn, so their training requires patience in some cases.
Care for the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
White Yorkshires do not require, in general, very expensive care but, if we want to incorporate a dog of this breed into the family, we must bear in mind that we must dedicate time tokeep their coat he althy Parti Yorkies barely lose hair, which makes it a dog with hypoallergenic properties, ideal for sensitive or allergic people. However, their hair never stops growing and it is easy for it to accumulate dirt, tangle and end up in knots over time. To avoid this, it is advisable to brush the white Yorkshire quite frequently using a special brush for long-haired dogs and touch it up as it grows so that it does not hinder its movements or cause discomfort. If it is difficult for us to keep the natural hair of this breed intact, we can choose to cut it ourselves or go to a dog groomer regularly but, unless it is strictly necessary for some he alth reason, we should never shave him , since we leave his skin too exposed and remove his main layer of protection against dirt, parasites and changes in temperature.
The high energy of the White Yorkshire requires that it be given physical exercise on a daily basis, but its adaptability makes it a breed very suitable for a large number of profiles, so you can be equally happy living in the countryside with a very active person who takes you on routes through the mountains or in an apartment in the city, as long as you walk, at least, three times a day and is offered sufficient mental stimulation To do this, don't miss our article on Environmental enrichment in dogs.
Education of the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
As is the case with other small breed dogs, one of the main mistakes parti yorkie guardians make is overprotecting them, considering them to be fragile and delicate dogs, when this is not the case. It is important that, from puppies, we begin little by little to socialize the white yorkshire with other people and also with other dogs of different sizes, without fearing if any more large could hurt you. If we habituate our Yorkie, for example, to climb into our arms in the presence of any stimulus that we consider "potentially dangerous", we may be causing it to show behavioral problems related mainly to fears or phobias in the future.
The white yorkshire is an attentive and intelligent dog that requires mental stimulation so as not to get bored or develop stress, so it may be a good idea to do small sessions with him daily training sessions using positive reinforcement in which we will teach skills that can be more or less complex depending on our experience and the predisposition shown by the dog.
Finally, note that the natural tendency of this dog is that it is prone to run after other animals and to bequite a barker and stubborn in some situations, so his education in these aspects will require patience and perseverance on the part of the tutor.
He alth of the white yorkshire or parti yorkie
The life expectancy of the Parti Yorkie is very high, often reaching 15 or 16 years, but to guarantee a long life it is essential to take into account some of the main he alth problems that white Yorkshires usually face and act in time to prevent and treat them.
First of all, being such a small dog, it has a very small jaw in which tartar and dental plaque often accumulate. In the long term, this can lead to periodontal disease, premature tooth loss orserious infections that can even affect other he althy organs, such as the heart. To avoid this, it is advisable to maintain good permanent oral hygiene in our Parti Yorkie through regular brushing, supplements or occasionally offering natural snacks or recreational bones that help remove dental plaque. If the problem has already appeared, a complete oral cleaning carried out by a veterinarian is the best solution.
eye problems such as entropion or retinal dysplasia are also relatively common in this small breed, as well as somemusculoskeletal pathologies , among which patella dislocation stands out. Carrying out annual reviews and going to the vet if we observe any strange behavior or signs of pain are the key to treating these complications in time.
Finally, providing our Parti Yorkie with a balanced and high-quality diet under the supervision of a veterinary nutritionist is also essential for the prevention of other frequent problems in the breed, such asallergies, dermatitis or pgastrointestinal pathologies , all of them closely related to food.
Where to adopt a white yorkshire or parti yorkie?
The fact that the white yorkshire is a purebred dog does not mean that we cannot find specimens in protectoras hoping to find a family definitive. Unfortunately, there are still people who consider the appearance of the parti yorkie variant in a litter of standard yorkshire terriers as an indicator of bad genetics, which is why breeders sometimes end up getting rid of the puppies.
In addition, the Yorkshire is a tremendously well-known breed around the world and very attractive, especially for its toy size. This means that many people acquire them as a whim or as a gift for other people and then end up abandoning them because they cannot take care of them, do not care about educating them or do not have time to adequately cover their needs. For this reason, it is not difficult to find in kennels and shelters yorkshire dogs (both white and standard), crosses or dogs of very similar characteristics that are looking for a home. Of course, if you want to adopt, it is very important that you do so responsibly, since a new abandonment can have serious consequences for the animal.
