YORKY CLUB MAGAZINE #4 -- November 2005

The Yorkshire Terrier in the opinion of Sonia Pagani, Bonsai Y.T.

During my career as a judge many people have asked me, which type of Yorky I preferred and I have always replied: it exists only ONE type for each breed. If the standard does not specify the characteristics that could be called “typical”, than one can conclude or determine them from the description that the standard gives us on general appearance and from the high score the standard gives to the coat; that is: the typical Yorkshire has elegance and is gifted with a heavy, silky texture coat with dark steel blue and rich golden tan colour. These are the first and most important points to value in a show dog; then one proceeds to examine the rest of the dog. The elegance, of course, depends on many other factors: the construction of the dog, the expression, shape of head and temperament. All these components manifest themselves in the movement - rich in style and in distinction.

One must keep in mind the exact proportions - balance of the body. It should be compact, not necessarily square. The length may be moderately greater than the height at the withers; otherwise, the angulations of the shoulder and of the rear will be too straight. Also, the legs must be proportioned to the height of the thorax, with short hocks. The pasterns must not be flexible and the dog should have closed cat feet.

When the angulations are at its best, and the arms have the proper length, the neck “comes out” well allowing the dog to keep the head uplifted during movement - this will give the Yorky elegance.
The same may be applied for a well proportioned head. The muzzle should be neither long nor short, a good “stop”, flat skull and parallel axis skull-muzzle. This gives the exact positions for the eyes, which should not be round, nor too big and should have dark pigment. The size of the head must be proportioned and in balance with the body - rather small but not too small.

All these components must be completed by a no-aggressive typical Toy Terrier temperament, which allows him to have a free and alert movement with well carried tail. Nowadays one sees more Yorkies with gay terrier tails (terrier tail are at 90° and more), especially on dogs with undock tails. That means that the croup is too straight. This should be part of breeder’s selection. As long as the tails are docked, one could correct this fault, but if the tail is undocked, the tail must be carried at 45 degrees, no more no less. The rest of the tail, from this point, must be carried as straight as possible - never curled back. This subject requires more explanation, but due to the limited space, one is not able to expand.

The most important components in a Yorky are texture and colour. Have you ever felt your dogs coat? It must be cold to the touch, heavy, straight with no undercoat; the coat, after bathing and drying, must not appear that has increased in volume or size: it should fall down straight. This is the meaning of: “heavy silky coat”. One finds the right texture usually in a true steel-blue coat; less frequently on a dark blue coat.

It is not easy to produce a dark steel blue coat. A breeder must have a bitch with strong colour. A light bitch bred to a dark steel blue dog might no produce the right colour. It is not like mixing milk and coffee. In order to produce a dark steel blue Yorky, both parents have to have the same colour. One should keep in mind their ancestors: they should have the correct colour also. Even if in certain cases could be useful to use a black (but silky) dog, it is never recommended to use a light coated dog.

It is very important to search for the right golden-tan. Most of the judges believed that Yorkies have the same tan as other terrier breeds. No other breed possesses the three shaded golden tan; a rich deep tan must be only around the ears and on the muzzle.

It is very difficult to breed Yorksire Terriers. So it is better to start with good bloodline and be able to make the right choices when breeding, examining carefully all the lines at the back of the pedigree. The best system of breeding is line breeding: it exalts the virtues and minimizes the faults. To use direct inbreeding is more hazardous, because one exalts values and faults. The practice of out crossing is extraordinary useful in order to get new blood. One might not see the results in the first generation, but one might see it in the second or third generation, after having come back to the own bloodline!


This article was edited for Yorky Club, and published on YC Magazine #4 - November 2005