Party yorkshire terrier

You’re probably familiar with the standard Yorkshire Terrier coat colors: gold and blue. Yorkies actually come in a huge array of colors. The most unique type of Yorkie is the Parti Yorkie. If you have seen a white Yorkshire Terrier with tan and black, you’ve seen a Parti.   

Here’s what makes a Parti Yorkie so unique.  

What Is a Parti Yorkie? 

Parti Yorkies are nothing more than purebred Yorkshire Terriers. Where a standard Yorkshire Terrier will have blue and tan colored hair, Parti Yorkies can be black, white, and tan in color. It’s also possible to find other color combinations occurring in the Parti Yorkie, such as a black and white Yorkie, a brown and white Yorkie, a white Yorkie, a blonde/golden Yorkie, and a chocolate Yorkie.  Any Yorkie with significant white patches or white colors combined with black and gold is considered a Parti Yorkie. A Parti Yorkie can also have pure coat colors of black, gold or chocolate colors, although these are less common.   

Are Parti Yorkies Purebred? 

Once considered low quality by breeders and experts, and often euthanized or given away, as of 2000, the Parti Yorkie is now officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Due to the belief that the Parti Yorkie was a result of Yorkshire Terriers being mated with Maltese and other dogs for numerous reasons — such as in an attempt to improve features such as the length and texture of the Yorkie’s coat — many critics believed that the color of the Parti Yorkie is a leftover from non-Yorkie stock. Despite this controversy, Parti Yorkies originate from purebred Yorkshire Terriers, and therefore are still considered to be purebred themselves. The breed standard was even changed recently by the AKC to include the Parti Yorkie colors, which have been documented as appearing in litters since at least the beginning of the 19th century. In spite of some of the negative attitudes certain breeders hold toward Parti Yorkies, it would seem that prospective dog owners are very interested in the Parti Yorkie colors. The Parti Yorkshire Terrier has become so popular among buyers that the AKC is seeing Parti Yorkies registered more frequently than ever before — and more frequently even than the traditionally colored Yorkshire Terriers! Many Yorkshire Terrier breeders are now actively working to try and produce Parti Yorkies with an even greater variety of colors.   

Where Do Parti Yorkies Come From? 

While there isn’t much information available as to the complete history of Parti Yorkies and where they originally came from, it’s theorized that they come from parentage of the Dandy Dinmont, the Clyesdale, and the Paisley. What is known, however, thanks to some of the earliest kept records of Yorkshire Terriers, is that this type of Yorkshire Terrier is a crossbred breed without pedigrees. In the 17th and 18th centuries, since dog owners were not yet familiar with the concept of neutering and spaying their dogs, it would stand to reason that, as Yorkshire Terriers and other Terriers were often kept by the farmers and working class of the time, there were many male dogs of random breeds impregnating many of the female Yorkies. It’s also been documented that many people would often mate Maltese dogs with Yorkshire Terriers in an attempt to improve the length and texture of the Yorkies’ coats. History describes the Parti Yorkie back in those days as broken haired, with coarser, short coats. Long before dog shows were around, other breeds were mated with Yorkies to develop the gold and blue look that is now recognized as the distinctive colors of a purebred Yorkshire Terrier.