"Parti" yorkie health issues...

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Hi all...not on here as much anymore, just trying to cut back.

Ok, so I found this breeder of "teacup" and "Parti" yorkies, and I called her on it. She told me she uses "teacup" because when people do an internet search, they often look up "teacup yorkies." Fine, ok, whatever. I have had my yorkie called a "teacup" and "toy" yorkie more than once so I let her get away with that one, lol.

On her website she states that she breeds to the AKC 'breed standard' and that if a breeder doesn't do this, they are not a good breeder. So that is why I wrote her in the first place. So anyway, I called her on the Parti issue, and she told me that they were 'accepted by the AKC 10 years ago. Called her on that, too, even after she sent me her stupid pedigree for one of her parti yorkies---one she clearly made herself. I don't see any "CH." before the names of any dogs on her pedigree. Anyway, I went to the Yorkie Club of America website and there was a SPECIFIC article regarding Parti yorkies, so I copied and pasted the link to her.

She backtracks and says, "I am aware of this, I am not advertising or selling show dogs. I feel that have some show quality standard yorkies, but I am aware that you cannot show parti colored yorkies, but hopefully someday people can because they are beautiful dogs. Parti colored yorkies do not carry defects, the sadest part is that people used to actually kill parti colored puppies when they where born because they consider it a defect, but it is not, and mine are very healthy dogs. I thought you might like to take a look at this website, http://www.partiyorkshireterrierclub.com/, it has some very enlightening information about Parti Yorkies."

This is true, she never said she has show dogs, but she IS saying she is breeding to the AKC breed standard. I think my problem with her is more dishonesty than anything. The dogs are adorable, and if I felt she were honest and if they were healthy, I would love to have one myself---but I am not a sucker, lol. Nor will I pay for a dog when I can get a beautiful one without supporting backyard breeders.

So, I will reply to her, but I don't know much about genetics and health problems, etc... Can anyone tell me about any documented problems with 'parti' yorkies? I'd like to make her aware, not to prove her wrong, but to make her accountable. She cannot lie and state 'nobody told me.' I don't usually do this, I just felt like it one day, so now I'm in the middle of it, lol.

Tammy in Utah

[PoodlePal]

Tammy,

I don't have any answers to your questions, but the parti-colored yorkies sure are cute!

Michelle

[Petekids]

A few years ago the Dachshund Club of America started to strongly discourage the breeding of pie-bald and double dapple dachshunds. The furor it caused came close to splitting the club. There have been numerous studies on the "lethal white gene" that causes deafness and/or blindness in breeds that normally don't have white spotting. I believe this is one of the reasons why the Yorkshire Club of America no longer allows them to be shown. The dachshund club, sadly, left it up to the AKC judges whether they would be disqualified in the show ring - although they did send a letter to the judges telling them that it was a fault.

Yes, many years ago breeders did cull pups that were considered not acceptable for breeding purposes or had major faults according to the standard. People treated dogs back then more like livestock, because they had jobs to do, they weren't pets. Times have changed, veterinary science is totally different (they can now save defective pups), dog shows no longer seem to exist to choose "the best" for breeding purposes. Those animals that used to be considered inferior are now bred by irresponsible people - with all the health problems they will pass down to their offspring. For what??? The almighty dollar... people are so short-sighted.

[4Sibes]

So I don't get it...what's the difference between the Partis and the Biewers? Registration?

I'll be following this because I have a client interested in getting a Biewer...because she can't afford a nice Toy Poo. I told her she's likely in for a surprise $ wise. I couldn't really give her any health problems associated w/ the Biewer that you might not find in a regular Yorkie.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Well, so far what I've read has been regarding Aussies. Regardless, I think this can apply to many breeds. Something about a lack of pigment in the ears---dogs born with white ears---can be deaf. Dog's with no pigment around the eyes can be blind. Something like that.

Partis, piebald, dappled, merle, these all kind of fall into this category if I understand. I'm not sure about the parti/biewer difference, except that I read somewhere that the Biewer was a recessive Gene, and the Parti was not. LOL, not sure.

Tammy in Utah

[Jenneversage64]

Yesterday I shaved a so called Mini Schnauzer.

This pup, though very cute and smart is by no means a Schnauzer. The owner wanted her shaved except for a little fluffy beard because she is a pup and plays in the yard and gets so dirty. She clearly has a lot of Shih Tzu in her and her ear set (not cropped) and her coat is very unSchnauzer in look and texture. She also has freckles on her tummy. She has lots of little black spots along with large ones on her black and white and some brown on her coat. Her muzzle isn't a Shih Tzu one, but she does not have the head of a Schnauzer either. Oh well. The lady love her and refers to her as a Schnauzer. I don't say anything. She calls her Holly sleep #45, as she loves to sleep next to her mom in the sleep number bed all stretched out.

[borzoimom]

This brings to mind a new yorkie I have coming in next week for a groom. It is a chocolate yorkie. The woman went from Indiana to Florida to get this puppy. The breeder told her that the AKC would be accepting the chocolate color "very soon if they haven't already". I told the woman she was lied to and payed way too much for an unacceptable color. I read up on the coloring and respectable breeders warn there may be health problems with them, but since they are bred by "backyard breeders or puppymills" they don't follow up on their puppies or share health information.

[neanea]

As in any breed, there are going to be those that promote their "line" of "unique" acceptable dogs. In yorkies, I see a lot of the "teddy bear" coats and these are NOT a good representation of the breed as the coat should be silky, but the breeders are promoting them as "special" and people are buying them. There is no reason for breeders to stop breeding them when there is a market and they will defend their choice to breed these mutant's til doomsday! They've got the arguments down to a science, so IMO, it's pointless to try to change their minds or get your point across because they will NEVER EVER agree with you. You can say NOTHING that will make them say "uh, yeah, I guess I was wrong and you were right. I'll just stop breeding these defective dogs" It's a waste of your time I understand your frustration, but as long as people can be con'ed into buying the "designer" dogs, there will be breeders breeding them and charging a premium price!

Just like with people who are set on their opinions or beliefs on other issues. No amount of argument is going to change their minds!

[petgroomaustralia]

I found this info

The difference is that the Biewer has a standard for colors and the placement of those colors but a Parti Yorkie has no standard so the colors can fall where they will. The Biewer also keeps it's long tail where the Parti tail is shortened like a standard Yorkie. Biewers have their own clubs and registries...they are not AKC...Partis are AKC but can't be shown. Biewers can be shown in rare breed venues.

[petgroomaustralia]

So as I understand it Biewers are their own separate breed and partis are just miscoloured yorkies that can be AKC registered but not shown.

[mylady]

Tammy, if anyone can give you good info on genetics it's Helly. Maybe PM her. I know she's done a lot of reading and research on the matter, if no one else here can give you specifics.

[lexapurple]

I understand that you don't like that she is dishonest about calling her parti yorkies to be up to breed standard but I don't understand why do you want to teach her about something that you have no idea yourself?

I understand that if color is specified in breed standard that a dog of wrong color is not going to and should not place in AKC breed ring. But does it make a dog defective just because it is not of the color accepted by the breed club?
In a lot of instances when certain colors were banned or not written in the AKC standard it was done due to influence of certain individuals who had their personal interests in doing so. It was not really done to better the breed.
Sable in cockers, sable (maskos faco) in pulik, parti in poodles, white in boxers, white in shepherds, white in schnauzers, silver beige, red and blue in poodles (FCI) all of those were banned at some point without hard facts justifying why, only because someone with power did not like the color.
Yes, in some breeds parti colored animals have higher rates of issues with hearing and sight but it is not true for every breed. At the same time traditionally white breeds have the same rates of hearing issues as white/parti dogs from non white breeds but it doe not prevent the existence of those all white/extreme pibold breeds. White Bull Terriers for example. And Dalmations where 12% of puppies are born death and who have astronomical rates ob bladder stones due to mutation carried by all of the AKC registered DAls, are bred like nothing is wrong with them.
So is color of esentially pet dog is more important than correct conformation, nice temperament and health?

[Poodleluv]

If the woman is breeding her parti yorkies to line her pocket,nothing you can say will affect what she does. I agree with Nea Nea. There are also very rare,but true breeders who are breeding colurs,and coat types that are not AKC acceptable,but still doing the testing,and producing pups of sound mind and body.(just not showable) I think it is a matter of educating the puppy buyers,as the people breeding irresponsibly for $ really don't care what any of us think. It would be hard for me to find a reason to argue with the person who bred one of my favorite clients dogs Tinkerbelle, She has a teddy bear type coat,and didn;t change her coat colour,but she is sound,healthy,smart,and even has good knees.There is a canadian poodle breeder who does all her testing,and breeds for soundness,brains,and nice colour. I like her dogs for great healthy pets.I'm not saying that I would do this,I just don't want to be too quick to judge anybody else,when there are so many really bad puppy mills.

[odette]

Spikey, save your typing, it will only make this miss informed person more determined. I for one believe if it is'nt show quality, and to me showquality is health,temperment,type, it should'nt be bred. There are going to be exceptions, but few and far between.

[BoscoandKoda]

Dog's with no pigment around the eyes can be blind. Something like that.
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this is right, you will find 'split face aussies' and they will be perfectly fine...But since they have alot of white on them if they are bred they could produce dogs that are blind/deaf.
i'm not sure exactly how this work, i'm currently learning....but when breeding aussies you have to watch for how much white a dog has because the more white the more likely they will pass down to much white onto their offspring..but they breed merle to merle in collies..i don't understand that.