The *information on this page is courtesy of Lorraine Effa.

Yorkie puppies are born black with tan markings with a gradual change of colours as an adult. The Yorkshire Terrier adult coat should be a fine, glossy, silky coat and adult colours, interpreted from the official Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard, should be a bright (not light) steel blue on the body with a clear golden tan on the head, chest, and lower legs. There really is no way to guarantee adult coat colour as they should change coat while they grow.

Colour can stay black and tan on occasion which is incorrect coat often referred to as soft”,  “cotton” or “woolly” coat.  This coat mats terribly and is SUPER hard to keep! It is not fair to breed this coat as surely the pups will suffer from groomings at some point. these soft-coated dogs are more rare now thankfully and considered a “throw back” from old time yorkies of the past.

The Yorkie does not carry a gene for a solid colour. However, they often do go light in colour to various shades of silver and the tan can lighten to a light blonde, cream. or almost white. There are other shading variations within the black/blue body and the tan. Sometimes the gold can be intermingled with the black/silver and sometimes the blue can be seen intermingled with blue hairs in the body.  There is nothing wrong with these variants in shade from the proper colours and they still are very nice pets for a pet home. But anything other than the normal bright steel and golden tan markings where they are supposed to be, is not a desirable colour to pass on, is not part of the breed standard, and will not be bred for by reputable breeders truly passionate about this wonderful toy breed. A breeder showing their best dogs is always striving for the breed standard colours so variants will be sold as pets. 

There has also been an influx of advertising by certain people that may be breeders or brokers, of totally new markings and more colours, referred to as a “rare parti colour” Yorkie or a “biewer” Yorkie. These are NOT purebred Yorkshire Terriers and should not be advertised as such but some people will always try to find a back door to claim this. Don’t be fooled into buying a ‘rare’ colour that in fact is not a purebred recognized breed. Colour markings are VERY DNA specific and controlled. A true purebred Yorkshire Terrier cannot have large “spots” or “splotches” of dark browns, caramels, or big white spots. The Yorkie does not carry the pied gene that would express this colour pattern at maturity. Some Yorkie puppies are born with small white marks on the chest but these change into the tan/gold colour at maturity. They are not parti colour, biewer nor carriers of the piebald gene.

The Biewer Terrier (as they call it) Club of America has noted on their website the biewer is not a purebred Yorkshire Terrier per the information of the many DNA samples submitted for analyses. They do not want their biewers recognized as Yorkies as they now know they are not purebred Yorkies. The Biewer Terrier which came originally from Germany is NOT recognized by the German Kennel Club nor the FCI which is the organization that does the registrations for the various country kennel clubs in Europe and provides the FCI judges and rules for the shows in Europe. The Biewer Terrier is only registered with and recognized by the Biewer Club in Germany and the new Biewer Terrier Club in the U.S. We wish them the best of luck developing this toy terrier into a recognized true pure breed.

A reputable breeder of any breed will not be breeding for rare colours but will be breeding to produce the best they can to what the breed standard for their breed has outlined. Be aware that rare colours can have false claims or severe health issues involved.

If you are interested in showing, and wish to buy a show dog, you should be waiting to see adult coat and bite. Younger than that may be represented by a good breeder as a “show prospect” or “show potential” which may or may not turn out to be a show dog at all. I would also like to add: if this is what you are interested in pursuing, buy from a show breeder and one that is willing to mentor you. You will need the help!

Be aware, buy informed, because there are many claims to sell, for many times high prices than reputable breeders, dogs or puppies that are not at all what they are represented to be.

*Edited for content Aug 2018 by Web Chair