A Parti Yorkie is a Yorkshire Terrier with a white, tan, and black-colored coat instead of the typical blue and tan. This dog can also be a blonde/golden parti, chocolate parti, or black and bluish-silver Parti Yorkie Terrier.
But don’t confuse this Yorkshire Terrier variation for a separate breed as it is only a color variation.
And with the increasing popularity and registration of the Parti Yorkie, he is a dog worth learning about. So, here is all you need to know about this beautiful dog.
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Parti Yorkie Information
First seen in 19th century England, Yorkshire’s original bloodline is still unknown but is believed to have been a product of 3 breeds that include the following;
- Maltese Terrier
- Skye Terriers
- Paisley Terriers
When they first appeared, these dogs had no breed standard and other similar-looking breeds were considered Yorkies.
This dog reached the US in 1872, recognized by AKC in 1885 and a standard developed.
But in this standard, the Parti Yorkie colors were not recognized as it was considered a crossbreed other than a purebred and thus was undesirable. This only recently changed.
The change was triggered by one man in the 1980s by refusing to put down his Parti line and others soon followed suit.
The parti-color variation was recognized by the AKC in 2000 thanks to a DNA test making the Parti Yorkshire Terrier variation widely accepted and popular.
Pros and cons
Pros:
✓ Great for apartment dwellers.
✔ Excellent family dogs and companions.
✓ Low-shedding.
✔ Have a long lifespan.
Cons:
✗ Have mouthing tendency, especially during rough play.
✘ Can be challenging to house train.
✗ High grooming requirements.
✘ May not be so tolerant of other household pets.
8 Parti Yorkshire Terrier Fun facts
- The parti color results from breeding two Yorkies with a recessive parti gene.
- This is one of the smallest dog breeds in the world and is classified as a Toy breed.
- They are known to be great exterminators and are often hunt vermin which made them feisty, especially towards other smaller pets.
- The Parti Yorkie’s coat can grow up to 2 feet long if left unattended.
- These dogs are prone to making weird noises that result from reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing is where the dogs pull in air and make a goose-like noise that is often alarming but is rather harmless.
- They may be small but are fearless and very protective.
- These canines tend to bark a lot but developed a reputation as great watchdogs due to this.
- Just like humans, they grow 2 sets of teeth but have 28 milk/deciduous teeth and 42 adult teeth.
Parti Yorkie characteristics and appearance
| Parti Yorkshire Terrier summary table | |
|---|---|
| Height | 7 to 8 inches |
| Weight | 4 to 7 pounds |
| Lifespan | 12 to 15 years |
| Breed Type | Toy breed |
| Purpose | Companion and family pet |
| Suitable For | Adult homes |
| Grooming requirements | High |
| Color Variations | Tricolor(white, black, and tan), Black bluish-silver |
| Health concerns | Dental issues, Patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy |
| Temperament | Intelligent, loving, loyal, tenacious, courageous, and confident |
| Other Names | Parti Yorkshire Terriers |
Height and weight
The Parti Yorkshire Terrier is a toy dog breed that weighs 4 to 7 pounds and had a height of between 7 to 8 inches.
Appearance
These dogs have a straight, long, and soft coat that falls squarely on their backs.
They can come in various color combinations that include the following;
- Chocolate colors
- Blonde or golden colors
- White, black, and tan combination
- Bluish silver and black combination
Other Yorkshire Terrier colors
| Black | blue | silver |
| Black and tan | blue and gold | tan |
There is also the possibility of a Yorkie being but they are not accepted by the breed standards and are extremely rare.
Parti Yorkies do not shed as much as other breeds and are considered to be hypoallergenic as they do not trigger the same allergic reactions as other dogs. However, you should note that no dog is truly hypoallergenic.
Golden/Blonde Parti Yorkshires
These pooches come without any black or dark blue colorings.
When they are still young these balls of fluff can have solid golden coats which may also come in white markings.
However, an adult Golden Parti Yorkshire can have varying shades from rich/deep gold to blonde gold coloring.
Chocolate Parti Yorkie
Most Yorkshire Terriers are born with an exclusively black coat while Chocolate Parti Yorkies are born brown.
It not clear how the Chocolate Parti Yorkie Terrier historically came to be but it is believed that the born color comes when a parent that carries 2 recessive chocolate genes.
Some also believe that it’s due to the Yorkshire being crossed with other breeds.
AKC does not recognize the chocolate Yorkie, but it is allowed to participate in their events.
Biewer Terriers vs Parti Yorkies
The Biewer Terrier, also known as the German Terrier, is often confused for the Parti Terrier. However, the Biewer Terrier is a separate dog breed by itself.
Two German Yorkie breeders, Mr. and Mrs.Bieweer, developed this breed in the 1970s was after getting puppies that had a tan, white, and black coat, which they fell in love with.
They wanted to maintain this look and intentionally bred more of these dogs. Soon, they established breeding consistency producing this rare coloration and in the process, created a new breed.
Biewer Terriers have a distinct blue, white, and tan or white, black, and tan coat.
To an untrained eye, a Parti Yorkshire Terrier and a Biewer Terrier would seem like the same breed, which to some extent would be true as they both come from the Yorkie bloodline.
There are several differences between these dogs;
- A Biewer Terrier has an undocked tail, unlike the Yorkshire Terrier.
- Biewer Terriers come from a Biewer Yorkshire Terrier stock.
- You can register a Biewer Terrier as a Parti Yorkie but not as a separate breed.
Temperament and personality of the parti Yorkie
| Traits | Rating |
|---|---|
| Friendliness |
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| exercise needs |
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| Trainability |
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| Ease of care |
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| sociability |
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These dogs are small but they have big personalities and can be quite a handful to some dog owners. The Parti Yorkie is also intelligent and witty and may not be very suitable for first-time dog owners.
They are curious, loving, and very sassy.
Parti Yorkies are also great lap dogs but their small and fragile bodies should be handled with care.
However, these canines bark a lot and will alert you when there’s an intruder. Some will also bark at moving objects such vehicles and need to be socialized and trained from an early age to manage it.
Is the Parti Yorkshire Terrier a great family dog?
Parti Yorkshire Terriers are not suited for families with young children but are great for adult families.
They may also be loving towards their human family but are shy towards other dogs and pets. These furry friends can also be quite nervous around unfamiliar people.
Great care should be taken when handling these dogs and they should be prevented from climbing stairs or jumping regularly from the couch.
Parti Yorkshire Terrier puppies
A parti Yorkie dam can bare a litter of about 2 or 3 puppies.
One parti Yorkie puppy will cost you between $1200 and $1500 from a reputable breeder. However, the price could also go as high as $10,000 for superior pedigrees and lines of the dog.
Finding a good and reputable breeder is critical and you should avoid puppies from backyard breeders and puppy mills.
If possible, speak to other Parti Yorkie owners for breeder recommendations.
Adoption is also a great option with perks such as being cheaper. You also get to give a Yorkshire Terrier a new home and make him happier.
The Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue is a great place to start looking for a dog that you can adopt.
How Parti Yorkshire Terrier puppies are bred
Traditional Yorkshire Terrier colors can produce a litter with particolored Yorkies as it all comes down to genetics.
Recessive parti genes are responsible for producing parti tricolor puppies. Two parent with the parti gene are needed for this but if only one Yorkshire Terrier has the recessive parti gene, no puppy will be parti-colored.
However, after the two Yorkshire Terriers with the parti gene are mated, only 25% of the pups will have the parti coat, the rest will have other colors.
In case only one parent has the Parti gene, the gene may be passed to other puppies making them carries of the gene and passed to later generations.
Once conditions to produce Parti Yorkies are met, the litter will be as follows:
- 50% will have the standard Yorkshire colors but will be carriers.
- 25% of the puppies will have traditional colors but will not be carriers of the gene.
- 25% of the litter will be actual Parti Yorkie puppies.
How to take care of a Parti Yorkie
As mentioned earlier, this is a small dog that will need regular care. Care will entail everything from grooming, a proper diet, regular vet visits, meeting the dog’s exercise needs, proper training and so on.
With a proper schedule, you should be able to accomplish this without much struggle.
But here are some care tips.
1. Grooming a Parti dog
This is a high maintenance dog that requires daily brushing to prevent the coat from tangling or matting.
After brushing the coat you can spritz the coat with a leave-in conditioner to keep it supple and well moisturized. Doing this twice a week should be appropriate.
Long hairs, especially those covering areas such as their eyes and ears should be trimmed to make coat maintenance easier. This coat trim should be preferably done by a professional groomer.
A shorter coat will be easier to maintain and manage but will still require weekly grooming.
The parti Yorkie will only need to be bathed once a month using a neutral shampoo formulated for small dogs to prevent irritation.
Dental care is also integral for this dog’s well being. This can be done by brushing the teeth at least 3 times a week and using dental chews and treats to naturally clean the teeth.
The nails should be trimed once every 6 weeks and wax cleaned off the ears after 2 weeks.
2. Exercise requirements
The Parti Yorkshire Terrier is a toy dog breed and does not require much exercise.
About 30 minutes of daily exercise should be enough for this ball of fluff. Play and short walks can help you meet their daily physical stimulation quota.
During walks, attach your leash on a harness instead of a collar to reduce the risk of trachea collapse.
3. Food and diet requirements
A proper and well-balanced diet is required for the Parti Yorkie.
A raw diet is great for this dog but a dry diet will be great as it helps protect his overall health and prevent his stomach from getting upset.
However, the diet you choose should be formulated for small dogs, should have no additives/colorings/fillers, and should be preferably made by reputable manufacturer or homemade.
This diet should also be rich in meat proteins from sources such as fish, turkey and so on. It should also contain Omega-3 fatty acids and minerals for bone development.
Supplement the diet with vegetables and fruits such as banana to provide the dog with essential vitamins.
But some foods such as grapes, chocolate, salty food, mushrooms should be avoided as they can be harmful to not only the Parti Yorkie but other dogs too.
Feeding schedule;
Parti Yorkies should be fed often (typically after 3-4 hours) to prevent their stomach from getting upset. Around 3-4 meals should be enough.
With that said, it is easy to overfeed this dog by exceeding his daily calorie requirements. About 600 calories will be required by this dog per day which is about 1.5 cups of kibble.
| Daily calories | Cups of Kibble Per Day: |
|---|---|
| 500 to 600 | 1.5 |
4. Training a Parti Yorkshire Terrier
These dogs are intelligent, have a natural drive to please their owners making them easy to train. They love praises and tasty treats and combining will make them very responsive to training.
Keep your Parti Yorkie training sessions short and interesting, continually reassuring him when he does something right.
Health problems
Parti Yorkie can suffer from dental issues and struggles with losing their baby teeth.
Some Yorkshire Terriers also lose most of their teeth by the time they are about 12 years. You need to go for regular vet visits and check what you feed him.
Their fragility is also an issue with some easily breaking their bones as they run up and down the stairs or when they are jumping from your bed or the couch.
A parti Yorkie can be susceptible to developing progressive retinal atrophy and it can cause the canine to go blind. This condition is hereditary, has no cure and is hard to diagnose as no signs may be visible.
These pups also commonly suffer from patellar luxation.
These Yorkies have an average lifespan of between 12 and 15 years.
Breed summary
These dogs are sweet but need owners that meet their care needs.
They are more suitable for homes that do not have other pets or even children.
Are you thinking of getting this incredible dog? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
There you go, WOOF!
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