White Yorkie dogs have a pale coat, which is missing those usually dark markings. However, these dogs are incredibly rare and I am yet to meet a completely white purebred Yorkshire Terrier. The possible genetic explanations for a partly white Yorkie have caused some fans of the breed to argue that they are not true Yorkies at all. Nonetheless, those with some white patches of fur can be registered with kennel clubs if they meet certain conditions.
Contents
- Pure or mixed bred puppies?
- How do you turn a patterned dog white?
- Parti vs white Yorkies
- Health problems connected to coat color
Are White Yorkies Pure Bred?
According to the official Yorkshire Terrier breed standard, Yorkie coats are always bi-colored, with black, tan, blue and gold being the four standard colors accepted for registration by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The AKC standard also cites these four common standard coat color combinations for the adult Yorkshire Terrier: black and gold, black and tan, blue and gold, blue and tan.
There is also a less-known coat color combination called the parti-color Yorkie coat that is recognized to a limited degree by the AKC. However an all white puppy is not going to fit the criteria for a purebred Yorkshire Terrier.
Do My Eyes Deceive Me?
The truth is, a true solid, truly white-coated Yorkshire Terrier is not known to exist at this time. Rather, it is more likely that the coat is actually white-appearing than a true white. The most likely color is a very light cream rather than true white. Here, the shorter the haircut, the more likely the coat is to look “white”. This is the case even if it is really cream with slightly darker gold points.
Even when full-coated, very light cream, tan or gold Yorkies can and sometimes do appear to be white in certain lights. But on closer examination, it is usually possible to see the darker points on a dog’s coat. In Yorkies who inherit a predominance of tan color genes with very little black/blue in the coat, these dogs may also appear to be all-white to the untrained eye.
White Yorkie Genetics
Seeing a Yorkshire Terrier with an all-white coat is so uncommon as to be highly unlikely. But Yorkshire Terriers do sometimes have portions of white in their adult coats and this is a more common occurrence.
As a general rule, purebred Yorkshire Terriers carry a gene that naturally takes their coat from black to blue once the puppy coat transitions to a full adult coat. Around the age of six months, a Yorkie puppy will start the transition process from puppy coat to adult coat. This process can take anywhere from six months to 18 months or longer before it is fully complete.
Only once the transition is complete will you know with certainty what your adult Yorkie dog’s coat will look like. However, an experienced breeder familiar with Yorkshire Terrier genetics can often estimate their Yorkie puppies’ adult coat colors quite accurately based on the genes of each parent dog.
A Lack Of Pigment
Like all dogs, Yorkshire Terriers inherit only two basic color pigments: (black) eumelanin and (red) phaeomelanin. So if all dogs have just two pigments, red and black, how come so many different canine coat colors exist? The reason is because there are other genes that interact with eumelanin and/or phaeomelanin to alter the final coat coloration.
These genes may be inherited from one or both parent dogs. The impact of these color-altering genes will be more dramatic when a Yorkie puppy inherits the same genes from both parent dogs.
When interacting with phaeomelanin, basic red can become cream, tan, yellow, gold, orange, red or auburn/burnt red. The C-locus/chinchilla gene can impact how light or dark phaeomelanin manifests in the adult Yorkie coat.
When interacting with eumelanin, basic black can become brown, liver, blue/grey or pale brown (Isabella). For example, the G-locus gene can turn black pigment to gray or blue-gray. White hair or fur always represents the total absence of pigment. When the cells that are supposed to be producing pigment do not produce any pigment, the resulting coat will be white.
This does not apply to the skin, however. An absence of pigment on areas of the skin will cause pink skin, a pink nose and blue eyes. Certain genes responsible for color patterns can also create white in spots or patches, including the H-locus, M-locus, S-locus and T-locus genes.
White vs Albino
Pink or red eyes points to a different genetic expression still – albinism. Albinism is the total absence of pigment production. While it is theoretically possible that a Yorkshire Terrier may be born with albinism, there is no data supporting a history of albinism in the Yorkie breed to date. In fact the only breed which we know for a fact can carry this trait is the rather different Doberman dog.
Rare Yorkie Color
Some breeders may choose to specialize in selective breeding so-called rare or unusual Yorkie coat colors. It often requires focusing on recessive (less accessible) genes that interact with the two basic color pigments of black and red.
This is where Yorkie coat color genetics can really get tricky. It’s part of the reason why choosing a reputable, health-focused Yorkshire Terrier breeder is vital!
Parti vs White Yorkies
The only real way to get a mostly white Yorkie that is probably purebred is to look into the partis. There is some basis of evidence that a recessive parti-gene (a gene that creates a pure white, tan and black/blue coat pattern) persists in the purebred Yorkie lineage. Among those who accept this viewpoint, the generally acknowledged reason is that the parti gene is a leftover from the very earliest days of the breed’s development.
Other purebred Yorkshire Terrier breeders maintain that dogs with this color pattern actually belong to a separate purebred dog breed known as the Biewer Terrier.
The official Yorkshire Terrier breed standard does not mention parti-color. However, the American Kennel Club currently does allow parti-colored Yorkshire Terrier dogs to be registered. This is only if both parent dogs were previously registered as purebred Yorkshire Terriers as well.
Do White Dogs Have A Different Temperament?
Coat color in Yorkshire Terriers has never been shown in scientific studies to have any impact on their personality. All Yorkies regardless of pattern are scrappy, enthusiastic dogs with a lively streak and a zest for life that is fairly unrivelled. Ive never met one that wasn’t keen to get stuck in to anything and everything their family was doing. Whether invited or not!
However, if your Yorkie got her white coat through cross breeding, then the temperament of the other breed parent might influence her characteristics. And of course, unwell dogs or those with disabilities might behave differently to their peers, and this coat color can come with some conditions.
White Yorkie Health
The world of canine breeding has been rocked over the last few years by several research studies, citing health problems linked to certain genetic breeding practices. Sadly, whenever a breeder’s genetic pool has become quite limited, health problems are likely to show up.
In the same way, it can be risky to breed specifically for non-standard coat colors or color patterns. This approach requires a focus on coat coloration genes to the exclusion of other genetic impacts. This can cause both a limited gene pool and subsequent health problems for the puppies.
There are known health issues that can arise from trying to breed away from the standard breed coat colors. These can include eye abnormalities or blindness, deafness in one or both ears. It can also result in skin and coat issues and, occasionally, early death.
Dilution gene health issues
One specific health issue to watch for is color dilution alopecia. When a puppy inherits the dilute (D-locus) gene from one or both parents. This can cause hair loss in the areas impacted by this gene. The condition can become more severe if the puppy gets the gene from both parents.
White Yorkie Grooming
If you plan to show your Yorkie, you might want to keep your dog in a full long show coat. Be aware this coat can be quite labor-intensive to maintain. You will need to devote time daily to brushing and grooming your dog’s long, human hair-like coat.
Like many Yorkie owners, you may also want to pull back the long facial hair into a clip or band. This will help to avoid visibility or eye irritation issues for your pup.
Another option is to keep your Yorkie pup in a short clip. However, you will need to commit to regular grooming sessions with a professional groomer. Alternatively, you can take the time to learn to clip your puppy at home.
Your Yorkie might have very light or white hair, especially around the face and eyes, ears, private areas or paws. Grass stains, tear stains, nasal drip, food and other things can be a nuisance. They can cause white or very light-colored fur to start to look pinkish or brownish over time.
Chad foss says
I just got a white Yorkie she is a female very sweet I love her and I haven’t even had her 24 hours yet she’s a 8 week old puppy
Sharyn says
I have a white and black yorkie. She is just about a year and a half old. She has a touch of brown and beige around her face and ears. But her ears are mostly black. Her hair is pure white, not beige, and her spots are pure black. She also has one white toenail on each foot and a pawprint on the pad of one foot. She is a very loving and affectionate dog. She is just 5 pounds fully grown and extremely energetic. Some people may say she can’t be pure white but she is. I wish I could send a picture so you could see her. I enjoyed reading all the information on this site.
Lottie Sur says
I have a white yorkie rescue she has light brown around the face and a patch of brown on her back near the tail. I call her Patches. Her sister was grey and black. Both were turned into a rescue unit in Georgia.
I love my white yorkie.
Erhardt Weikert says
Our Bentley is considered a white Yorkie, head is creamy white, with just a patch of dark gray over the shoulders and a lighter grey back to his short tail.
White feet and under belly. Unbelievable lap dog. Friendly for the most part, but afraid of plastic bags or things out of the ordinary. Stubborn sometimes, 13 pounds , enjoys the outdoors.
Jan Orton says
My shih Tzu just had a pure white puppy. She was bred by a parti yorkie. . I have never seen a pure white Shorkie either until now.
Kelly Smith says
I have a white yorkie. Would love to know what you think of him.
Is there a way to add a pii hi ati to these comments?
Suzy Mahony says
I apologize for using this space to make an inquiry. I’m having difficulty locating information regarding how to buy/adopt Yorkie cream white possibly some golden streaks hair. If possible one year old or more. Any suggestions Please! Thank you
Melinda Frazier says
I adopted Pearl from a rescue. Her mom was a puppy mill dog, all white and so is Pearl. Pearl is part Yorkie and part Chihuahua. I wish I were able to upload a photo so you could give me your thoughts as to if she really is part Chihuahua. Being a rescue this is all just guess work.
Karen Hartvig-Nielsen says
Last year I saw an ad for a “white yorky.” The comments section for that ad was FULL of people berating the seller for her “error.” “There is no such thing as a white Yorky!” people responded. My response was to thank the owner for giving up her dog. She had four boys under the age of 7…not safe for a 7 lb dog. Because I responded with a simple “thank you, for caring about her well-being” I was chosen out of the many responses to actually get to meet the little girl. Of course we bonded immediately, and I’ve been so happy with her temperament. She shed copiously that first spring, so I thought she must be a mixed breed since Yorkies don’t shed. But it turned out that she had just had a litter (that they didn’t tell me about). Once she was fixed and on a proper diet, her hair grew back and she is STUNNING. I feed her ground raw vegetables mixed with rotating proteins. What a difference in her coat!
I really appreciate your site…it was helpful information. And thanks for letting this new Yorkie Mama brag a bit. I’m just so grateful for my little dog.
Tru Review says
My Yorkie girl recent had 2 white Yorkies. I’ve been trying to learn more about what caused this to happen. Your article was very interesting.