Last Updated on September 29, 2024 by admins
Different genetics can lead toward a different colorway of the coat, it’s hard to spot rare Yorkie colors, and you need information that helps you acknowledge them.
The price of a Yorkie puppy is in many cases affected by the coat color. If you are plan to own a Yorkie, you need to know these rare colors, that way having insight on the price.
Unique colorways in Yorkies can get you a higher chance of being a beauty champion at a kennel competition if that matters to you. Here we will list the majority of unique colors and how they develop when your Yorkie gets older.
Table of Contents
Common Yorkie Color Chart
This joyful breed can come in many colorways. The common fur colors, which are standards by the A.K.C (American Kennel Club), are regularly found in breeders’ litters.
This color chart can come in mixed variants, meaning that a Yorkie can be a single color, two-colored, or tri-color depending on their parents and how the genetics affected the coat.
- Black colored Yorkies and mixed with Tan or Gold
- Tan colored Yorkie and mixed with Black or Blue
- Blue colored Yorkie and mixed with Gold or Tan
- Gold colored Yorkie and mixed with Black or Blue
These combinations have the main fur color as the base in a larger area and the secondary/third color in fewer spots.
Yorkie Colored In Black Or Tan
The Black and Tan colored Yorkies can be defined with a silky black coat on the back and top of its head, while the tan is on the legs and belly. Some of the tan-colored furs are on the neck and mussel as well. This colorway means that your Yorkie is lacking the gray genome.
Yorkie Colored In Gold Or Black
In these Yorkies, the graying gene has some traits. So the tan color can get lighter and transition into gold. The black is still dominant in the back while the other parts get lighter.
Yorkie Colored In Blue Or Tan
The back color can get gray, and the belly will have a tan pattern. In this specific mix of colors, the trail of the Yorkie is darker than the other body spots.
Yorkie Colored In Blue Or Gold
This Yorkie color combination is the most common colorway in adult Yorkies. There are two graying genes in these Yorkies, meaning that the root of their back is darker, and it progresses in lighter goldish color toward the toes.
Yorkie Puppy Coat Color And Yorkie Adult Coat Color – Differences
When Yorkies are puppies, they won’t have their entire expecting colorway. In many cases, the real colors come out when the puppies get at least 8 to 10 weeks. In this extended period, the original coloring trait marks may become dominant.
As a good example, we can take the Tri-Colored (Black, Tan, White) Yorkie puppies, these puppies can stay this color, or they may get lighter to develop silver or gold as they get older.
Another example is the black and white Yorkie puppies. As Yorkies get older, they develop gray spots or even have beautiful red highlights when exposed to the sun.
How Is Coat Color Change Affected By Genetics?
Dilute coloring in dogs is due to several gene variations. Because of the impact of the variations on pigmentation, colors are softened (diluted) to lighter tones.
Dogs have four dominant genomes that affect the colorways. These genomes can affect the colors and the color mixes of their offspring.
- D-genome is non-diluted.
- D1-genome is a dilute color variant that is common.
- D2-genome is an uncommon second variant.
- D3-genome is a rare variant, which provides the rarest color in Yorkies.
Depending on genome tests done in specialized genome analysis vet clinics, several results can be the outcome.
Usually, dogs with D/D genotypes won’t show any diluted coat colors. They won’t produce offspring that can have different color patterns.
Dogs with D/D1, D/D2, or D/D3 genotypes are keen to develop mixed color patterns. In Yorkies, you can spot this in tricolored Yorkie types. If a Yorkie is mating with another Yorkie with these genomes, there is a 25% chance that the litter will have puppies with rare Yorkie mixed colors.
Lastly, dogs with the D1, D2, or D3 genomes in any combination will display dilute coat colors. They will for sure transmit these genomes to all their offspring.
What Are The Different Colors Of Yorkie?
We went over the most common colorways of Yorkies, but there are few other rare colors. Yorkies that have these rare colors will cost more.
Parti Colored Yorkie
This breed is characterized by blue and tan color and a good number of white traits as well. For this color to be mixed and come out in a Yorkie dominant piebald gene is necessary for both parents. That doesn’t assure this colorway, but there is a big chance to occur.
Chocolate Colored Yorkie
The chocolate-colored Yorkie has this specific color cause of the b-allele gene. Usually, these Yorkies are mixed with other breeds to achieve this color. Before you want to purchase a purebred chocolate Yorkie, remember that there is a possibility of crossbreeding in that puppy.
Reg-Legged Yorkie
Yorkies with black backs and red bellies and legs have an ancestor gene that produces this color pattern. Another thing that is characteristic of this colorway is the wavy and hard coat.
Black Colored Yorkie
This colorway of Yorkie is one of the rarest. The black-colored Yorkie is a colorway that only gets achieved in crossbreeding, these Yorkies are not pure breeds, and they never will be.
Read more about Do Yorkies Change Colors? – Cycle Of Yorkie Colorways
How Do Yorkies Puppies Change Color?
All Yorkie puppies, when they transition into adults, change their colors in several ways. This transition period is unique for every Yorkie and is dependent on the combination of genes in its sire and dam.
For a Yorkie to be considered a pure breed, it must transition its undercoat from black and brown into golden or tan. This way, you will assure yourself that the Yorkie is a pure breed.
We can’t precisely determine the transition period, but you must follow the development of your Yorkie puppy and acknowledge their coat progress.
Final Thought
The physical appearance of your Yorkie doesn’t need to affect its beauty. Every Yorkie is unique, and it doesn’t mean that if the Yorkie isn’t purebred that is anything less.
On the other hand, if you want your Yorkie to have the capability of competing in beauty competitions, examine the coat of the puppy, check their bloodline and its parents. We listed some of the rare Yorkie colors and the ones accepted by kennel clubs, so you got the knowledge for that.
If you have any other thoughts about Yorkie’s unique colors, feel free to comment below and discuss it with other Yorkie lovers.
Learn all about Top 7 Diapers For Yorkies.