My 5 1/2 month old Yorkshire Terrier's hair is turning whitish gray.?

Question

It's weird and people say it's just his adult coat coming in but could anyone give me a really good answer with facts and other possibilities?

He is naturally black and tan

Answer 1

Hi there. Yorkies are born black with little tan markings. As they grow older, their coats grow longer and anywhere from around 4 months to 8 or 9 months (some dogs are slower some are faster some even go to a year some never break at all) their coats will start to change colour. Silvery grey is very common. This is called "breaking".

It IS his adult coat coming in. I know - I'm a yorkie breeder. It's absolutely right and it's absolutely normal.

Generally speaking, although this isn't the best rule of thumb, the earlier the coat breaks, the higher the chance the coat will remain a lighter colour (more of that silvery grey) rather than the desired breed standard of "steel blue". Your pup's coat (if it came from a good breeder with good solid lines) will be lighter for a period, and then the coat should get darker again - but not that black colour the pup had recently, the "steel blue" colour. Also, the texture of the coat should change. It should no longer be that fluffy soft puppy fur, but strong but fine hair (not like our hair, dog hair!!).

If your pup holds on a bit longer chances are the coat will stay darker. There are some pups that never break at all - they retain their puppy coats their entire lives (I have one like that) - this is also undesirable and not eligible for show.

When I got my very first yorkie, I couldn't WAIT for her coat to break... I was sooo excited!! I also couldn't wait to tie her hair up either!! :) haha.

The hair should be straight - it shouldn't be wavy.

Your pup should also have 3 shades of tan. It should be lighter at the tips and graduate into the roots where it should be at its darkest. Blonde dogs are not desirable, Tan dogs are.

Now with all this talk of desirable and undesirable - that's just in the show ring. I love all of my yorkies - including the ones that i rescued with floppy ears and coats that break light, coats that never break at all. I don't love them less than my perfect show specimens.

Aren't yorkies the greatest?? :)

Answer 2

I'd just like to endorse the comments made by b.w. You give no real information whatsoever so there's very little we can offer by way of an answer. As a Yorkie lover/owner for over 30yrs, your situation sounds very sad to me. You really must provide more details. Well, I've just read the extra details and, frankly, I am appalled at the entire business. Poor little Yorkie; no dog deserves this sort of attitude. Yes, please do find the dog a proper loving home. With a price like that on offer it's obviously all down to what it's worth in money. Shame!

Answer 3

The fact is that many yorkies do end up a blue and tan color.
It is the adult coloring and they are not the only breed that lightens as they age.

There are no other possiblities. Some yorkies hold the black and most end up a blue-gray and tan.

Answer 4

That is the adult coat color coming in. Yorkies are not supposed to be black and tan as adults, they are supposed to be "blue" and tan.

Dogs of many different breeds (ie poodles) can be born black and turn blue as they mature. In fact, puppies of most breeds will change color as they mature. My tricolor bassets are normally born black and white, with the tan coming in later whereas my recessive red and whites are born almost pure white and the red comes in as they grow.

Answer 5

its a little odd that its happening that early but i think that the people are right, but with that dog that young if the whole coat turns wite id call the vet, but yorkies tend to have some white and grey hair

Answer 6

Most yorkies do not keep their oringinal puppy color unless it is black. black stays black but gray always gets lighter. My little yokie is very light silvery grey. When he is freshly bathed he is very pretty.