White Yorkie Guide: Is This Coat Color Actually Possible?

There is a lot of debate about whether White Yorkies (AKA White Yorkshire Terriers) are an actual breed. The original Yorkie originated from the county of Yorkshire in England and their official coat colors are black, tan, blue and gold. If you do a bit of research you will realise that there is no mention of a white coat by any breed standards. It raises the question: Is the white coat color actually possible? Are White Yorkies purebred?

If you are interested in White Yorkies keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this coat color!

Table of Contents

Can Yorkies Be White?

Purebred Yorkies cannot be white unless they are albino. Albinism is an extremely rare condition for Yorkshire Terriers so it is very unlikely that you will find a purebred White Yorkie. If you think that you have found a White Yorkie, you have more than likely found a White Yorkie mix as many Yorkie mixes such as Yorkie Poos and Morkies can have solid white coats. You can also get Parti Yorkies that have large white patches in their coats. Other than that, solid White Yorkies do not exist.

Albino Yorkies

Albinism is the only way a Yorkie can have a solid white coat. Albino Yorkies are incapable of producing pigment in their skin and fur as they do not have melanin producing genes. Additionally, their paw pads and noses are pink and their eyes are pink or red. The mutation is extremely rare so it is highly unlikely that you would be able to find an Albino Yorkie.

Parti Yorkies

A Parti Yorkie has a white base coat that covers at least 50% of their body with a secondary color marbled through it. The secondary color is usually black, blue, tan or gold so these puppies do not truly have a white coat. Nevertheless, you can find Parti Yorkies that have an abnormally large amount of white in their coat and hardly any of a secondary color. These Parti Yorkies may constitute a White Yorkie if you are not too strict on the definition.

Parti Yorkies were originally bred by crossing two Yorkies that carry the recessive “piebald gene”. This was done by Mr and Mrs Biewer in the 1970s and 1980s as they were trying to create a black and white Yorkshire Terrier. They became so popular that they were established as a totally separate breed to the Yorkie called the Biewer Terrier.

Are White Yorkies Purebred?

No, solid White Yorkies are not purebred unless they are albino. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and other kennel clubs around the world do not recognize white coats as it is not naturally occurring and most breeders want to keep their bloodlines pure.

What most people claim to be White Yorkies are actually White Morkies or White Yorkie Poos. These dogs can be white as the Maltese or Poodle has made it possible for a white coat to appear as they carry the genes one.

White Morkie

White Morkies feature a solid pure white coat that may have cream or caramel highlights on the tips of their fur. They usually have dark brown almost black eyes and black noses. White Morkies are usually created by breeding a White Maltese with a Blue & Gold Yorkshire Terrier which features a large white patch. White or variations on the white coat are pretty common for Morkies as Malteses are always white.

White Yorkie Poo

White Yorkie Poos feature pure white coats. They have dark brown noses and brown eyes. While the coat of a pure white Yorkie Poo looks great, it can get dirty really quickly. White Yorkie Poos often get tear stains around their eyes and the fur around their mouth is also frequently off-color. Pure white Yorkie Poos are created by breeding a light toned Yorkshire Terrier with a pure white Poodle.

white morkie — White Morkie via @lavidadelunaygetsu

Are White Yorkies Rare?

White Yorkies are extremely rare. The only true purebred Yorkie that is white is an albino Yorkie and albinism is a very rare disorder. Even in Yorkie mix breeds such as Yorkie Poos, solid white coats are rare.

White Yorkie Characteristics

White Yorkie Characteristics
Height	8 to 9 inches (20.3cm to 22.9cm).
Weight	Approx 7 pounds (3.2kg).
Temperament	Affectionate yet feisty and stubborn.
Activity Levels	Low to moderate.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 45 min per day.
Lifespan	13 to 16 years.
Coat	Long, silky coat.
Eyes	Dark brown or black.
Shedding	Low.
Apartment Adaptability	Can live in an apartment if given enough exercise each day.
Good with Children	Sometimes.

White Coat Variations

From the information above, you have probably realised that Yorkies can really only have white coat variations and not solid white coats. This is the case for Parti Yorkies that have white base coats and spots or patches of another color mixed through.

White Yorkie With Black Spots

White Yorkies with Black Spots are a type of Parti Yorkie. Parti Yorkies have a white base coat that covers at least 50% of their body with a secondary color in patches over it.

White Yorkie With Brown Spots

White Yorkies with Brown Spots are a type of Parti Yorkie. Parti Yorkies have a white base coat that covers at least 50% of their body with a secondary color in patches over it.

White Yorkie Price

If you were to find a White Yorkie, it would cost between $2500USD and $6000USD depending on the size. Teacup Yorkies are generally more expensive than Standard Yorkies as there are so few of them in each litter and the breeding process is longer.

White Yorkie Size

Teacup White Yorkie

Teacup White Yorkies are the smallest size of Yorkshire Terrier. They are created by taking the runt of two Yorkie litters and breeding them together until they consistently get the teacup size.

Most breeders call the size that is smaller than the Standard Yorkie “teacup” however others call them “micro”, “toy” or “mini”. There is a lot of debate about how ethical teacup breeds as they are often suffer from debilitating health issues due to their small, fragile size.

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Standard White Yorkie

Standard White Yorkies are the largest and most common Yorkshire Terrier size. While they are the largest size, they are still a very compact dog breed. Standard White Yorkies get to 8 to 9 inches (20.3cm to 22.9cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh around 7 pounds (3.2kg) when fully grown.

They usually get to their full height at 8 months of age. From this time until 12 months they will continue gaining weight and muscle mass. They stop growing at the end of 12 months.

White Yorkie Names

Snow
Milky
Frosty
Fluffy
Dove

Blizzard
Ghost
Casper
Crystal
Angel

Consider These Things If You Find A White Yorkie Breeder

1. It’s Likely The Puppies Are Not Purebred

Purebred solid white coated Yorkies do not exist. If owning a purebred dog is a priority for you, buying a White Yorkie is probably not the best idea as it is likely that there are Poodle or Maltese genes in the mix.

Parti Yorkies are purebred however they never have solid white coats.

2. The Puppies May Not Be Very Healthy

Breeders who bred specifically for physical traits may not have health as their top priority for their puppies. Rare coat colors often sell for higher prices than common ones so some breeders strive to produce these cosmetic traits for a higher monetary return.

Just because a puppy has a rare coat, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will be unhealthy. Some breeders are very responsible and look for the healthiest puppies to breed together. Nevertheless, it is good to be aware that some breeders may mate two Yorkies together that carry a certain recessive gene over choosing a healthier combination.

3. Assess The Breeder

Here are some steps you can take before buying a White Yorkie from a breeder:

Check their credibility. Go to the breeder’s social media or website and read as many reviews that you can. This will help you establish whether they are credible or not.
Ask to meet the litter before purchasing. While the breeder may provide photos and videos of their past litters on their social media accounts or website, you never know if they are real. It is a good idea to go meet the litter before you buy the dog to check out their health and wellbeing.
Assess the breeder’s responsiveness. It’s unrealistic for a breeder to respond to your queries within a few minutes of asking but they should get back to you in a reasonable time about your questions.

Be wary of breeders that:

Pressure you to make a decision about purchasing immediately.
Do no allow you to visit the puppies, pick them up in person or have a video call if you can’t personally pick up the dog.
Repeatedly suggest that you and their White Yorkie are a perfect match.