When I come across that special yorkie that will make a show dog I start very early stacking them and walking on leads. I always look for the pup that has that outgoing personality and just thinks they are the greatest. Of course they have to have a good bite, beautiful topline and nice earset. Color and texture come later. I feel you have to have at all the basics if you want a show dog. 

When strangers to the dog come over I stack the puppies on the table and have them look at the bite and touch the pup.   I try to have my puppies be all around stable dogs. I think it is very important to start young. I have two Champion Males I took them out when they were young to get them used to the show ring. When it came to actually showing and finishing them I used a very good Toy Breed Handler, Tonia Holibaugh, who has finished both my champions in the past.  

Show dogs should be a nice representation of the breed according to the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America. They have set the standard for the yorkie and in the show ring they are judged according to that standard. Unfortunately the judging process is in the eye of the beholder. There are no set standards, for instance the standard says, Steel Blue. Well what is steel blue? I might think it is dark you might think it is light. The standard also says the muzzle should not be too long or too short. In most breeds it would state it should be no longer than 3.5”. Not in the Yorkie. It is all in the eye of the beholder. The only definite standard they do have are the sizes. They should be 5-7 lbs. Although there have been smaller and larger dogs that have finished and become Champions.   You should only show a dog that you feel meets all the standards of the breed to the best it can be. All dogs have faults there are no perfect yorkies. If a dog has more than two faults it should not be shown, for that matter it should not be breed either. All faults can and will be passed on. It may not be in the first generation but it will appear again. We should only breed the best we produce. I firmly believe all dogs should be tested for any of the congenital defects prominent in breed.

Show dogs should have a very outgoing confident attitude. A yorkie is known for it’s spunk. When it approaches the judge it should say with it’s eyes and head “here I am, look at me”. The should walk with confidence and not be bothered by any other dog in the ring. It should not be timid in any way.