Battle of the Breeds!
Maltese versus Yorkie
What’s the difference?
The more you know about the Morkie’s background, the better. That means understanding the parent dogs, the Yorkshire Terrier breed (and Yorkshire Terrier standards), as well as the Maltese dog breed and its standards.
How are they similar, how are they different and where does the Morkie fit? Let’s take a look at the breed standards for both dogs, as set out by the American Kennel Club (AKC)
Breed standards for Yorkies and Maltese
On September 17, 1884, a group of twelve dedicated sportsmen, responding to a “meeting call,” met in the rooms of the Philadelphia Kennel Club in that City. Each member of the group was a representative or “delegate” from a dog club that had, in the recent past, held a benched dog show or had run field trials. This new “Club of Clubs” was, in fact, The American Kennel Club.
By 1887, the group; had rented a room at 44 Broadway in New York City, and the AKC was in full operation.
Today the AKC is defined as a registry of purebred dogs in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
A breed standard (also called bench standard) is a set of guidelines covering specific, externally observable, qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed.
The official standard for each breed originates with an AKC parent club, the national organization devoted to a particular breed. Parent-club members vote on the standard or revision, then the club submits it to the AKC Board of Directors for approval.
Once approved, a standard becomes both the breeder’s “blueprint” and the instrument used by dog-show judges to evaluate the breeder’s work. “It’s not how cute a dog is that determines its quality—it’s how closely he conforms to his breed standard.”
Breed standards for the same dog can vary by country.
Breed standards are a set of guidelines for physical and temperament characteristics that the parent club for each breed sets. They are important for maintaining the health and well-being of each breed, ensuring that dogs conform to the characteristics that make them unique, and providing a basis for judges to evaluate dogs in competitions.
The AKC’s Breed standards for Yorkies and Maltese
(American Kennel Club)
Breed Standards from the American Kennel Club
YORKSHIRE TERRIER
MALTESE
