Official Standard of Golddust Yorkshire Terrier

Temperament

Golddust Terriers seem oblivious of their small size. They are very eager for adventure. This little dog is highly energetic, brave, loyal and clever. With owners who take the time to understand how to treat a small dog, the Golddust is a wonderful companion! Affectionate and loving animals, Golddust Terriers are easy to train, although they can sometimes be stubborn if owners do not give the dog proper boundaries. The Golddust is an excellent watchdog. When owners display pack leadership to the Golddust, it is very sweet and loving and can be trusted with children. The problems only arise when owners, because of the dog’s cute little size, allow them to take over the house. The human will not even realize it. These are truly sweet little dogs that need owners who understand how to give them gentle leadership.

Height, Weight

Height: 8 – 10 inches (20 – 25 cm)

Weight: up to 11 pounds (5 kg)

Health Problems

The Golddust has a delicate digestive system, but with a good diet and controlled treat distribution it does well.

Living Conditions

The Golddust is a good dog for apartment life. They are fairly active indoors and will do okay with or without a yard.

Exercise

Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, it will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. If your Golddust zooms around the house like a speeding bullet, it is a sign that he needs to go on more/longer walks where he is made to heel beside or behind the human. Remember, in a dog’s mind, the leader leads the way. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe, open area off-lead, such as a large, fenced-in yard.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years.

Litter Size

About 3 to 5 puppies

Grooming

As a companion most owners prefer to have this breed in a “perpetual puppy cut.” A bath at home about every two to three weeks will maintain a healthy coat, if it is combed out once a week. Show Coat: The Golddust will develop a coat that reaches the ground. Some breeders wrap the coat to produce a very impressive elegant floor length coat for the show ring. Daily brushing is needed for long coats. Ears should stand erect. To keep them erect they must be trimmed every few weeks. By beginning about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the ear, carefully snip or shave, with a trimmer finisher, the hair from the inner- and outer-ear surfaces.

Origin

The first Golddust appeared shortly after the first tricolor Biewers, and was initially registered in Germany as the “Biewer White Gold” in the pedigree books. Although the color was very attractive and interesting it was understood, just as the Biewer was not the correct Yorkshire Terrier color, that the Golddust was not the correct color for the standard of the Biewer Yorkshire (á la Pom Pon) and they were banished.

Over the years the Golddust color continued to show up. Kirsten Sanchez-Meyer, a genetics biology teacher who lives in Germany, had seen the “Biewer White Gold” and liked them very much. She was very interested in the recessive gene mutation and wanted to study to find out more about the color mutation of the Golddust. The Golddust color is produced by a genetic mutation in the skin. The mutation of the Golddust is when Eumelanin (black/brown color) is formed in the skin but not visible. The pigment Phaemelanin (golden hue color) is visible in the skin and gives the skin its golden hue. In order to produce this color occurrence, both parents of a puppy must be a Golddust (which exhibit the gene), Biewer or Yorkshire Terrier that carries the recessive gene (but don’t show it in coloration; non-exhibitors).

Biewer/Yorkshire Terrier can be a carrier of the gene and not produce with puppies with the Golddust color if it is never paired with another carrier of the Golddust gene. Two Golddust parents will always produce Golddust puppies.

Mr. Biewer originally showed the Biewer in the ring only to be told it was not the standard Yorkshire Terrier color and would not be accepted in the show ring as a Yorkshire Terrier. In 1989 Mr. Biewer wrote and signed the standard for this new breed Biewer Yorkshire á la Pom Pon. Even though it is documented the Golddusts were appearing shortly after the first Biewers and recorded in the pedigree books as “Biewer White Gold,” Kirsten Sanchez-Meyer knew she would have to do as Mr. Biewer and have their own standard created in order to show them in the ring.

With Kirsten Sanchez-Meyer’s commitment to this breed she had the first Golddust puppies registered and recognized in Germany. Bellini Butch Baron vom Klosterbach and Sissi Prinzess vom Klosterbach produced 2 Golddust puppies born October 14, 2007. “Alicia Goldschatz vom Klosterbach” and Anjalie Goldschatz vom Klosterbach” were the first official Golddusts registered in Germany on December 12, 2007. After the Golddust was recognized, registered clubs offered their members the chance to change the name in their registration papers from the Biewer White Gold to Golddust. For this reason you will find older dogs than Alicia and Anjalie with original Golddust papers.

Group

Toy/Companion

Recognition

•IABCA = International All Breed Canine Association

•NAKC = North American Kennel Club (Rarities)