Photography is Copyright by Bonnie Nance

Editor Letter: February 2008
As a breeder, I am always surprised and shocked at the way our Tibetan Terrier standard is sometimes ignored, misinterpreted and rewritten in the minds of some breeders to validate their own misguidings.
 
The issue of "Color" is one that I continually talk about because I feel that as a breed, some of us are misinforming the pet population as well as new show homes as to that whole issue.
 
I hear it from puppy calls I get everyday.  Many of them think that if a TT puppy doesn't have patched eyes or a white collar or is a specific color, that they shouldn't consider that puppy.  Our standard is VERY clear on the subject of color...it states...
 
 Any color or combination of colors including white are acceptable to the breed. There are no preferred colors or combinations of colors.
 
I don't think this is difficult to understand . nor does it leave anything open for interpretation!  It's simple and straighforward.  Honestly, if I hear one more person tell me that they have heard from a breeder that black and white is the "preferred" color in our breed, I am going to scream~~
 
There is no such thing as a "preferred" color in our breed!!!  If there were, it would say that in the standard, because that's our guide, the place we go to align our breeding programs.
 
I realize that many of our top ranked tts are and have been black and white over the years, but in no way is this a preferred color according to our standard.  Let's don't confuse "popular" with "preferred".  They mean two totally different things. Popular defined by websters dictionary means:
 
1: of or relating to the general public2: suitable to the majority: as a: adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority b: suited to the means of the majority 3: frequently encountered or widely accepted 4: commonly liked or approved
 
Ok, so we have now determined that a "popular" color is one that has been adapted by the general public or in this case, the exhibitors, judges, pet people, etc. 
 
Our standard calls for "Any color" as acceptable...websters defines "Any" as:
used to indicate one selected without restriction <any child would know that>2: one, some, or all indiscriminately of whatever quantity:  c: a or some without reference to quantity or extent 3 a: unmeasured or unlimited in amount b: appreciably large or extended
 
I especially like the part where websters adds the phrase "any child would know that!" behind the definition...used to indicate one selected without restriction.
 
We can substitute the word color for..."Any color without restriction"
You can see that preferred and popular mean two completely different things when we apply it to our standard's written word on "color" and I agree with webster...any child should know that!!!
We need to be honest when we are talking to people about our breed.  If you visit Tibet, I am positive that you will not see the street corners  lined with TTs who are only black and white or have  particular markings!  Many of them are solids or what some people in our fancy has deemed "less popular". 
Recently I was informed that there was someone at a show informing people that if a TT did not have the "patched eyes" and show markings, that it was considered a mismark...NOT TRUE!  Again, no such thing...we don't have markings referred to in our standard that deem a TT correct or incorrect.  This would fall under the "no preferred combination of colors" statement in the standard.
 
I have enjoyed a lot of winning with my TTs and my dogs are mostly solids, some don't have patched eyes, but instead solid color faces, etc and because I have concentrated on the "whole" dog and never chosen a puppy based on color ( our standard assures us that we don't  have to eliminate a dog based on color!!!!) I have enjoyed bringing the judges some very incredible specimens of our breed. 
 
We need to begin with ourselves, and start educating the general public about our standard regarding this issue. 
Shannon

 


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