Would you buy from this breeder?

[shell820810]

I contacted the secretary of the Yorkie club in this country in search of a reputable breeder.
She said she was glad I went to her rather than buy out of the paper etc etc
She said that anyone she recommended would have no breeding contracts etc, which is fine.
The number she gave me is someone who bought one of her pups, and because they were so nice, genuine and really into the dogs, she gave them permission to breed her once.
So this other lady isnt really a breeder, but the dog she has has come from a breeder, with permission to breed it, and the stud was also a show dog from a reputable breeder. She was also recommended by the secretary of the club.
Do you think this sounds ok?

So I spoke to the lady with the pups.
She didn’t recommend coming to see the pups until they were about 6 weeks.
She sounds like she adores her little dog and spoils her rotten. The dog sleeps in the bed with them etc etc. She was really nervous throughout the pregnancy incase anything would happen to her dog. So while she isnt an experience breeder, she has been in close contact with an experienced breeder, and obviously loves her dog and pups.

[phfgkl]

That's actually good that she told you not to come and see them until they're 6 weeks, you can't really tell a whole lot about them when they're younger than that. At what age does she let them go to their new homes?

[shell820810]

Originally Posted by phfgkl

That's actually good that she told you not to come and see them until they're 6 weeks, you can't really tell a whole lot about them when they're younger than that. At what age does she let them go to their new homes?

Well she said not to next month at least, so they would 8-9 weeks. I actually asked the secretary of the Yorkie club about this, because I know there is a big thing about 12 wks in the US, but she said she was happy to let them go at 8 wks as long as they were eating and not too small. If she had any concerns she kept them a bit longer. There seems to be very few people here who keep them to 12 weeks.

[Ellie May]

Probably not.

I wouldn't want to spend a chunk of money on a dog with no contract unless I was rescuing it. There is also a huge possibility that no health testing was done in this case. I guess it's all in what you're looking for

[Jemma]

I think it's wonderful she keeps people away. She is looking out for the safety of the pups. People go out looking at pups and you don't know where those people have been. I would want my puppy's getting some of their shots first before letting strangers come and look and handle them. Maybe they went and looked at other pups. What if those pups were sick with something?
Hats off to this breeder. It's obvious her pups are worth more to her than money

Carol and Jemma

[Gennies]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Probably not.

I wouldn't want to spend a chunk of money on a dog with no contract unless I was rescuing it. There is also a huge possibility that no health testing was done in this case. I guess it's all in what you're looking for

I agree. If I'm purchasing from what I think is quality breeding and paying a lot for it, then I expect my puppy's genes to be top of the line and proven by testing. Just my oppinion!

I got to ask, if she loves her Yorkie so much why did she breed her? Just because the seller told her she could once? To make a few bucks? To better the breed? Is she showing her girl or any of the puppies? Sorry, I'm just trying to take the sugar off of what sounds; to me, like a load of bull on the breeders part.

I have a tiny 9 year old toy poodle, who everyone in my family loves and wants. I had all of them asking me to breed her so they could have a puppy. I said no way, she's too small to breed and got her fixed so there'd be no accidents. To me, I didn't breed her because I love her and wanted to protect her well being. So I can't understand someone who breeds a dog they say they adore and worry over.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jemma]

I think it's wonderful she has NO breeding contracts. NO BREEDING is what it means. Why is that so wrong? I use to sell most of my pups on limited registration so they couldn't breed.
If she was out for money, she sure wouldn't make people wait to see them.
Good for her for making people wait and good for her that she isn't letting you breed the pup you get. And the only way to get experience at trying to be a good breeder is you have to try it with a goal in mind. Everyone who is a good breeder today all got it from trying that first time. There are many people who breed for companionship and not for show. But even companionship, parents need testing, and you still try and breed to meet the standard. MHO

Carol and Jemma

[Gennies]

Originally Posted by Jemma

I think it's wonderful she has NO breeding contracts. NO BREEDING is what it means. Why is that so wrong? I use to sell most of my pups on limited registration so they couldn't breed.
If she was out for money, she sure wouldn't make people wait to see them.
Good for her for making people wait and good for her that she isn't letting you breed the pup you get. And the only way to get experience at trying to be a good breeder is you have to try it with a goal in mind. Everyone who is a good breeder today all got it from trying that first time. There are many people who breed for companionship and not for show. But even companionship, parents need testing, and you still try and breed to meet the standard. MHO

Carol and Jemma

Wow! All that I'll say to you is if you are directing that cattiness towards me, it's totally unnecessary! She asked for opinions. Which is what I gave her.

Gee, I wonder why this thread got such little response?

[shell820810]

Thanks for your responses. I am still undecided. I assume the pedigree on boths sides will be very good, and the good breeders here dont seem to charge that much more compared to the BYBs. (think the BYBs are just able to cash in on people with lack of knowledge and research).

Out of interest, if the parents have not been tested, but the grandparents have, or one of the parents has, would this be ok?

I am reassured by the fact that this was the first person the secretary of the club recommended to me.

[ChantalB]

Even If that lady have good intentions, Does she know what she is doing? 8 weeks is a little young to let the puppies goes! She should be educating herself if she want to be a GOOD breeder.

I do agree about waiting until they reach 6 weeks minimum to visit them as before that age you can't tell much about the pup temper anyway.

Is this lady will have a contract with a health warranty?
If not, you should try to help her make one. Better safe than sorry.

Is the dog will be started on pee pad training? Properly socialized? Used to be brushed and groomed? Used to noises? etc.

I am not telling you not to adopt a puppy from her, but if you are paying a good price for the dog, I would ask a the breeder a warranty against life threatening congenital defects . If she refused.. I would walk away.

And there is a lot of good breeder. Take your time and look around.I am sure their is a "perfect puppy" waiting for you out there!

Good luck with everything.

[shell820810]

Originally Posted by ChantalB

Even If that lady have good intentions, Does she know what she is doing? 8 weeks is a little young to let the puppies goes! She should be educating herself if she want to be a GOOD breeder.

I do agree about waiting until they reach 6 weeks minimum to visit them as before that age you can't tell much about the pup temper anyway.

Is this lady will have a contract with a health warranty?
If not, you should try to help her make one. Better safe than sorry.

Is the dog will be started on pee pad training? Properly socialized? Used to be brushed and groomed? Used to noises? etc.

I am not telling you not to adopt a puppy from her, but if you are paying a good price for the dog, I would ask a the breeder a warranty against life threatening congenital defects . If she refused.. I would walk away.

And there is a lot of good breeder. Take your time and look around.I am sure their is a "perfect puppy" waiting for you out there!

Good luck with everything.

There are very few breeders here that keep the pups to 12 weeks, and I specifically asked the secretary of the club about this, and she said she is happy for breeders to let their pups go at 8 weeks, unless they are particularly small, or not eating properly, or just need a bit of extra care for a few weeks.

[SweetViolet]

Originally Posted by shell820810

There are very few breeders here that keep the pups to 12 weeks, and I specifically asked the secretary of the club about this, and she said she is happy for breeders to let their pups go at 8 weeks, unless they are particularly small, or not eating properly, or just need a bit of extra care for a few weeks.

A lot of folks seem to think that they way they do things is the only right way. In the case of puppies, I think a lot of them are unaware (or have forgotten) that until very recently (last 20 years or so), puppies in America ordinarily went to their new homes as soon as they were weaned...about 6 weeks of age. These puppies grew up to be normal, healthy, well-socialized dogs, assuming their owners took good care of them. The fact that America now thinks puppies should be kept with the dam until 12 weeks does not mean that is the way it should be, only that is the way many Americans THINK it should be.

I'm an American, but I live in South Africa. Puppies here routinely go to their new homes at 6 weeks. Puddin' is in a puppy obedience class now (must be 10 weeks to enter the class), and virtually all of the puppies were obtained at 6 weeks of age. It is the norm here, apparently, and we have a wealth of healthy, well-adjusted dogs in this country!

Personally, I think 12 weeks is past the optimum age for bonding. I think 8 to 10 weeks is ideal. At 8 weeks Puddin' was still wanting to be cuddled and nurtured. By 12 weeks, a lap and a cuddle was far less interesting than what might be under the sofa or behind the curtains.

Some people forget that the customs of their country are not shared throughout the world, and that people who do things differently are not necessarily wrong, just different.

Puddin' came with no guarantees or contracts of any kind and no testing. I met both her parents and was in the home she was raised in. It was clean, the dogs and puppies were obviously loved and well-cared for, and very well socialized.

Perhaps I am taking as risk by paying top price for a dog without a "genetic defects" contract, but I think of her more like a child in that regard: I would unhesitatingly pay top money for a good doctor and birthing facility and it would never occur to me to expect someone to refund my money if my baby was born with some kind of genetic defect. It seems rather crass...and unrealistic...to ask a breeder to provide a guarantee against something over which s/he has no control.

The breeder you contacted sounds like a nice, conscientious person who thinks highly of her dog and pups. She sounds like the kind of person I would want to purchase a puppy from, as I would expect the puppy to have been gently reared by loving humans and a well-cared-for and loved mother dog, giving the pup the best start in its life as a companion. The final choice is yours, of course, but this sounds like just the kind of home I would want my puppy to come from.

[Nancy1999]

If the same thing happened over here, and I called the YTCA secretary for referrals, and she said that one of her dogs had been placed with someone who was breeding it, I think I would be reporting her to another member of the YTCA. Something about the whole thing doesn't sound kosher. Did she give you other referrals, or was it just this one? I wonder what other club members would think of the secretary referring her dog's offspring offspring for sale. It's not clear if this is a true mentor relationship, or if they are in the business of selling dogs, and that may mean that the dogs haven't been health screened.



I'm surprised the Yorkie Club in your country doesn't agree with the 12-week rule. I understand that bigger breed dogs can go home at 8 weeks, but a breeder should always do what's best for optimum health, and smaller breeds do better staying with the mother longer. This isn't an arbitrary rule, I imagine it's much harder for a breeder to have them this long, and I know shortens the time the are easily sellable, but so many good breeders decided this is really important for the dog, and the socialization of the dog, I would not ignore this or consider buying one from a breeder who sold before this.

[SweetViolet]

Originally Posted by Gennies

...if she loves her Yorkie so much why did she breed her? Just because the seller told her she could once? To make a few bucks? To better the breed? Is she showing her girl or any of the puppies? Sorry, I'm just trying to take the sugar off of what sounds; to me, like a load of bull on the breeders part.

How is breeding one's dog incompatible with loving it well? Does the fact that I did not try to prevent my daughter from having kids mean my profession of love for her is questionable?

Or are you saying that only people who are going to show their dogs have a right to breed them? Elitism of that kind is very distasteful, especially since the OP has already indicated that both parents come from good (read that "show") bloodlines. There is plenty of room in the world for non-show Yorkies, and judging from what people go through to find them, more homes than baby Yorks.

I don't see any load of any kind of bull in what the breeder has said. Remember, the OP is not in America and the customs and practices there may be very different from where you are. That does not make them wrong, only different.

If you are suggesting proof that the breeder doesn't love her dog is the fact that she exposed her to the risks of pregnancy and birth, please be aware that life doesn't come with guarantees. Everything in life has risks...some of us have had our babies die from our attempts to protect them from the risks of parturition and possible future disease. This breeder seems to be a very conscientious first-timer who happens to live in a different country and therefore has different standards and customs from yours.

It is my opinion that you are being entirely too harsh, both with regard to the breeder and the OP.

[shell820810]

If the reason they are kept to 12 weeks is mainly for socialisation and learning from the mother, why is it any different for a Yorkie than any other breed?

Surely a Yorkie will be as socialised as any other breed that can go at 8 weeks? (obviously depending on the input of the breeder)