[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by jatango

What most dog breeds have currently is not "good enough." Not by a long shot. It will be good enough when there aren't any more dogs born with genetic diseases due to careful breeding. When no more dogs are being put down due to hip displaysia or heart conditions or having no clotting factors. The structures are there, but the health isn't yet.

You can't better the breed without a standard to adhere to or there isn't any continuity. The people that breed small on purpose aren't adhering to the standard and are doing a disservice to yorkies. The standard is the way it is for a reason. Yorkies aren't meant to be that small or the standard would accept it. It causes health issues to be that tiny. These people are generally the people that do want money.

The breeders that better the breed know they aren't the only ones breeding, I promise you. Though sometimes I bet they wish they were. Then maybe we wouldn't have so many sick dogs. They wish the "greeders" would breed better dogs with better pedigrees and known histories. They know they aren't the only ones who can do it, but if you'd like to do it to, you need to prove your worth. Getting a foundation girl is TOUGH, you have to prove that you're trustworthy and know enough to breed. Get out to shows, get your name known. Be able to discuss genetic lines and pedigrees and health and nutrition with other breeders. I would personally never buy a dog from someone who couldn't do this, because I couldn't trust them to help me if something went wrong. A good breeder should be there for you when your dog is 15 years old and it's 3 in the morning and something is going wrong. When you breed a puppy, that commitment is forever because you made that happen.

Very well put.