Hi..I'm not a breeder, but I just wanted to add something here. If someone comes looking for a Yorkie and thinks that they can get one that's from a good breeder and is healthy for $200 (or whatever....), then they aren't really aware of how much they normally cost. And if they don't know that, then they havent' really done any research on them; they've probably just seen other's and think they're cute. I can't blame them. And like you say, could they afford to care for them (not just loving them, but the veterinary costs just for the routine stuff is a cost, and if anything goes wrong with them, which any dog owner realizes, can cost thousands of unbudgeted dollars)?
I think it would be helpful as a potential buyer to have someone tell me that stuff. Not that people are intentionally stupid, but sometimes you just get a bee in your bonnet and decide "I'm gonna get me a Yorkie"...or whatever it is. And you don't think about the actual cost of it or how you'll care for it once you get it home other than the basic food and water.
I'm only saying this b/c when I decided many years ago, that I wanted a parrot....I had NO IDEA at all what they cost or what their care entailed...I mean, bird seed, some veggies...a cage...how hard could that be???? I went to an exotic bird store and was thinking before I stepped in..."how much could a BIRD cost, for heaven's sake?....I figure...$200....maybe $300 at the MOST"
. So when I get inside, I see THE most beautiful bird I'd ever seen in my life...and thought maybe I'd get one of those....I asked how much it cost and the guy told me "$7000"
. I thought he was joking....so I said "SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS????"...and he told me "well, we have a lay away plan; you can pay for it in 3 installments"
...so, I went home, got every book and magazine I could and READ for several years, decided what kind of bird I really wanted and SAVED my money for it.
I know this is long, but I just wanted to point out that sometimes, people really need to be educated, so that they can make the right decision not just for them, but for the dog that they think they want. It's hard I know to have to tell people how much goes into taking good care of an animal, and granted, not everyone has the same concept of "good care", but I just know that I'm glad that I got some good advice along the way, and that I didn't come up against someone selling their birds for $200.....I would have ended up with most likely, a sick or ill tempered pet, that I wouldnt' have been very happy with and not known how to really take care of them. I know this probably isn't any help, but just something to keep in mind.
I don't blame you for wanting to make sure that your babies are going into good homes; I'd respect someone for being so fastidious and go home and start saving my money til I could afford to buy one from someone like you and make sure I could take care of it!