[bjh]

You live in a great area for dog shows. Have you been to any shows yet? There are plenty of them in the Austin and San Antonio area. Donna had a lot of great advise. I agree that it is much better to start with a male. Find a show breeder that has Yorkies that you like. You will be able to learn a lot from them. It can be a lot of fun showing a puppy. It is alway nice to take a puppy to a few shows to get them used to all the commotion and then once they feel comfortable in the ring you can concentrate on growing coat. As far as costs, it costs anywhere from $18 to $24 for entry fees per show. Handlers usually charge anywhere from $60 to $100 per show just to walk in the ring. If you send your dog with a handler then you will have to pay a daily boarding fee plus money for gas and lodging for the handler. Now, when purchasing a puppy, if you are serious about showing and want a show quality dog you are looking at paying around $2500. Most show breeders do require a show contract but not all. I think a show quality puppy should be at least 6 months old. I know some show breeders sell show prospects at 12 weeks but you really can't at that age if the puppy will be show quality. It would be good if you could find someone knowledgeable to go with you to look at the pups. Once you get your show puppy then the work begins. You have to be ready for a serious commitment in caring for the coat but that is a whole different subject.