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Originally Posted by marcerella02  oh  ya... i get it... that's crappy... so if a breeder doens't have the grandparents.. how can they be sure? |
That's why it's so important to choose a breeder who knows what's way back in her lines and carefully screens all her potential breeding dogs for health and genetic issues.
Having the grandparents wouldn't necessarily be a plus. A reputable breeder carefully selects the ideal mate to bring out the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of a particular dog.
The sales term "parents on premises" can be a red flag, not a plus. It can mean that the breeder is just haphazardly breeding her females to her male because he is physically able to impregnate her, not with any careful study of genetics.
Breeders can get their dog's knees certified by the Orthopedic Foundation of America. Many large breed clubs require that hips be OFA certified prior to breeding. It's a shame that toy dog breed organizations don't require it, too.
You can do a search here and see all the Yorkies who have been cleared by the OFA:
http://www.offa.org/index.html