[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by BakersDozen

Just to clarify, my comments about breeding to standard were not meant to say that the standard shouldn't be used. I was pointing out that not all "byb" breed unhealthy dogs, some just don't breed to standard. I personally feel that if you're going to do something, it should be done well. And thus a person who wants to breed Yorkies should breed to standard. However, this is just my opinion.

I do not feel that breeders who do everything else right, but choose not to breed to standard (like ones who breed parti's, chocolates, etc.....whatever as long as it doesn't mean a health issue) should be called irresponsible and lumped in with those breeders who breed unhealthy dogs in unhealthy conditions. There is a world of difference between breeding a parti and a puppy mill.

I have more thoughts on this subject, but since it isn't the point of this thread, I will leave it.

Most backyard breeders do not health screen though.. Their dogs appear healthy in their mind, but you can't just look at a dog and see that it is healthy. More than a simple exam needs to be done to make sure a dog is healthy before breeding. Bloodwork is great too and definitely should be done. I also think Brucellosis testing is a must, Bile Acid Testing should be done, Heart, hips, and patellas checked well by a vet (certification is even better). And I'd like to see thyroid, eyes, and ears checked as well (and there is certification for this if you really want to be on top of things). and the thing about most BYBs is they don't know their dogs pedigrees well at all...it's so important to know the health of the dogs several generations back to make sure you are breeding healthy dogs.