[MyFairLacy]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Not all yorkie breeders that belong to the AKC belong to the YTCA, but all YTCA members belong to the AKC. The YTCA is the parent club of the AKC and tells the AKC what the standard is. I would want a breeder that belongs to the YTCA, and I believe it would be easier to find an ethical breeder by choosing from their list. They have a code of ethics and conduct as found on this page: Yorkshire Terrier Club of America Code of Ethics

I personally will only be buying from reputable show breeders from now on, and I really prefer that they be members of the YTCA. Not all show breeders are reputable, and not all YTCA members are ethical, but I believe it is a great starting place...much better luck than going to puppyfind.com or some similar site or opening up the newspaper classifieds to start searching. Always be sure to ask breeders many many questions and expect them to ask you many questions in return. YTCA members show their dogs, and should have excellent examples of the breed. Be sure to question what they do so far as health screening and be sure to get proof of the tests they have done. Just know that most YTCA members breed on a small scale and won't have puppies available often, so you might have to be willing to wait a while for a puppy to become available. It's definitely worth it though to get a well-bred, healthy puppy from an ethical breeder!