[Mom2BabyNatalie]

I saw something on another post that I wanted to respond to... but the thread was closed in the process.... it was a little off topic over there anyway, but I think it applies here...

Originally Posted by feminvstr

If either or both dam/sire has three faults then it should not be bred, plain and simple!

This is interesting... in looking for breeding dogs myself, I have chosen to purchase adults - simply because I am not well versed enough to see the potential or lack thereof in a young pup.... (in fact, I'm not sure I know all I should know to choose the adults either, haha, but I'm doing my best!)

In searching for "the ones", I found myself CONSTANTLY passing up opportunities because of even small "faults" - - - until I researched a little more and came to the mindset that with a grounded program, these faults can "bred out" or "improved" with each mating. Am I correct in my thinking? Or, no?

For example.... one has a bit of a longer muzzle than I'd like... her parents are beautiful, healthy, well-rounded little ones but I'd have passed her up in a heartbeat 6 months ago, just because of that one thing I didn't quite like about her.... but knowing that we can improve this trait with a short muzzled, more of a "baby faced" male - I think she will otherwise make a wonderful mom and hopefully produce nice representations of the Yorkie breed!

Another example.... a 10 lb dad and a 10 lb mom won't necessarily have 10 lb babies..... I would have NEVER thought about bringing in dogs of that size to breed with, but IF in researching their lines you find that they are from consistently standard size dogs... and have thrown standard size pups in the past.... I for one, wouldn't "write that dog off" as "unbreedable" based on size alone.

Anyway, I suppose I just wanted to make a point to those who only condone breeding of NO LESS than the defined representation of the standard.

All too often I've seen people here being reprimanded for considering the mating of their "less than perfect" Yorkie... and ideally, the ONLY dogs of ANY breed EVER mated by ANYONE would be PERFECT REPRESENTATIONS of that breed.... (it would be law that only Champion animals may be allowed to reproduce!) - But if that were the case... how many breeders would be "out of business"?

I don't believe that one should set out initially to merely produce "pet quality" animals.... (as those who say, "I breed for pets, not show, so what does it matter?" - those people erk me...) - - but I sure would miss the little faces in the world who may not "make the grade" for show but have been some of the best friends we could ever know!