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Originally Posted by Ellie May  I agree.
That wouldn't be my first food choice.
I think the breeder probably cares for her dogs very much since she is more concerned about a good home than money, but she probably isn't doing health testing and if the pups aren't registered, she may not be breeding to the standard. I suppose it depends on if you want to take the risk of something going wrong and all the bills being on you.
A health guarantee isn't something the buyer does.
The breeder writes it up.
"All" breeders of toy breeds should warn new owners of the possibility of hypoglycemia. This along with socialization with litter mates and mother issues is why Yorkies should stay with their mom til 12 weeks.
Personally, unless I was rescueing a Yorkie, I would most likely not get one if the parents haven't had blood panels, bile acids testing for liver function and at least a physical exam for luxating patella.
If the parents haven't been cleared of liver shunt and MVD (through a bile acids test) and the lines aren't clear for the last ten generations, the pup is more likely to have an issue with it. Diagnosis could be anywhere from about $150 to over $1000 and if surgery is required, that is over $1000 at the cheapest place. Then supplements for life if that is necessary will be anywhere from $50 to over $400 a year. |
"Bargain" puppies can cost much, much more over their lifetime than a puppy from a reputable breeder who breeds to the standard and health tests. I would definitely advise you to wait and save up a little more money instead of getting a puppy from this breeder.
Did you know that Yorkies are 36 times more likely to have a liver shunt than all other breeds combined? And that the Orthopedic Foundation of America ranks Yorkie's #4 in cases of luxating patellas? Surgery for both these conditions runs into the thousands of dollars. If your breeder doesn't screen for these and other genetic conditions, you are playing Russian Roulette with your puppy's future health.
Also, if a breeder isn't carefully breeding to the standard, you may end up with an adult dog that doesn't look much like a Yorkie is supposed to.