I do not answer yorkie-specific questions because I am new to the breed. I do however answer general questions that would apply to toy breeds generally, as I have shown and bred Papillons for several years. I agree that reading, watching videos is extremely helping, and a great thing to do to prepare you for breeding dogs. But in my opinion and in my little ideal fantasy world, that is not enough. If someone is interested in breeding to the standard and producing healthy, well tempered dogs that are truly a credit to the breed, I think that the "showing" componant needs to be there. The purpose of dog shows is to evaluate breeding stock. That is what they are there for. That is why we have breed standards. I don't agree that purchasing 2 good quality yorkies who have not been shown and then hoping to breed show potential from them is very realistic.
For those who truly are interested in producing high quality dogs, this is the path I would personally recommend:
1) Attend dog shows. Yes, you might have to travel many hours to get to them. Watch the dogs. You will see who is finishing their dogs quickly and you will start to see the similarities and differences between the dogs.
2) Talk to breeders whose dogs you like. Explain that you are interested in obtaining a show quality puppy, that you are inexperienced, that you are willing to wait a long time for the right puppy to start with, and that you want to learn from them. Offer to meet the breeder at shows and shadow him/her - I did this for well over a year! This way, they will understand your dedication, and you will see if this is something you really want to get involved in.
3) If you already have a dog that is not show quality, another way to up your credentials with a breeder is to train and show your own dog in obedience, rally or agility. Again, shows dedication to your dog, and that you are ready and willing to be a dog show competitor.
4) Be patient. Toy breeds have small litters, and breeders tend to keep their best. You will probably have to be on a wait list for a while. That is fine, because you are learning the dog show ropes-- learning to groom, watching how to handle, etc while you are being a dog show "groupie."
5) Be very willing to purchase, show and finish a male puppy. It is easier to find a spectacular male puppy than a finishable bitch for sale.
6) Do whatever you have to do to finish that first dog. Follow the advice of your breeder. Be ready to hire a handler if necessary.
Once you have done these things, not only will you have gained a lot of knowledge about the breed, but most likely you will have gained a terrific friend and mentor. You will start to learn what qualities you like/dislike in certain breedings or lines. If at the same time you have been studying your genetics you will be far better prepared to even consider breeding. Shoot, you may have decided by then that breeding dogs is not something you want to do. You would probably have had the opportunity to watch your breeder whelp a litter. It is only then that I would think about trying to acquire a good bitch to finish and later think about breeding. Until you have experience in evaluating dogs versus the standard, you aren't really ready to know what you qualities you want in what will be your foundation bitch. Another possibility, and this is what I did actually, is to lease a bitch from your breeder/mentor. It is a way to get a breeding from a superior quality bitch that your breeder is not interested in selling. Of course to do this there has to be a huge level of trust there, but that is something that should have been growing this whole time, over the course of years most likely.
Again, these are my opinions, and some ideas to share. It is a long journey, but it is an enjoyable, educational one. |