1) What I am looking for in a litter are HEALTHY puppies that will be show prospects, and if not, will be a beautiful pet. The show prospects should conform as closely to the YTCA standard of the breed as possible. Hopefully one of these puppies will be my next champion or will be used for breeding and can pass on her wonderful traits to the next generation.
2) What made me want to breed Yorkies were my first two, 25 years ago. I had always been a "big dog" person until I got a Yorkie. I was actually looking for a Skye Terrier at the time, but being very ignorant, I couldnt find one and didnt know where to look. Heck, I had never even seen a dog show before. But it was love at first sight when I got Amy. She will always be the love of my life. I had no clue about Yorkies and I got her at about 5 1/2 weeks old with no shots. As yes, she was very pet quality and only grew to 3 1/2 lbs. I moved and 6 months later I got Samantha. She was the second love of my life. One day as I was driving, I saw a "dog show" sign and investigated my first dog show. Thats all it took to get me hooked!!!LOL
3) How I started my selections for my breeding program started with ALOT of failures. I got all the T.H.F. books on Yorkies I could find. I looked at the pictures and looked at the pedigrees. We didnt have the luxury of the computer back then!LOL I became a wiz-bang at pedigrees. Samantha had a champion sire/pedigree and was better quality than Amy, so I started from there. I then got a chance to buy another champion sired girl, Christine, and I just knew I was on my way. I was bound and determined to raise my own champion. I had the FAULTY idea that if the dog had champion lines, it would produce champion stock. NOTHING could be further from the truth. I didnt know cr*p!!!!! I did so much wrong. I look back and say "DUH"!!!(I still have duh moments!LOL At least now I can call them GRAY moments!Lol) I had no mentor, no experience and no knowledge. Great way to start, dont you think? To make matters worse, the Yorkie exhibitors were, lets say, less than polite. Still being uneducated and wanting to show, I actually did show a puppy out of Christine from her first litter. He was very pretty and had a classic face. Too bad he was BLACK and had very WAVY hair. I wonder to this day how many handlers were snickering in the ring that day. I wont go into the other Duh moments.
4) Fast forward a few bruises and years and things started coming together. I did actually get my Skye Terrier and he was my first champion!! That would be Woodrow. I bought him site unseen from New Hampshire from a breeder I have only talked to on the phone. She gave me more in-sight to the dog world than any of the Yorkie breeders have. She made me "see" how to breed, etc. I guess I can call her my MENTOR!! So I evolved and matured. What I look for in a Yorkie stud is one that closely follows the YTCA standard and one that passes on those traits. I want to see SILK!! And I am a TOP-LINE fanatic. I want to see MOVEMENT!! I want to see a well put-together package! (bitch or stud)
OK, I want it ALL!!!LOL
5) My advise to the novice is to go to shows and find a mentor. LEARN, LEARN, LEARN!! PRACTICE showing your mentors dogs and LEARN all aspects of health and grooming first before you even attempt to breed a litter. Dont make the same mistakes I have made. It is costly and not gratifying. You want to be proud of what you produce and have a goal. Dont just breed to be breeding.
Sorry this was long winded. Hope you enjoyed my story. Hope I could educate just a little also.
