If you do not want to adopt or rescue, please buy responsible:
The best choice is YTCA.org since most of show responsible breeders belong to a club.
Please, just be careful when you are looking for a yorkie puppy. Unfortunately, many back yard breeders and puppy mills in the US.
Before you chose a breeder please do your homework what responsible breeder is and its code of ethic. Just google "back yard breeder vs responsible breeder"
Below a few tips:
- reputable breeder will not sell yorkie earlier that 10 weeks. Run from a breeder who sell a pup at age less that 8 weeks. It is illegal to sell puppies younger that 8 weeks.
- reputable breeder will never ever sell puppies to a third party (broker/pet store)
- reputable breeder will try to avoid shipping and try to find a local buyer.
- reputable breeder must show at least one parent. If a breeder doesn't show the parents of puppy, this is huge RED FLAG of puppy mill.
- reputable breeder must give you a guarantee. And WITHOUT frase "no money back, only replacement a puppy". Too many sad stories when BYB sell sick puppies and no one pay a vet bills, even if pup died. Just think - do you really want to replace for another defective puppy from a BYB? Protect yorself - discuss about possible vet bills in a case of sick puppy.
- PLEASE READ STANDARD. (When I was looking for a pup, I was told that yorkie standard is 10-12 pounds
). There are a few quality of yorkies (pet/show), and some breeders charge way too much money for a POOR BREED pup (fluffy coat, disproportional body, oversize, etc)
- NO such a thing as tea cup or whatever. Those word people love to use as marketing words. There is ONLY one standard: not exceed 7 pounds ! Period.
RUN from a breeder who breed too tiny yorkies less that 3 + pounds. Either run from a breeder who breed out of standard yorkies.
- Reputable breeder ALWAYS sells pet quality puppies with limited registration (spay/neuter)
- Reputable breeder must do genetic tests (for instance, luxating patellas). Those, who have any of genetic desease CANNOT be used for breeding. Run from a breeder who breed sick dog. ALWAYS ask for approval of genetic tests. Protect yorself. Luxating patella surgery is very expensive.
- Reputable breeder tries to find a best home for puppy and always will ask many questions.
- Reputable breeder does not breed more that one breed. Two are acceptable, more is definitely a puppy mill.
- Reputable breeder does not have puppies all the time and has a waiting list. According some definitions, if breeder has more that 3 litters in a year, it considers as a puppy mill.
- reputable breeder will not sell yorkie to a family with small children - yorkies are too fragile and not good match with small children.
Check references, call to AKC, etc. before you buy a puppy.
To review a references on particular breeder, go to
Wags & Wiggles Teacups User Reviews - Snohomish, WA 98290 - Citysearch
good luck