Quote:
Originally Posted by QuickSilver  One thing that does not make a lot of sense to me is how "breeding to standard" and "breeding for health" are always mentioned together. I don't see why breeding for aesthetic qualities has anything to do with health checks. Obviously there are show dogs that can win competitions, yet still have terrible health problems.
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Somebody on the maltese board asked that same question, read this, it'll answer your question:
Spoiled Maltese - the largest maltese dog forum and website
My favorite quote is:
Health and structure are closely related. A well-bred dog with excellent structure (according to our breed standard) should not have luxating patellae or hip problems. They should not have bowed front legs which can cause problems. They should not have large bug eyes which aggravate tear staining. They should not have an overly domed head such as would be common in a hydrocephalic dog.
You can't breed without looking at structure and end up with healthy dogs.
I don't really know about the yorkie health here, but on that forum, 90% of the maltese that have health problems are not from reputable breeders. That's a fact.