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Originally Posted by yorkielady06  But as with all purebred dogs there is alot of line breeding...breeding family members to family members...as the video states and the genetic people...problems are coming about in all breeds even here in the USA with our own AKC dogs. There are many breeders who will breed grandfather to granddaughter and so on. And the standards of all breeds have changed over the years no matter what breed there is.
I just looked at the YTCA and the dogs within that site. The beginning with the different terriers and types. Even with in one part..the size standards. In a little more than a hundred years we have shrunk the Yorkshire Terriers down to almost half their size. The Yorkshire standard of 1890 says"
"Weight divided into two classes, under five pounds and over five pounds, but not to exceed twelve pounds." 12 pounds!!! and now we say up to 7 pounds. I also noted that the coats on these dogs have changed quite a bit and the length of the body and legs. If you look at the earlier ones the length of the dog from the neck to the tail is much shorter now and the legs are shorter too.
Yorkies are one of the top breeds with liver shunt disease. They are plagued with digestive issues and with luxating patellas. There are quite a number with hydrocephalus and legg perthes. All these issues cannot all be blamed on the BYB and puppy mills and breeders not breeding to standard. There are too many instances of these problems and it is only getting worse. As I read the standards of the breed I noticed that there is not one mention of the health of the dog...interesting. |
You are correct that yorkies are plaqued with genetic illnesses, but is the illness related to standard? For example, in other breeds the illness is directly related to the standard because standard may call for a flat nose, and the flat nose causes breathing problems. I do think the incident of Liver Shunts and Luxating Patellas can be blamed on the breeders who breed a dog before she even knows the health of her own dog, a good breeder tests, and knows her line, and also will not be selling puppies willy nilly for breeding. I agree with you about the incidence of inbreeding and only a really experienced breeder who has studied genetics should attempt this. I think in the wild there is probably a lot more inbreeding then we realize, it's just that nature "culls" the young that are unhealthy. Regarding size, I do think the mother club does it's best to encourage breeders not to breed below 5 pounds. We shouldn't be breeding a dog that needs human help in delivering it's pups. Backyard breeders, and commercial breeders, not breeders who show, produce the vast majority of yorkies. If you really believe that the written standard is the reason yorkies are unhealthy, I don't think you should buy a yorkie, and please don't just support a breeder who doesn't breed to standard. Regarding "there is not one mention of the health of the dog" written in the standard, remember, much of "structure" relates to health.