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Originally Posted by Gracie'sMommy Well, what do you consider "that small" of a Yorkie? Gracie is 2 lbs. and expected to be around 3 lbs. fully grown. She comes from a 3 lb. Dad and a 5 lb. Mom. I knew when I bought her she'd be around 4 lbs., the low end of Yorkie standard. However, as she's grown (she's almost 5 months old) it appears she may stay around 3 lbs. as an adult unless she has a big growth spurt sometime soon.
I bought her specifically for her size. I wanted a "small" dog. A purse puppy, if you will. Not that she travels around in my purse, but you get my drift. I have a 65 lb. Lab, and a 15 lb. Shih Tzu. I wanted something smaller, something puppy sized that stayed that way! It's just personal choice.
So I paid $1,200 for her. A lot of money, sure. But she's worth every penny. In fact the joy I get from her is priceless. The breeder I bought her from does breed smaller dogs. Her litters go back 4 and 5 generations and she breeds for the small end of Yorkie standard, and is very careful in her breeding practices. I researched her *in depth* before I spent a dime, making sure that she has a good reputation (she does), that she has happy and healthy pups (she does) and she stands behind every puppy she sells. And yes, she does advertise them as Tiny or Teacup....because they are! My 2 lb'er is tiny next to somebody else's 8 lb. Yorkie. She doesn't fit into my coffee cup, but if I stood her beside my Shih Tzu I'd even refer to her as a teacup....because *next to other dogs that's what she is*.
I don't feel that Gracie is "weak" because she is small, or that she is in danger of unusual health problems. I don't treat her with kid gloves. I would have loved to have bred her and had "grandkids" but she will be too small and I would never, ever put her through something like that.
So, I guess my response here is this...yes, there are breeders out there selling "tiny" and "teacup" Yorkies for inflated prices. Why? Because they can!!! If the market bears it, why not? Yes there are wonderful breeders who aren't in it to make money, they are in it for the love of the breed. Bravo to them! But I can tell you this....IF I were a reputable breeder, I would not "blue light special" my babies either. Because somebody who is going to invest a lot of money in my baby is going to take care of her. That's just the way I feel about it.
Right or wrong...all the usual disclaimers apply and your mileage may vary! haha |
Julie:
I couldn't have said it better. I agree with you! IMHO there is too much controversy over the semantics and whether we say "teacup" or "tiny". Teacup started because other breeds used it to describe their tinies, i.e, Teacup poodle, teacup chihuahua, etc.
ALL yorkies have certain health issues they are prone too. The "runts" you get from a typical breeding of a 6 lb male and a 6 lb female are less healthy than the tinies you get from a 2 lb male mated to a 5 lb female which are the breeders are breeding for what a major portion of the population wants the tiny dog that can travel with them and be their constant companion. Mine are service animals and they have to be small to take on the plane, etc. If the stud is healthy and free of congenital defect and the puppy "takes after him" as far as size goes, I would think that puppy would be healthier than the runt of a "regular" litter. I am not a breeder so I may be all wet about this. It just makes sense to me.
I am also obviously opposed to breeding any dog where it would be a health risk to do so. I think the concensus on that issue is that you should not breed a female under 5 lbs and 6 lbs is a better size. I see older tiny females for sale all the time because the breeder was holding onto to them hoping they would get big enought to breed but they didn't, so they are selling them as pets and they even say they are not for sale to "breeders".
People who will pay those prices are celebrities or wealthy people who want the best and will pay to get it.
Just a warning from a legal perspective about posting ALL of the questionable breeders who advertise "t-cup" puppies as disreputable, IMHO you would be subjecting yourselves, and this forum potentially, to a claim for defamation by breeders who are perfectly reputable and care for their dogs very much. Both of the breeders of my two dogs fit this category since they advertise Teacup yorkies but they are beyond reproach when it comes to how much they care and their knowledge of these tiny babies. They both knew more than the average vet about the health issues, the history of the breed, the breed standard, etc., yet they would be on this list. That would be a disservice to them and to all yorkie lovers in my opinion.
These breeders also never "guaranteed" a size and were very clear about the fact that there is no way to tell what size a puppy will be at adulthood. You can get pretty close to determining it with size at birth, size of both parents, etc., and the older they get the more you can tell, which is another reason tinies should be kept by the breeder until at least 12 weeks and preferably longer.
The breeders we should "target" (in a legal manner) are the puppy mills who do not provide adequate facilities and proper health care for their adults and their puppies. There are plenty of those to go after before we "target"
all questionable t-cup breeders. What is the definition of "questionable" and who decides that?
The internet and the law regarding jurisdictional issues of where a lawsuit may be brought could mean that a breeder in Texas could sue IN TEXAS as a result of a post from this site by a member who lives in New Jersey. This is just a hypothetical, but anyone who wants more info on how to "take action" against unscrupulous breeders in a way to prevent defamation, please PM me and I would be happy to help in any way I can.
We are a big group and we have the power to make a difference and do it right!