In a perfect world I would agree that "pet price" should be set between breeder and buyer and market conditions. But this isn't a perfect world. And buyers should be ticked to find out that they are paying Gucci prices for a Goochi knock off. To us buyers, we feel we are at the mercy of the breeders.
Most of us novice yorkie buyers walk in to this without all the knowledge we should really have. It's not an excuse for being ignorant, but unless you are a member of a forum like this you really don't know what you don't know until you are in over your head.
Unethical breeders have done a fantastic job of pushing the notion that these tiny guys are desirable and something to be coveted. They've marketed the term "teacup" and "pocket pups" and convinced us this is what a "true" yorkie should be. If BP had the same
PR finesse, we'd be celebrating in the streets that they managed to cap the spill after "ONLY" 91 days! I've seen these little babies going for upwards of 3 Grand around here, and even higher on the internet. We (the general buying population) have no idea that these babies aren't eligible for showing or candidates for breeding or should be sold at a different price point than a pup who is an excellent representative of the breed. We don't know that buying these babies is risky at best, heart breaking at worst. We just fall in love with cute little faces.
Right now, it's caveat emptor. Until it becomes general knowledge that this is not what the breed is meant to be and ALL buyers start on a level playing field, then it's upon the ethics of the breeders to educate their buyers and price their dogs according to the actual quality. JMO.