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Originally Posted by RoseAngel  Hello,
My name is Rose and I've been doing research and meeting Yorkies in hopes of finding a precious new member of family. We live in NC and have found it difficult to know who is and who isn't a reputable breeder. There is a lot of advertisements for Yorkies online but it's impossible to know who is trustworthy. I would so appreciate any help in this process. We have owned small dogs but never a Yorkie I just met a few and fell in love with their look and the information I've read about their personalities.
Thank you and I love all the pictures of your beloved Yorkies   |
I applaud your research BEFORE chosing a breeder. That is the most important choice in pet ownership -- finding a good, ethical breeder. Once you find that, selecting the pup is a pice of cake!
I also appreciate John's suggestion of finding a rescue. There are a lot of rescue pups needing homes. If that direction is not one you choose at this time, I would like to recommend the YTCA (Yorkshire Terrier Club of America)
Yorkshire Terrier Club of America About The Club This is the breeder referral page. Just being a member of the YTCA does not guarantee they are great breeders, but I think you narow the field a great deal. If they subscribe to the YTCA ethics and Code of Conduct, you are well on your way to finding a great breeder.
A good breeder will NOT sell you a pup less than 12 weeks old or in most cases not under 2 pounds. They will screen you as a potential owner and should ask for a vet reference. They will be your life-long contact for Yorkie information on growth and development. Visit their home and ask to see where the adult dogs as well as the puppies live. You want someone who cares for the adults and does not force them to live their life in stacked cages, pacing back & forth wishing they could escape the life of a constant breeder. Ask your breeder what tests were done on her dam & sire. Basic blood work as well as tests for STDs and brucellosis should have been done. Ask if they have been CERF (eyes/heart) and OFA (bones/joints) certified. Ask about the pedigree -- going back at least 3 generations, what were the pups like? Any problems in the litters? You want to make sure no genetic problems are being passed through the line. Take a good look at the dam and sire -- are they within AKC standards for the breed? Do they look healthy? How about temperment? Do they appear well -loved and interact well with the owner and other dogs? Get a copy of the health guarantee and really go over it in detail. So many make a big deal about giving a one year health guarantee and then when you read it, there are so many exclusions as to make it worthless! You want some allowance for keping a dog that winds up showing a genetic problem down the line. So many guarantees only provide for "replacement" -- who is going to do that after bonding with their dog? If that is all the guarantee offers, again, it is useless and the owners know that! Ask for some referrals. Post on YT once you do fihd a breeder you are interested in and ask for others' experiences. The internet has made this a small world! I live in a very small town and still ran across 2 people who used the same breeder I did! Beware of breeders advertising "teacups" and "tinies." We see tragedies every week on YT where someone was more concerned with getting a TINY pup than a
healthy one.
Read as much as you can about the Yorkshire Terrier Breed -- that way you can tell if your breeder is knowledgeable and it will benefit your pup once you get one. Be a well informed puppy owner. Read about the health concerns of the yorkie breed and things to be alert for. Use more than one source for information. Your breeder should be able to teach you a great deal, but also read books, and online to find out as much as you can to ensure information is true and correct.
There are some good breeders on Yorkietalk and I wish I could say they all are, but that is NOT the case. You may even be messaged behind the scenes directly as some do not like to answer on the open forum, where someone might alert you to problems they have in their "business." You want to find someone who treats their yorkies like family. Stay away from pet stores that sell puppies, puppymills, and back yard breeders. Good luck in your search -- the more you put into it, the more you will be rewarded with a longtime addition to your family!