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Originally Posted by EsmeeKimme  Hi I have been lurking and making an occasional post on the board for about a week now and just need to get my situation off my chest. I have been afraid to post because I don't want to be one of those people to all of you and I do want so much to fit in with this community and forum. Out of concern for Riley and myself though I have to post.
I want you to know I did research the breed itself but I seriously did not know about the 12 wks until home thing until I came to this site. I found this site after I had already met him, fallen in love with him and put down my deposit.
In my welcome thread I was told he will be to young to home because he will be about 8 wks so I did contact the breeder and voiced the information and concerns I heard here. She didn't understand my issue because she has been breeding for quite a few years and she says she always makes sure they have the vets ok to come home before she releases them. That is why she gave me an estimate of the 25th not a firm date.
I have looked further and I do not think she is invovled in the show world or whatever either though she tells me she is, I did meet both the parents and they seemed very sociable, happy and healthy. She does not keep them outside in cages but in her home. I did know enough from having dogs before to look at the conditions they were in.
I know from enhaling this forum for days now she is probably not what you would consider a top notch breeder because she isn't doing the titles stuff and because of the letting him go before 12 wks.
I can't walk away from him now though and I just don't know what to do. I fell for him and feel like I have already promised him he is going to be with us. I am not a wealthy woman but it isn't even the non-refundable deposit that has got me all messed up inside, I honestly want him and feel like I love him at this point.
Hubby can't understand my issue, he thought she seemed nice and the parents are great so why am I having problems even though I have shown him where you guys say 12 wks and the person should be "improving the breed".
I am so torn and it hurts to think that if I do what I know I probably will, then I will have to find another forum for us to go to where they won't know I got him to young. That seems deciteful though, and feels wrong to me. Not to mention the fact that I like you people already. I have read so many posts and threads that I feel I have a sense of who some of you are already.
So there it is. I am not a breeder by the way nor would I ever consider it even if I wanted to with him just because of the uncertainly I feel now about the whole thing but I can't promise you I won't pick him up at 8 wks. if I can't resolve that with her, all she says is how well he is eating puppy food now and how they need to go home when the vet says they are safe to do so. |
Well first please don't be afaird to post. I was one of the posters that mentioned to you about the eight weeks old versus 12 weeks old.
Other larger breeds do go home at eight weeks, but for the Yorkies, the Yorkshire Terrier club of America does recommend 12wks old; further it is best if the pup is 3lbs or more.
One approach you can try with your breeder is to explain that the National Club for Yorkshire terriers does recommend the 12 wk minimum for Yorkies, and simply ask her why she is releasing her pups a lot earlier than that?
Also before I got my Yorkie I was and am a large breed owner, and I can tell you, when I got my Razz at 12 wks and just 3lbs, I was in a state of panic that he would get hurt. To my eyes he was just so little! I can't imagine what I would have felt if he was a whole month earlier and only about 2lbs or so. If my concern mirrors yours, simply share that with your breeder.
There are articles on here about how to select a reputable breeder, and mayhap if you have not read them, please do so, and see how this breeder measures up.
If you can share this breeders name and kennel name, we have excellent researchers here, that can confirm if she actually does show, etc.
It concerns me that "she says she is involved in the show world" and yet you can't seem to find evidence of that. If she has lied about this, I guess I would ask myself what else is untrue?
Each of us will weigh all the criteria that makes up a good breeder, as individuals we might consider one aspect more important to us than another.
For me, one very important criteria, is how commited is this breeder to the health of our breed? What pre-breeding tests does she do?
Did you know for example, many breeders are deciding to keep the pups until 16wks old when the first BAT test is done to test for Liver Shunt?
What is her health guarantee like? Is it meaningful? Does it cover genetic conditions? Will she be there for you over the life of this puppy?
Other posters here will respond to this important question, and you should get various opinions, that you can weigh when making your decision.
Truly when purchasing a dog, it is buyer beware, just make yourself aware of what you need to be concerned about. Go into this with your eyes wide open.
If you need some help in locating threads let me know, and I can post some links for you.